help with fault diagnosis please

On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:33:46 -0800, Dundonald
<mark.dundon@gmail.com> wrote:


>OK Update everyone.
>
>I finally got a bit of time to get out and buy a PSU. So I installed
>the PSU and this sorted the problem with the unit not switching on /
>off properly i.e. when I switch off at the back of the PSU or unplug
>the mains then switch on at mains or back on at the back of the PSU
>the computer is no longer immediately on, I have to push the power
>on / off switch to switch it one, which is good.
>
>HOWEVER - after pressing the switch and turning power on, the same
>problem as before, as in no BIOS boot. SO I unplugged everything from
>the motherboard bar the main power cable and the fan cables. The
>monitor keyboard and mouse cables were connected at the back. So no
>CD drive, no floppy, no HD, no nothing connected to motherboard.


.... but you still have the processor, heatsink/fan, 1 memory
module, and the video card, right? I mean try using the
integrated video, and try putting the one memory module in
different slots though actually you could probabl be lazy at
first and just leave all memory in at this point, later
removing all but one... but essentially if the PSU failed it
might have damaged something else so ultimately all parts
are suspect since the replacement PSU hasn't resolved the
problem - though it does seem like the prior PSU wasn't
working properly. I still suspect the video card some since
the problem happened when beginning to game.


>I
>Switch on, and still, same problem. So, what is the problem:
>
>1. flat battery on the motherboard?
>2. motherboard dead?
>3. CPU dead?
>
>There are no visible signs of failure on the motherboard or on the CPU
>if I take off the heat sinc and fan.
>
>So what can I do next? Any ideas please ...

Is the new PSU a known quality unit capable of enough power
for your combination of parts?

Try clearing CMOS with AC power disconnected. I mean doing
it again even if you had already, and do this after having
removed the video card.

On 8 Nov, 00:35, kony <s...@spam.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:33:46 -0800, Dundonald
>
> <mark.dun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >OK Update everyone.
>
> >I finally got a bit of time to get out and buy a PSU. So I installed
> >the PSU and this sorted the problem with the unit not switching on /
> >off properly i.e. when I switch off at the back of the PSU or unplug
> >the mains then switch on at mains or back on at the back of the PSU
> >the computer is no longer immediately on, I have to push the power
> >on / off switch to switch it one, which is good.
>
> >HOWEVER - after pressing the switch and turning power on, the same
> >problem as before, as in no BIOS boot. SO I unplugged everything from
> >the motherboard bar the main power cable and the fan cables. The
> >monitor keyboard and mouse cables were connected at the back. So no
> >CD drive, no floppy, no HD, no nothing connected to motherboard.
>
> ... but you still have the processor, heatsink/fan, 1 memory
> module, and the video card, right? I mean try using the
> integrated video, and try putting the one memory module in
> different slots though actually you could probabl be lazy at
> first and just leave all memory in at this point, later
> removing all but one... but essentially if the PSU failed it
> might have damaged something else so ultimately all parts
> are suspect since the replacement PSU hasn't resolved the
> problem - though it does seem like the prior PSU wasn't
> working properly. I still suspect the video card some since
> the problem happened when beginning to game.

I had removed the video card and plugged the monitor directly in to
the onboard video. I had also done a test with removing one of the
two memory cards at a time and testing.

> >I
> >Switch on, and still, same problem. So, what is the problem:
>
> >1. flat battery on the motherboard?
> >2. motherboard dead?
> >3. CPU dead?
>
> >There are no visible signs of failure on the motherboard or on the CPU
> >if I take off the heat sinc and fan.
>
> >So what can I do next? Any ideas please ...
>
> Is the new PSU a known quality unit capable of enough power
> for your combination of parts?
>
> Try clearing CMOS with AC power disconnected. I mean doing
> it again even if you had already, and do this after having
> removed the video card.

How do I clear CMOS? Not even sure what it is, I'll do a google ...

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 03:48:39 -0800, Dundonald
<mark.dundon@gmail.com> wrote:


>> Try clearing CMOS with AC power disconnected. I mean doing
>> it again even if you had already, and do this after having
>> removed the video card.
>
>How do I clear CMOS? Not even sure what it is, I'll do a google ...


Touch the case metal to reduce the chance of an ESD event,
unplug the AC power cord (Or flip switch off on PSU if so
equipped), move the clear CMOS jumper from it's present 2
pins to the other position detailed in the motherboard
manual (or given strong light you might be able to read the
labeling on the motherboard itself to find the jumper).
Next undo all you did, return jumper to original position
and plug AC cord back in and try to start system.

If you can't find the clear CMOS jumper and/or doing that
doesn't solve the problem, unplug AC power and pull the
battery out for 10 minutes.