Computer completely dead


  #1  
Old 03-13-15, 11:40 AM
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Exclamation Computer completely dead

I have these specs ....
AMD FX8120
GIGABYTE GA-M68MT-S2
4Gb DDR3 1600
GIGABYTE GTX 280
WD SATA 7200RPM
Cooler Master RS-500
WinXP x86
It started out with me trying to get a wireless connection. The computer locked up on me I tried to reboot and for some reason windows would not finish booting it would lock up when it was loading the system tray. I did a test on the hard drive and it tested good ... also with the memory using a bootable disk in both cases.

Then I was going to systematically eliminate the hardware from being bad. So I was going to remove the video card and try and see if it would boot up ...Yesterday I installed a driver for a kensington mulit display adapter (M01063) for a third monitor .... it worked fine for several hours, then the problem with me losing the wireless connection, then the problem with windows not being able to finish booting.

Tried to load up the XP install disk but I got an error while it was loading and it couldn't finish.

I got in safe mode once and I tried running hot cpu but it locked up and I wasn't able to get into safe mode again no matter what option I tried..

Was working to check if the graphic card was the problem by removing it and plugging the monitor into the mobo display.

I tried to turn on the computer .... NOTHING .... no power! I tried a different outlet ... nothing .... I tried replacing it with a brand new power supply .... NOTHING! ... I tried to shave off some of the plastic on the power switch so I could touch the two exposed wires together ... NOTHING!!!

I am completely dead in the water!!! Help!!!

 
  #2  
Old 03-13-15, 12:29 PM
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32 bit XP is an obsolete operating system. I think this is a good time to look at replacing this computer and then seeing if you can recover your data from the old one.
 
  #3  
Old 03-13-15, 12:34 PM
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I'm thinking motherboard. It's about the only think you haven't eliminated.
 
  #4  
Old 03-13-15, 02:38 PM
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I use XP to fly in MS FS 2004 and other older games ... that is why I keep it. What would be a replacement for the board I have what about this one.

Would it work without having to format the drive?

Thanks for reading my post.
 
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Old 03-13-15, 03:30 PM
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Never had to format a drive to install a mother board but I don't use Windows. Never worried about exact replacement of a board. Just something that fit my case and used the CPU and memory type I had (unless I could afford to upgrade the CPU). Always tried to get as modern a board as I could afford, hopefully more modern.

Have you tried reinstalling the CPU? Do you have one you can swap out before replacing the motherboard?
 
  #6  
Old 03-13-15, 06:21 PM
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Arrow Requested RMA From Gigabyte

I contracted Gigabyte on the phone and talked with a tech.

He told me to disconnect everything except the CPU ... and if it did not power up the mobo is bad. It didn't when I did all that so I requested a RMA as he instructed me to do if the computer still would not power up.

So that is what I did. They said it would take two business days for a RMA number.

So I guess the mobo when bad on me.
 
  #7  
Old 03-13-15, 06:56 PM
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An RMA to do what..... send it back for out of warranty repair ?
 
  #8  
Old 03-13-15, 07:33 PM
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There is a 3 year warranty on the mobo ... I got it in May of 2012. I am wondering if that board I have a link to would work with a FX 8120 ... looks like it is for a 8320.
 
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Old 03-13-15, 07:35 PM
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Ahhh.... ok. So you're just under the warranty.
 
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Old 03-14-15, 09:29 PM
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This is one of the reasons I like to buy the motherboard and build my own computer. I see your problem is solved spirittoo and I am glad. Have you thought about getting Windows 7 Professional? If you do you can get Windows XP mode and run many things including old games. Once Windows 10 rolls out you can think about getting it for free for a limited time.
 
  #11  
Old 03-15-15, 09:05 AM
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Arrow Got 7 Installed On My Main Computer

Well sir ... my main computer I use to run MS FSX flight sim has Win 7 64 bit installed on it.

If ... when I boot up into XP and it runs I will leave things as they are ... if not ... I will consider using XP 64bit or Win 7 64.

I think XP is a great OS and I like having it still. Also I am worried I will not be able to get my flight stick to work in FS 2004 with the gameport to USB adapter in Win 7. I guess it will work with X Plane, but not sure about FS 2004 ... It would not work on the Win 7 computer for FSX.

