Help!! Computer dead!!!
Discussion
Help!!
My computer decided to die abruptly the night before last and I figured it was the power supply that had gone....basically nothing worked apart from the fans kicking in for a moment and the motherboard power indicator turning on.
Yesterday I bought a new power supply hoping that all would be well but I get absolutely nowt when starting up the computer. The fans all spin up...as do the hard disks and even the motherboard status lights indicate the computer is powered on, but I get no other response.
No beeps, no picture, no hard disk activity indicating booting up.....
I'm a bit peeved off since I've spent all my saving on a new telly as you may have noticed in previous threads, so I'm at a bit of a loss with what to do! Any ideas what it might be? (Memory? CPU? Mobo? Graphics card?)
Or do I have to take the plunge and get some new hardware (not happy about doing this).
My computer decided to die abruptly the night before last and I figured it was the power supply that had gone....basically nothing worked apart from the fans kicking in for a moment and the motherboard power indicator turning on.
Yesterday I bought a new power supply hoping that all would be well but I get absolutely nowt when starting up the computer. The fans all spin up...as do the hard disks and even the motherboard status lights indicate the computer is powered on, but I get no other response.
No beeps, no picture, no hard disk activity indicating booting up.....
I'm a bit peeved off since I've spent all my saving on a new telly as you may have noticed in previous threads, so I'm at a bit of a loss with what to do! Any ideas what it might be? (Memory? CPU? Mobo? Graphics card?)
Or do I have to take the plunge and get some new hardware (not happy about doing this).
So you have a little bit of progress with the new power supply??
When a PSU (power supply unit) dies then it sometimes take a few other components out with it. probably a power surge through the PC. However it isnt unusual to have to change a few other components when this happens (e.g Emachines are known for fitting useless power supplies and when they dies they take the motherboard out too - every time!)
It sounds like you should definately try some new memory and a graphics card from the symptons you suggest.
obviously you dont want to buy these and find they make no difference so why not try asking a PC shop if they can test what it needs and you'll buy whatever from them (if you think it is financially worth fixing).
When a PSU (power supply unit) dies then it sometimes take a few other components out with it. probably a power surge through the PC. However it isnt unusual to have to change a few other components when this happens (e.g Emachines are known for fitting useless power supplies and when they dies they take the motherboard out too - every time!)
It sounds like you should definately try some new memory and a graphics card from the symptons you suggest.
obviously you dont want to buy these and find they make no difference so why not try asking a PC shop if they can test what it needs and you'll buy whatever from them (if you think it is financially worth fixing).
got a local pc which rip people off and one a bit further out in letchworth who are really good
but seeing that u live in austria... you buy replacement parts and end up with a new pc if u not know what ur doing, so a visit to the local pc guy might be good saving
think i paid £35 last time, as did not have the time to mess around with it, guy then built parents pc and will build my upgrade soon as i so hate waiting for couriers to deleiver stuff
but seeing that u live in austria... you buy replacement parts and end up with a new pc if u not know what ur doing, so a visit to the local pc guy might be good saving
think i paid £35 last time, as did not have the time to mess around with it, guy then built parents pc and will build my upgrade soon as i so hate waiting for couriers to deleiver stuff
mcarrick69 said:
So you have a little bit of progress with the new power supply??
When a PSU (power supply unit) dies then it sometimes take a few other components out with it. probably a power surge through the PC. However it isnt unusual to have to change a few other components when this happens (e.g Emachines are known for fitting useless power supplies and when they dies they take the motherboard out too - every time!)
It sounds like you should definately try some new memory and a graphics card from the symptons you suggest.
obviously you dont want to buy these and find they make no difference so why not try asking a PC shop if they can test what it needs and you'll buy whatever from them (if you think it is financially worth fixing).
Hmmmmm......I'm always sceptical of PC shops. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to hardware but problem finding is difficult since I don't have a test rig. I can test my memory on my media center pc, and maybe even the GPU, but I'm not keen on swapping CPU's all the time. It's a delicate business with Athlon XP's as the core is so fragile.When a PSU (power supply unit) dies then it sometimes take a few other components out with it. probably a power surge through the PC. However it isnt unusual to have to change a few other components when this happens (e.g Emachines are known for fitting useless power supplies and when they dies they take the motherboard out too - every time!)
It sounds like you should definately try some new memory and a graphics card from the symptons you suggest.
obviously you dont want to buy these and find they make no difference so why not try asking a PC shop if they can test what it needs and you'll buy whatever from them (if you think it is financially worth fixing).
