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quick computer question

Ar-Pharazon

Ar-Pharazon

Admiral
Admiral
Having a problem with the desktop. For a few weeks, the mouse pointer would stop momentarily, maybe 10 seconds, then it would be OK. This would happen once in a while. Might have been an overall system freeze up, but usually too short to check out. This was the only noticeable weirdness.

Did as many tests as I could. I run Tune-Up 1-step-maintenance every day, registry mechanic regularly, checkdisk every couple weeks and tried a couple system tests last week. Never got any errors outside of the "no USB loopback plug".

Today, after a couple Win7 updates (I don't think these had anything to do with anything) I came back to find the first BSOD I've seen since I installed Win7 in December.

I didn't bother to write down anything from the BSOD, sine I have it set to save into a log.

But when I hit the restart button, it never even went into the BIOS or any other messages I usually see during start-up. Restarted several time to no avail.

So now I'm wondering what's the more likely problem, motherboard or CPU? It won't be an overheating problem, I have speedfan running and the CPU never gets above 40°C unless under heavy load, at which point the fans ramp up. The GPU runs around 70°C and is also monitored by speedfan.

If it's either of these, I'm hoping for the motherboard since I have an unused brand-new one I got last year, and never installed, which is virtually the same model as what's in there and would require no re-installation.


Thanks.
 
CPU failure almost always results in total system failure--it won't even boot up.

More likely, you're looking at:

1. Motherboard failure.
2. RAM flaws (bad bits.)
3. Bad drivers.

I'd say start by removing all non-essential hardware--any additional drives, extra video cards, etc. See if you get BSODs. Start adding back one device at a time. If you get the BSODs with minimal hardware installed, then yeah, you're most likely looking at motherboard or RAM. At that point, swap out the mobo and see if that does it.
 
The fact that it won't even POST points to a hardware problem, and a rather serious one at that. Do as Robert Maxwell said above, and unhook everything you can--all cards except the video card, all drives, all but one stick of RAM--and try again. If it still won't POST, try your RAM one stick at a time. If your mother board has on-board video it would be a good idea to take out the video card and connect the monitor to the on-board video instead. It wouldn't hurt to reset the BIOS as well (usually with a jumper, see your MB manual). If it still won't POST, then it's the CPU or MB, so switch the MB for the spare one you mentioned and hope for the best.

To be safe, you probably should sacrifice a few chickens to the technology gods before you begin. ;)
 
It's not clear from your first post. Are you saying that now it won't start up at all? No bios, post beeps, windows load screen? Are you getting any indication of the system getting power when you turn it on? What is the sequence of events you are getting now when you turn it on?
 
^ Exactly what you're saying. Only the fans running and the blue LED below the power switch indicate anything is happening.

Otherwise, nothing else. None of the other screens of information prior to when I would see the Windows logo. No option to hit DEL to enter BIOS. And this ASUS board runs through a lot of stuff normally and I don't even have express gate enabled.

Odds are, with the albeit minor glitch I was experiencing, either the motherboard or CPU is the culprit, but I am going to try the other suggestions from above. Maybe I won't have to replace either of these 2 items, but a new video card won't be cheap nor would 8 or 16 GB of RAM.

Audio is onboard and the only other cards are a USB expansion and a Hauppauge capture card and neither of these gets a lot of use. And offhand, and being at work, I don't remember the motherboard having onboard video.
 
Does it not beep when you power it up?

1. Make sure all cables are securely in their sockets, and check cables don't have any broken or suspect wires. Does it still not beep when you power it up?

2. Try unplugging all non-graphics cards and peripherals, then power on and see if it beeps.

3. Try removing all drives (hard/optical/floppy) and the graphics card --> does it beep?

4. remove the ram chips --> does it beep?

Don't unplug the cpu because motherboards don't work without it, (not to mention how much of a mess it would be reseating it)

If all you have left at the end is the cpu and motherboard and psu, and there are still no beeps when you switch it on, then at least one of those three is at fault. :)
 
Jadzia said:
Does it not beep when you power it up?

1. Make sure all cables are securely in their sockets, and check cables don't have any broken or suspect wires. Does it still not beep when you power it up?

2. Try unplugging all non-graphics cards and peripherals, then power on and see if it beeps.

3. Try removing all drives (hard/optical/floppy) and the graphics card --> does it beep?

4. remove the ram chips --> does it beep?

Don't unplug the cpu because motherboards don't work without it, (not to mention how much of a mess it would be reseating it)

If all you have left at the end is the cpu and motherboard and psu, and there are still no beeps when you switch it on, then at least one of those three is at fault. :)
Click to expand...

I tried removing the RAM sets and non-video cards. Nothing changed and I never got any beeps at any point. It wasn't even getting that far.

Though when I had a bad PSU last year, it wasn't doing anything at all, not even trying to power up, so I figured that wasn't the issue this time.

Swapped out the motherboard and now it's up & running again. Luckily it's so close of an ASUS model that I only have to do a reinstall for the on-board audio.

One problem I do see is, this motherboard doesn't have a fan power point to the front side, which is where a lot of cases have a fan. I'll either have to find an "extension" wire or make one with the wiring from another cooling fan.

Thanks everyone, for all your input.
 
^ That's what got me in trouble in the first place.;)

But seriously folks, has anyone seen a case fan with a much longer set of wires (like 18")? Or an extension cord? I can't believe they have all 4 of the power points either at the top or rear of this motherboard. And right in the manual it talks about how important these fans are.
 
You could always make sure the reset button isn't stuck in. That actually happened to me once, the computer wouldn't post, pulled my whole computer apart before I noticed the reset button... whoops...
 
The ASUS motherboards I have had (2 now), actually do a very short shut down & restart instead of a quick reset when the reset button is pushed.

Not sure how that would work if the button were stuck. I never lost power, per se, just never got to any post commands either.

OK now, luckily, I just have to get the front case fan plugged in somewhere before I go back to using the machine. Glad to have a laptop & the wireless router now. Not so much "down time", just a tick or two slower.
 
Perfecto....Thanks! And more than long enough.

Saw the same thing on ebay for over $20 (with no length listed). Hadn't had the time to look on newegg or tigerdirect.

ebay also has molex to 3 or 4 pin fan connectors. That would serve the same purpose, but I think I can get something from newegg a little faster.
 
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