Computer Will not post

[ThunderAeroI]

I have an AMD GA-M55SLI-S4 that choose not to POST yesturday, after looking all over the internet I can't seem to find an answer I "like".

For the past two weeks or so every once in awhile my computer monitor has blinked like it was powered off and then on. It was annoying but I didn't think much of it. I tried a different monitor but the problem continued so it had to be in the compute some place.

Now the computer will not POST. I removed the graphics card and it will beep. It will not beep if I remove the memory, the cpu or both. In any case it will not POST.

Does this sound like my graphics card has died, or is it something more like the memory or CPU?

Is there any test I can do to check. I don't have a computer with a PCI-e gfx card or a computer with comptable cpu. I think I have another computer with the same memory so I can try to move them over and try that.

Any ideas?

 

[Marc]

How many beeps are you getting? A search on beep codes should go some way to helping (for example I think it was 5 beeps if there was a problem with the video card).

no memory and or no CPU and the board ain't going to start.

The monitor going off would indicate it's lost the signal from the video card so I'd say that's where you problem lies.

 

[backstept]

too bad the board doesn't have onboard video or else you could try that instead of the card and narrow down the cause that way

 

[Jadzia]

I'm no expert on hardware, but a common malady for failure to post is the PSU. It may not be giving good voltages to the graphics card. Do you have an older PCI (not PCIe) graphics card to try?

 

[sojourner]

This may be an obvious question, but how can you tell it's not posting? If the video card has failed it could be booting up just fine, your just not seeing anything onscreen. If your saying it should beep when it boots, and it's not when you have the video card in now, it still sound like a bad card. Go to the nearest computer store and buy a $20 piece of crap video card and install it. If it works, then you have confirmed your problem.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

How many beeps are you getting? A search on beep codes should go some way to helping (for example I think it was 5 beeps if there was a problem with the video card).

no memory and or no CPU and the board ain't going to start.

The monitor going off would indicate it's lost the signal from the video card so I'd say that's where you problem lies.

I'll have to listen more closely and look that up and see if it provides me more information

I'm no expert on hardware, but a common malady for failure to post is the PSU. It may not be giving good voltages to the graphics card. Do you have an older PCI (not PCIe) graphics card to try?

I have tried another PSU and it does not correct the problem.

This may be an obvious question, but how can you tell it's not posting? If the video card has failed it could be booting up just fine, your just not seeing anything onscreen. If your saying it should beep when it boots, and it's not when you have the video card in now, it still sound like a bad card. Go to the nearest computer store and buy a $20 piece of crap video card and install it. If it works, then you have confirmed your problem.

That too may be a good idea.

I can tell it does not post becuase it does not load into windows or supply power to the USB equipment.

USB power seems only to be applied after POST.

Please dont have the not use of Multi-Qoute I have no idea how to use it.

 

[backstept]

Please dont have the not use of Multi-Qoute I have no idea how to use it.

just click the multi-quote button for each post you want to quote, and then click the quote button on the last one and it'll take you to the reply screen

 

[Jadzia]

This website guides you through troubleshooting:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000607.htm

 

[Alpha_Geek]

could be the power supply, the graphics card, or capacitors on the motherboard.

Without the graphics card, it soulds like the mobo is getting enough power to run, and the POST beeps indicate that it is.

Any of the parts I mentioned could be suspect from the OPs description.

Do a visual instection on any capacitors on the motherboard and the display card. They look like small cans with a plastic wrapper and a silvered colored top. The tops should be free of buldges, goo, or crusty deposits. If you find caps that look like this, then they're probably the issue. Component level repair is beyond the scope of the home user and Geek Squad. Be prepared to buy a new PS, mobo or display card.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

could be the power supply, the graphics card, or capacitors on the motherboard.

Without the graphics card, it soulds like the mobo is getting enough power to run, and the POST beeps indicate that it is.

Any of the parts I mentioned could be suspect from the OPs description.

Do a visual instection on any capacitors on the motherboard and the display card. They look like small cans with a plastic wrapper and a silvered colored top. The tops should be free of buldges, goo, or crusty deposits. If you find caps that look like this, then they're probably the issue. Component level repair is beyond the scope of the home user and Geek Squad. Be prepared to buy a new PS, mobo or display card.

Replacing capacitors isn't beyond my scope; however, a quick look over the graphics card didn't show anything outof the ordinary. Some capacitors have a "K" shape on the top of them, but all of the ones of that type do so that does not seem abnormal.

The motherboard itself has only a few capcitors and none of them looked too odd either. I'll recheck it.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

The "K" is a pre-stressed vent point. Keeps the caps from going "BANG" and going "gurgle" instead.

I don't see lots of people with soldering skills.

There's usually a fair number of electrolytics arround the CPU. It's possible that they've started using tantalum SMT ones instead of through hole... cost savings and all.

Cheers!

 

[Jadzia]

I would also advise caution if you intend to apply a soldering iron to a modern motherboard -- they are multi layered pcbs, with typically over ten printed circuit layers sandwiched together. The heat from a soldering iron could do unseen damage to the fine circuitry buried within them.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

I would also advise caution if you intend to apply a soldering iron to a modern motherboard -- they are multi layered pcbs, with typically over ten printed circuit layers sandwiched together. The heat from a soldering iron could do unseen damage to the fine circuitry buried within them.

yes, not sure if thats where the problem is.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Jadzia, that's true. I pretty much gave up soldering when SMT became all the rage. Boards went to lots more layers than the usual 2, maybe 3 about the same time.

I do keep the iron around for little chickencrap projects though.

 

[Jadzia]

Have you tried the plain PCI graphics card or do you not have one at hand? Maybe even a 2MB card from from 10+ years ago should be okay to boot to a dos screen.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

Have you tried the plain PCI graphics card or do you not have one at hand? Maybe even a 2MB card from from 10+ years ago should be okay to boot to a dos screen.

I might, I have lots of computer parts pack ratted away

 

[Brolan]

Sure sounds like the video card from the symptoms. If you really need an old GFX card you can look on eBay, but I would just take this as an opportunity to move on to something newer.

 

[Brent]

Switch out components if you can... try a new video card first... then try memory... etc.... narrow it down