That is why I am incline to stay with XP.

As far as I am concern Win 7 will be the last OS I get from MS. I am tried of the badly made OS like vista, and win 8 that requires sometimes to buy more software because the software that runs on 7 won't on 8 or 10. Tired of that ...

I will stick with XP and 7 or go to Linix if need be.

Thanks for reading my post.
 
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Old 03-15-15, 01:06 PM
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I certainly can understand that I haven't been completely satisfied with Microsoft and their Windows operating system. For one thing like you said it doesn't play older games and definitely isn't kind to the older computers as drivers are not written for them. So I use Linux too on older computers and like PCLinuxOs the best plenty of free things available including games. There are some things though I still need Windows for so I still use it.
 
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Old 03-15-15, 01:16 PM
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Technology changes - you either have to change with it or find ways to adapt. Sounds like you've chosen adapt and Linux is often a good alternative.
 
  #14  
Old 03-15-15, 01:30 PM
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I am tried of the badly made OS like vista, and win 8 that requires sometimes to buy more software because the software that runs on 7 won't on 8 or 10. Tired of that ...
While I certainly agree that Vista and Windows 8 are bad operating systems I don't know where you get the idea that software that runs on Windows 7 will run on Windows 8 or 10. Several friends of mine have upgraded to Windows 8 from Windows 7 and all this software continue to work. On one of my backup machines I'm running the Windows 10 prerelease and all of my software that I had on that machine when it was Windows 7 continue to work perfectly! From everything I've seen so far with the Windows 10 prerelease it's going to be a very good operating system. Actually it has less overhead and uses fewer resources than Windows 7.
 
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Old 03-15-15, 01:33 PM
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FWIW, I enjoyed XP and 7 and I think 8/8.1 are perfectly fine as well - to the extent I prefer them over the 7/XP UI.

I originally set my Windows 10 environment up with the start menu (like 7) but found after a couple months I prefer the start screen (like 8.1) and have changed it to present that now instead.

I have found a total of one program in my office which runs on 7 but not 8 and the smaller group I have tested on 10 has had no problems at all.
 
  #16  
Old 03-18-15, 12:54 PM
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Thumbs down I'm lost

Well sir ... I'm very discouraged and upset ... install the new mobo and the same results ... no power. :NO NO NO:

I was afraid this would happen. I'll take everything out and start one at a time. I'm taking a break right now, because I'm pretty upset. Going to wait a bit until I calm back down. I will report my results when done.
 
  #17  
Old 03-18-15, 01:00 PM
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Dang, sorry to hear that. Wish I had more advice to offer but you're past my skill set.
 
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Old 03-18-15, 01:58 PM
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I feel your pain. I have a computer that I abandoned because nothing I tried solved the problems I had. Found a home-built on Ebay for less then a new mother board and never looked back.
 
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Old 03-18-15, 11:56 PM
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A few things come to mind as to why the new motherboard might not work. 1. Wrong memory the memory has to match the motherboard. 2. A bad power supply if the power supply was faulty on one motherboard it will be faulty on the other. 3. The operating system used doesn't work with that motherboard causing crashes. 4. A bad hard drive may be hindering your task and needs to be replaced and finally 5. The motherboard you bought is faulty and needs to be replaced.
 
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Old 03-19-15, 02:14 AM
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A last resort try is assemble mother board, and power supply only outside of the case and see if it works. No hard drive, one memory and monitor plugged in. Short the power button pins to start. Rare but maybe somehow the case is shorting.
 

Last edited by ray2047; 03-19-15 at 02:35 AM.
  #21  
Old 03-19-15, 08:47 AM
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Arrow Rather Embarrasing ... But Still Problem

Well sir ... this is rather embarrassing But it isn't the first or last time I've been embarrassed.:NO NO NO: I didn't have the power switch on the case hooked up to the motherboard. It will power up, but I get no video and the sound from the power supply isn't stable. The rpm in the fans speed up and slow down ... I guess it's the fans can't tell by looking at them.

I hooked up a different power supply and same thing. So the good news is the mobo will power up ... the bad news is I can't get to the bios or any image on the screen. I did check my connections again too. It's like it's not regulating the power or something.
 
