HELP *new pc has become a doorstop

Status
Not open for further replies.

icewizard2k4

Baseband Member
Messages
46
Hi guys, let me get straight down to the dillema.

i've just built a new machine for a friend, that is BRAND new. it was working fine, he took it home, plugged a printer into the USB, his system froze.

now everytime the machine is powered up the monitor stays in standby mode.

i've tried:
changing the graphics card
changing the monitor
removing all the unnesessary hardware
re-seating all cables
resetting the cmos

basically all i can do is pull the machine apart and reassemble it because i cant get any display on the screen. im not game enough to put a multimeter on the agp slot or anything like that.

strangely, the card that was in there when the computer stuffed up, causes the monitor to attempt to come on. that is when i power up, the light comes on green and then goes into standby before i get a display. where as other video cards are staying on standby.

my friend also moved some components around in his machine after he took it home, i've inspected the motherboard for damage but there appears to be none.

has the connection of the printer shorted out the board??? it was through the front usb but it was all correctly plugged into the mobo with the grounding plugs etc.

please HELP. any ideas please put them forward.

thanks
 
My guess is it's the power supply due to the fact that USB devices consume a lot of juice, but that's just a guess at that. Do any of the parts look like they have been fried, or have you tried sniffing around the case for fried parts?
 
i've tried exchanging the psu and i get the same result.

the only things connected are the motherboard power plugs, keyboard, mouse, video card and the monitor.

turn on the machine, monitor goes straight into standby.

specs:
P4 3.0 Prescott 478
MSI 865PE Neo2-PFS
512MB pc3200 Kingston Kit
Thermaltake Silent Purepower 480w

all other components shouldnt matter... they arent connected.

video card and monitor have been swapped with other ones and get the same result.
 
Actually there are several things that it could be. At this point it is sort of like a 'Witch Hunt'. In other words, you have to find the culprit by trial and error.

First. Make sure the motherboard screws are all tight. A loose motherboard screw can cause ungodly amounts of anguish. A shorting motherboard can also jeopardize the integrity of all of the components attached to it.

Next, if there are 2 stick of RAM, try one at a time. Sometimes a bad memory stick can cause fatal errors. I have had a PC with bad memory completely refuse to turn on for more than a few seconds.

Next, Be absolutely sure that the Heat Sink and fan are tight and that they didn't get jarred some how. A loose CPU or HeatSink can cause shorting problems.

Then, Try the tried and true of resetting the CMOS jumper. Try and clear the CMOS to get a fresh start. Also, remove the system battery while doing this. That way you are sure to get a clean start, BUT do not forget to reset the system time, or you may run into application errors later on.

Lastly, make sure that the Heat Sink Fan motherboard monitor lead is attached. Some motherboards will not 'fire up' if it doesn't detect a Heat Sink Fan.

If worse comes to worst, RMA the motherboard or send in for a replacement. It could be that the USB connector on the motherboard fried when he hooked up the printer. They do use quite a bit of power. I wouldn't think it would be the PSU though. I have never seen a Thermaltake PSU that had to be replaced at least until after about 2 years of use.

Let us know what you find out. Also, have you rulled out the video card as being bad? Try it in another system to ensure that it is still good. Never assume it is good simply because it worked before the build.
 
One final problem that I have just thought of now, and I don't even know why I didn't think of this earlier, especially since you are using a Prescott, but there is a good chance that the CPU is overheating, possibly because the heatsink or other cooling part was damaged or knocked out of place.

Once your CPU reaches a certain temperature, it will automatically shut itself off to protect itself from overheating and melting, and I think this may be the culprit.
 
motherboard screws all tightened.
removed, cleaned, applied thermal and re-seated the cpu.
exchanged RAM.

the machine is still rooted.
 
IF you DONT get any error beeps, your motherboard has a good chance of being dead.

is the motherboard USB 2.0? did you use a usb riser to extend the ports? using a usb 1.1 to port a usb 2.0 and then using a usb 2.0 interface device can cause burning... at least in my experience :)

anyhow, try a different motherboard.
 
the board is usb2.0.. well should be.

the usb port used was the front port that is part of the case so i had to plug in the little pluggy things onto the pins using the mobo manual.

i don't have another motherboard to test with.

does it sound more like a defect in the board or something that i or my friend has done?

also no the machine doesn't beep or do anything wotsoeva apart from become powered. all the fans spin up, monitor stays on standby.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom