# suspect Motherboard or CPU blown?



## Jammin_jay (Feb 4, 2007)

I suspect my Motherboard or CPU is blown?  I've had this computer for 3 years, then all of a sudden i went upstairs to see a blank screen, with no screen saver on it.  So i started invesigating.  I tried to reboot, but no signal. Its not the video card, cause i took it out and put it in another computer and it works. When i turn the computer on, i get no beeps, fan turns on, light on the motherboard is on.  I cannot even eject the CD drive or hear the hard drive spin, but when i disconnect the IDE cables from cd drive, and leave the power cable connected to it, it powers up, but soon as i plug the IDE cable from the motherboard back in, it shuts down.  The same with the hd, it will spin when theres no ide cable plugged into it, but when i plug it it stops.  How can u tell if its the motherboard or CPU, i am hoping its  the motherboard, less expensive.


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## PC eye (Feb 4, 2007)

Welcome to CF! http://www.computerforum.com/70672-official-welcome-thread.html Please review if you haven;t already http://www.computerforum.com/52038-forum-rules.html

 After three years a number of things could be the cause for this. One item often missed is a $2-3 item namely the Lithium battery usually a CR2032 model number on the board itself. When that becomes too weak the system can simply shutdown and see startup problems or iy may not even startup.

 High temps seen on the cpu, bios eprom, main chipset even can easily see hardware failure of one or the other. If you have never montiored system and cpu temps where the thermal pad on the stock heat sink and fan became hardened and non conductive of heat the cpu could be done in.

 Your first problem there by your description is trying to plug in the ide cable while the system is running? THAT'S A DEFINITE NO! NO! You never plug or unplug any internal connections with the ac cord plugged let alone on a live system. If you don't "zzzzzzzapped!" you are likely to see more damage. The drive cable itself could be useless or something is shorting to ground there.


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## The_Other_One (Feb 4, 2007)

Probably a bad motherboard...  You could try removing components to see if it starts working, but I had the exact same problem with an older system once, and it was a dead motherboard...  The system would turn on and off, but no video.  CD-ROM's wouldn't eject/HD's wouldn't spin up unless they were disconnected.


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## Jammin_jay (Feb 4, 2007)

I didnot remove the IDE cables when the computer is on.  I did it when it was off.  What i want to know is How to you tell if its the mb or the cpu.  I dont want to buy a mb, and find out its the cpu.   I dont hear any beeps from the computer at all.  Both PSU and CPU fan both run.  A green light is on the motherboard.  And the HD light is constantly on, but the HD is not spinning.  The only time it will spin, is when i shut the computer off, unplug the IDE cables, and then turn it back on.  What is strange is that there is no signal to the Video Card, and no signal to the HD or the DVD drive.   is there a way to tell if its the CPU or the motherboard.  IF theres no beeps, even after i take the ram out too,  what would that say.   I checked the cpu, took the heat sink and cooling fan off, and it looks as good as new, no burnt smells, not even hot. pins are ok.


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## The_Other_One (Feb 4, 2007)

Um...don't start pulling cables while it's on  

It's rare for a CPU to give out.  And even if it did, I'm pretty sure you could still eject the CD-ROM and the HDs would spin up.


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## Jammin_jay (Feb 4, 2007)

Let say the CPU is blown, then i still should be able to open and close the Drives, well thanks for the info, theres a 99.9% chance its the motherboard then, and the CPU should be fine.  MB's cost a lot less then CPU's, so i will get another MB with the same socket set and give it a try.


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## The_Other_One (Feb 4, 2007)

You could always pull the CPU out and see if it makes a difference.


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## PC eye (Feb 5, 2007)

Jammin_jay said:


> Let say the CPU is blown, then i still should be able to open and close the Drives, well thanks for the info, theres a 99.9% chance its the motherboard then, and the CPU should be fine. MB's cost a lot less then CPU's, so i will get another MB with the same socket set and give it a try.


 
 Don't think for one moment you can't have a bad cpu as well as board that went toast on you. When an older Socket A board suddenly went doa last year a friend grabbed the cpu to upgrade an XP2000 to the XP2600 from the other build. That proved to be a fatal mistake when that board crapped on the spot. The 2600+ cooked two boards in two different cases!   Assume the worst before the best.


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## Jammin_jay (Feb 6, 2007)

Well, it wasn't the motherboard or the cpu.  I was very lucky.  It happened to be the PSU.  I replaced the PSU and it started up.  Very interesting how it can go.


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## The_Other_One (Feb 6, 2007)

That must of been one dead PSU...  Its pretty rare it affects the drives like that too


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## PC eye (Feb 6, 2007)

I was going to suggest a possible supply problem as being a likely culprit. But you responded with an answer too quickly!   Gee another one with a flaky psu to ponder on. Think I should provide "the list" here? why not!

Good:
Antec(except Smart Power models) - Astec - AOpen - Channel Well - Coolermaster - Enermax(except Liberty models) 
- Enlight - Fortron Source (Sparkle) - HEC - OCZ Technology - PC Power & Cooling - PowerMan
- Seasonic - SilenX - SilverStone - Tagan - TTGI/SuperFlower - Vantec - Zippy / Emacs - Verax - Zalman
- Corsair

Bad:
Allied - Antec Smart Power models seem to lack(recommend True Power or NeoHE) - Aspire - CoolMax - DEER - Enermax Liberty models - EYE-T
 - KingStar - L&C - Linkworld - Logisys - PowerMagic - PowerUp - Powmax - Q-Tec - Raidmax - Skyhawk - Star
 - Turbolink - Ultra - ThermalTake(complaints heard) - Rosewill


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## Jammin_jay (Feb 6, 2007)

Just to add to the list.  It was an Elitech power supply that was in the computer.  There are a lot of manufacturers for power supplies out there and i guess it's quite a common thing to go on a computer.


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## PC eye (Feb 7, 2007)

Now which list are you referring to there?   oh you meant the "foobar" list. whew!!   If it came with the case there's no surprise at seeing a "crapola special" there. I made the mistake of ordering a case with a supply "once and once only"! Never again is the motto here. They generally throw the cheapest generic or off brand garbage they can in too make the do re' me while you get stuck with...  ggrrrrrr!


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