PC woes. - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/01/2005 12:03:12 AM · #1

My PC crashed 10 days ago. Won't boot. I ordered a new MB and proc, thinking that was the problem, because my RAM is less than a year old.

Well, now I think it must be my video card or RAM, but until I guarantee that something else isn't wrong, I can' in good conscience sell any of the old stuff on ebay for extra cash.

Here's the question, anyone have a spare stick of pc2700 RAM or AGP 4x/8x video card for a broke guy from Kansas?

Nikon D200

11/01/2005 12:05:23 AM · #2

How many beeps do you hear when you push the power button? Can you see the BIOS information?

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/01/2005 12:11:02 AM · #3

none, no video, nada. I wonder if my pc speaker died also...

Nikon D200

11/01/2005 12:22:06 AM · #4

Every time you hit the power button the op system goes through a POST routine. The first beep in the POST is a power system check, if the computer fails this it doesn't even try to go through the rest of the routine. This may very well be why you have no video, etc. I have heard the POST beeps even when my sound card had a driver problem and wasn't working.

"No beeps" for an IBM BIOS means "No power, loose card, or short."

Assume you have some sort of power light that is on and working. Any chance of a short? Did you smell anything when it quit, or spill liquid on something within a week prior to the problem? Was it working when you shut down, or did it quit in the middle of a project?

I'll check back with you tomorrow morning...

11/01/2005 12:36:57 AM · #5

okay, well. didn't think of that angle. It quit working overnight.

I'm not so sure it's not just that I neglected to plug the thing in, and my new MB seems not to have the pins.. I just re-read the manual, can't find it. Oh well, off to bed.

David.C

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

11/01/2005 12:46:36 AM · #6

If you aren't getting any response at all from pushing the power button -- check the power supply (a meter is the preferred way).

David

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

11/01/2005 05:53:26 AM · #7

Power supplies are cheap, about $30. I keep a spare in the trunk of my car.

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/01/2005 08:29:05 AM · #8

No pins on the new MB? That would fit with a loose card. This is different from your original problem, though, right?

The initial POST routine requires at least 64KB of memory, it must be operational and have the capability to be read/written both to/from, and capable of containing the POST code.

An irregular POST routine will result in either a series of unusual beeps or no beeps at all.

If you put the old MB in, does the computer give you different beeps?

CEJ

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

11/01/2005 09:31:38 AM · #9

On motherboards there is a battery - usually a CR2022 or 2025. When this dies, so does your computer - it powers the cmos. The first thing I would check is to replace that battery and try booting. The batteries are only a couple bucks and in my 25 years experience with PC's this has been the culprit more times than I can count.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

11/01/2005 10:14:33 AM · #10

oh, no. no no no.

Let me esplain, no, there is no time. I mus sum up.

PC died overnight. Power on, fans run, no beeps. I obtained the board from a friend without a manual, and really don't know where the PC speaker pin header is, so I didn't plug it in.

I figure, well I'll get a new motherboard and Processor, because i got them for free anyhow, and the memory is less than a year old so that can't be it (ya right). I get a fairly cheap but well reviewed MB, and a Sempron just to get me running again.
About equivalent to what I have, but the MB has pc2700 ability, and SATA raid available. I figure, oh well, I'll run the memory at 266 (MB says it will do this)

I get the stuff here and same problem again. This time I have the manual, and I don't see a spot for the PC speaker, but I do see what looks like a built-in pc speaker, which should beep right? EDIT - also the lights on the keyboard blink rapidly when I turn it on with this one, ever heard of that?

Well, I stick a *really* old video card (Diamond Stealth64) in a PCI slot just to see if that comes up. Nothing doing there either. But I can't be sure that It really works either without another setup to test that in to be sure.

Moral of the story, I get my brother, to whom I gave a bunch of extra stuff, to come over sometime soon to help me test parts and pieces in his box since he owes me. He won't see it that way, but I'll have to convince him ;o)

All this, whil my mother-in-law is in town looking over my shoulder and making just enough veiled comments to keep the balance so she can annoy me, but keep me from exploding like I have in the past. :-[

Message edited by author 2005-11-01 10:19:35.

peecee

Canon EOS-5D

11/01/2005 10:39:28 AM · #11

Don't assume the memory is ok, mine went on a 3 months old pc !
Do the basic checks first, every component is seated correctly then eliminate by testing in your brothers as you intended.