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Old 03-19-15, 10:47 AM
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Arrow Removed Video Card and Memory Sticks Still Nothing

Update ....

I took out the video card and the fluctuating sound stopped but I still don't get a system beep of video. I hooked up the video into the motherboard, but still no video or boot up. I removed the memory sticks too one at a time ... no beeps Even with no memory sticks in.
 
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Old 03-19-15, 12:29 PM
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Can you please post some pictures of the power supply you have. My thoughts about your problem is that you might not have the correct power supply. The new motherboard you have requires two connections to the board and not one. If I have a look at both of the power supplies then I can tell you for sure whether they will work or not. Wattage wise it doesn't matter that much but connection wise it does if you don't have the right connectors it will not run. On my first build that I made myself I had the right power supply but forgot the other connection and it didn't work.

Also this motherboard will work best with Windows 7 as it is really made for Windows 7 64 bit or later. I checked your memory and what you had for the old motherboard should work provided they haven't gone bad and if they have all memory has a warranty and you can usually get replacement sticks for free. Just don't take the stickers off on the memory as doing so voids the warranty. Also a video card on this is optional as it has its own built in video. For old games a video card really isn't necessary but optional. Be sure to use the drivers disk that came with the motherboard.
 
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Old 03-19-15, 03:32 PM
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Arrow Both Power Supplies Have The Correct Hook Up

I have the correct hook up for what used to be called the P4 plug .... here is my P/S. As you can see in the picture it has the correct hook up.
 
  #25  
Old 03-19-15, 06:01 PM
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IMHO you should make sure your CPU is installed properly, not loose and no bent pins. If the 8-pin 12V power connector is loose I don’t think your processor will work either.
 
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Old 03-19-15, 10:24 PM
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You definitely have the right power supply and while that is not your computer I am sure you have everything in the right place. zoesdad makes a good point if the CPU is not seated right then you will not have any power at all. Also the CPU must match the motherboard and while the two boards may look identical or almost identical they may require entirely different CPU's. When you put your memory in do you push on it until you hear a slight snap sound? If you don't hear that sound then the memory may not be properly seated.
 
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Old 03-20-15, 08:06 AM
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Arrow Right CPU For The Mobo

I checked before buying the board to make sure it would support my CPU .... I will remove everything and make sure the CPU is seated properly ... there is really only one way it will fit, but I will check everything out again.

Thanks for reading my post ... I will let you guys know how it goes.
 
  #28  
Old 03-20-15, 08:41 AM
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Don’t forget to check the heat sink/fan unit. I had problems not seating mine properly and I believe (long time ago) the processor shut down within seconds. I’m pretty sure it shut down real fast in my case.

(The clipping mechanism to hold the heat sink/fan in place still confuses me on my system.lol)
 
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Old 03-21-15, 08:14 AM
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Thumbs up It' Alive!!!

Well sir ... I got it to boot up I pulled the battery to reset the CMOS and I checked to make sure the CPU was properly seated ... also I made sure the memory sticks were in the correct slots. Once that worked I hooked up the video card ... that worked too.

I'm going to work in the BIOS. It won't boot into windows so I will have to format the drive and start again. I guess I need to install the drivers for the mobo.

I will probably go with XP 64 bit OS. I really like XP and don't want to get rid of it ... at least on my secondary machine I don't.

Will let you guys know how things turn out.
 
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Old 03-21-15, 03:08 PM
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Cool Time To Mark This Solved


Well sir ... seeing how XP is installed and I'm on my way to installing everything again I will mark the original problem as solved.

Symptoms: No power at all ... brick

Diagnosis: Hooking up new P/S produce no change. Checked power switch on case by shorting leds to mobo no change ... still no power. Removed all devices except for CPU still no power. Conclusion bad motherboard.

Solution: Replace Mobo. See earlier post for link showing new board.

Thanks for reading my post.
 
  #31  
Old 03-21-15, 08:27 PM
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I am happy for you that it is working for you I just hope you don't have problems with viruses because of an unsupported operating system. As I said though I understand why you don't want to change as the operating system is easy to use and for older games it is great. I didn't really want to change either but did as the old operating system just doesn't work well with newer hardware or even newer printers. You have a great day and a great weekend!
 
 

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