Basically the spec of the PC is:
Athlon XP 3200+
1GB Corsair (Top end stuff), memory (2x512MB)
Abit NF7-S2 mobo
Asus GF6800 Ultra GPU (Now this was expensive and only got it last year)
Hiper (now not so Hiper PSU)
I know it's not top end or anything. It's not even bottom end by todays standards, however it worked and ran very nicely even with Vista and I was very happy with it.
I don't play games on it much and was even planning to get a 360 for my new HD TV, which is another problem. I've just spent all my savings on that, and now I have to splash out on new hardware.
I'm guessing it is the mobo and if so, it's really not worth repairing.
If this is the case, how much do you reckon a total bottom end PC would cost, but equally have potential for upgrading. Ie, reasonable mobo (50-60 quid), and total bottom end CPU. Memory would have to be compromised too but 2GB would be ok as I've seen that for just 60 quid at Scan, but then we run into the GPU issue.
What should I go for? Would a GF 7 series suffice? Like I said, I don't play games often and my 6800 Ultra was perfect for Battle for Middle Earth and C&C Generals as well as Mafia. That's about all I play. Like I said, a 360 was on the the cards so that will now have to wait another 6 months!!!
The GPU MUST be quiet. No question about that. I hate noise and I retrofitted a Arctic Cooler NV5 to the Asus graphics card to make it quieter. Ideas?
Cheers,
BB
annodomini2 said:
Just one simple question have you checked the fuse in the power lead? If its 5A with modern PSU's they have a problem of going bang under heavy load.
Nope, it's not that. Like I said, the old one provided power but perhaps to not all the headers. The new PSU powered everything up but that was about it. Nothing more than a blank screen.I've spec'd up a budget PC with an Athlon 64 X2 3800 for just over 200 quid (€320). I'll try and salvage as much as possible including the graphics card which I can test on my media pc and the memory too and flog the CPU as untested on eBay. Should get about 50 quid for the graphics card alone and maybe 20 quid or so for the CPU so I'm hoping the upgrade wont cost too much.
Just in case anyone can give me their opinions on the new hardware I might buy, please let me know if it's crap (or not!)
- Athlon 64 X2 3800+ CPU
- MSI 7260 K9N Neo-F SAM2 ATX Mobo
- 2GB Memory 1024MB x2
- GAINWARD Geforce 7600GT HDTV PCI-E 256MB
Should do everything I need and more. I guess on top of this I can load Windows Vista 64.....if that makes any difference or not.....
<sigh>
Ok. Standard PC diags.
Is it under waranty from a single OEM? If so, phone them up.
Assuming not, lets take it from the top.
Pull the GFX, RAM, HDD cables and any other add in card from the mobo. Remove all the power connectors going to drives. Turn on.
If the system springs in to life and starts beeping like an insane thing (with no video or ram it should do) then we know the issue is else where. One at a time start adding things in until the system refuses to turn on and you know that's the dead bit.
If it doesn't then we know it's either the mobo or PSU that's gone tits up. Google for a guide to jump start the PSU using a paper clip or some such (really, you can, you short a few pins out so it's got 'power good' and 'power on' shorted and it'll fire up alternatively head to whatever passes for Maplins in your part of the world and pick up an ATX PSU tester).
If the PSU won't 'jump start' then it's dead. If it purs in to life and sits there going 'WTF??' you know the mobo/cpu has lost the magic smoke
Get a new mobo that's compatible and you should be away. Unless it's the CPU in which case return the mobo and exchange for processor.
Is it under waranty from a single OEM? If so, phone them up.
Assuming not, lets take it from the top.
Pull the GFX, RAM, HDD cables and any other add in card from the mobo. Remove all the power connectors going to drives. Turn on.
If the system springs in to life and starts beeping like an insane thing (with no video or ram it should do) then we know the issue is else where. One at a time start adding things in until the system refuses to turn on and you know that's the dead bit.
If it doesn't then we know it's either the mobo or PSU that's gone tits up. Google for a guide to jump start the PSU using a paper clip or some such (really, you can, you short a few pins out so it's got 'power good' and 'power on' shorted and it'll fire up alternatively head to whatever passes for Maplins in your part of the world and pick up an ATX PSU tester).
If the PSU won't 'jump start' then it's dead. If it purs in to life and sits there going 'WTF??' you know the mobo/cpu has lost the magic smoke
Get a new mobo that's compatible and you should be away. Unless it's the CPU in which case return the mobo and exchange for processor.
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff