Nothing’s working for me and I’ve tried replacing the motherboard and practically everything else; the only component common to the problem is the CPU, but as I’ve been moving this about between motherboards, I think it must be actually dead, rather than just mis-seated. I’ve ordered a new processor which will arrive mid next week - now… assuming I get this thing to boot, what are the chances of WinXP being able to cope with the motherboard and processor having changed? I’m aware this will mean it needs activating again, but will it even boot into Windows after such a drastic hardware change?
Uvula Donor:
It’s great that you got your computer going.
Mangetout:
I’ve found the updated XP OS is more forgiving of hardware changes when it comes to making you register again.
Did you replace the MB with the same model? You might need to start in trouble shooting mode, and switch the video card to a VGA driver. The OS will most likely detect the new chipsets for a different MB. We’ll worry about that when we need to.
I had to plant over 400 daffodil bubs, and about 40 lilies. I only have about 150 more lilies to plant, after giving away 60.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to obtain the same model of motherboards, so I just bought another that is designed for the socket 478 processor (because at the time, I thought the processor was one component we wouldn’t need to replace).
I know you get a certain number of hardware changes per month or something, without needing to re-activate, but I had a feeling that a change of motherboard was not included in this arrangement - not that this particular aspect frightens me; I’ve had to explain this sort of thing to MS before and they have re-activated me (although on one occasion I had to shout a bit).
What worries me most is the prospect of the system simply not being able to boot into enough of Windows that it can detect and configure the new hardware - the OS installation is going to be one of those OEM jobs with no proper XP intall disk, so even performing a ‘restore’ from whatever media they have provided, that’s still going to be restoring an image of a system set up on different hardware.
Oh well, we’ll just have to see what happens.
I am now completely stumped; the new processor and fan arrived today, so I installed it and connected everything else up. Nothing.
So I’ve replaced Motherboard, CPU, PSU and I can’t even get a beep out of it; either with the power switch in the existing case, or with a spare one.
Ideas?
I see your post. I’ll have to wait a bit to help.
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New motherboard installed in old case. What motherboard?
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New P4 478 socket CPU installed or Celron, with new CPU fan.
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New Power supply. How many watts?
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Old power switch.
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Old memory from two different machines. What type and size and quantity? Are any sticks the same model, or are they all unmatched memory?
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Is the sound and video built into the video card? What are they if not part of the motherboard?
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What other periferal cards are installed?
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What size hard drive and interface?
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What other drives? DVD? CD?
There are a number of things to be tried remaining, I need to get specifics here to start off.
This reminds me of George Washington’s Axe – it sounds like you still haven’t found the problem with your old computer, and now your new computer has the same problem! 
Okay, it’s only funny because it’s not me. I suggest you assemble a machine from the known-good parts that you have, in the following order:
- PSU - use the newest available, or a known-good.
Test the PSU alone; it’s the backbone of the system.
- Motherboard - use the newest one you’ve got for these purposes.
- CPU - use the newest one you’ve got, and an adequate heat sink w/ fan. Connect the HSF to the motherboard.
- RAM - one stick, any size. Newer/known-good better.
- PC Speaker - make sure you will be able to hear beep codes.
Do not assemble these components in a case. Connect them on a cardboard or newspaper-covered surface and attempt to power the system up. You may need to jump the power pins on the motherboard in lieu of a switch.
- Graphics - either connect a monitor to the on-board graphics, or add an AGP graphics card. If the latter, seat the AGP card firmly. Use an older AGP card that doesn’t require direct connection to the PSU if at all possible.
Test this setup as before. You should be able to get to a BIOS from here.
Once you’ve built the system up from parts like so, continue adding parts one at a time – no case yet! – until you’ve worked up most of a computer. Each stick of RAM should be considered a separate part; each drive, no matter how small, should be considered a separate part. Connecting the USB headers is a reboot. EVERY change gets a reboot.
Disassemble the parts and reassemble them in a case only when you have a working computer. Honestly, I’m baffled too – I’m just outlining the most aggressively pedantic regression test you can do without specialized equipment.
The new motherboard is an MSI P4MAM2 V
The CPU is a Celeron D 330 (2.66GHz)
PSU is EZCool 450W silent
RAM consists of 1x128MB and 1x256MB PC2100
Could list drives, etc, but I should be able to get it at least to power up without any of them attached; I can’t - have also tried taking out one, the other or both of the memory sticks - can’t get a peep out of anything, under any circumstances.
Makes no sense at all:
Assembled on carboard on the desk:
Known good PSU (also tested with alternative known-goods)
Brand new MoBo
Brand new CPU
One stick of RAM (also tested with other one, both and neither)
PC speaker
Not a squeak; either with the power switch or by shorting the pins.
Could it be that one previously damaged component has fried this motherboard?
Alright, I know this is stupid, but have you plugged a lamp into the outlet to verify you’re getting current to your tester outlet?
I had a similar problem a few months ago with a trusty (heh) PII… On powerup, the CPU fan would twitch and that was about it. I had previously had occasional PSU-like problems (the specifics of which now escape me), so I assumed that in a recent move the PSU had been damaged.
Replaced PSU, same problem. Followed basically the same path of replacing components, testing with known goods, etc… The problem became very tricky when it came evident that, since this system was relatively old, parts that were compatable weren’t readily available. In the long run it turned out to be the CPU, but there were no inexpensive readily available CPUs for that socket type.
Eventually I said “Bugger this” and replaced the whole system. Less stress and cheaper. And now I have a faster rig!
Seriously, at this point I’d just toss the whole Damned Thing in the skip and get something that’s NOT a EMachine…
-PLD
I was thinking of some problems that involve add ins. Such as peripheral card BIOS conflicts and other things. Are you using the built in video and sound? I want to be sure of what your condition is here. I checked to make sure the CPU, MB and Memory didn’t have a conflict.
Absolute bare minimum BIOS access requires the following that you should try.
- Motherboard with CPU and fan installed.
- One memory module. Install the 256MB in the dimm o slot for now.
- A working video card. Are you using the on board video?
- A working Power Supply of sufficient capacity. 450W is good.
- A power switch…
- A keyboard.
Please set up the computer with only the previous items. Only connect the power switch to the motherboard pins. No USB, audio, LEDs, or PCI cards. Check that the motherboard jumper pins are set correctly. Connect the ATX power connector to the Motherboard and the auxiliary 12V square connector to the motherboard. Reset the Bios. Plug the system in, and try the power button. Does the CPU fan start up? If not, move the case next to a working computer and connect the power button from it’s case to the new motherboard. Did it power up?
If it was my PC, I’d have long since ditched it; problem is that I’m doing this for a colleague (never again, NEVER) - She’s brought me two PCs; one that works, another that doesn’t; I’ve given her back two that don’t.
OK, I tried all of this and… nothing - no lights, no fans, no beeps. I know the PSU works; I can (carefully) short the power switch pins with a paper clip.
I’m using the onboard video; I didn’t have a keyboard connected until just now, but it made no difference. The lights on the keyboard do not illuminate, BTW.
A add on video card might have been incompatable with the AGP on the board. That is not a consideration anymore. Since it didn’t start when you tried the power button from another case, we’ll eliminate the power button being borderline bad.
Please reseat the CPU in it’s socket and try again. Add a four connector fan to the end of a PSU connector. Does the fan connected directly to the PSU run and the CPU fan not run?
I have a MSI board and it’s been one of the best boards I’ve used. I have the D-bracket which has 4 LEDs for diagnostics. The first thing that can happen is the lights all stay off and that means the CPU isn’t working for some reason. The next state is initial low level chipset startup. Theres a long list. It comes down to the CPU is the first thing to work or not. Seeing as you have no beep codes, I would think the CPU doesn’t function on this board. Reason unknown.
I’ll try reseating the CPU, but I have a feeling I’ve already done this. I don’t have a connector to run the fan from one of the molex connectors, however, I think I have a spare fan I can test on it, and I can take my multimeter in tomorrow to see if I’m getting anything out of the PSU at all.
OK, I’ve tested the power switch with a multimeter and it’s definitely working; I’ve tried reseating the CPU, but no luck. I suppose it could be that I’ve been unlucky enough to purchase a motherboard that is DOA.
It’s 06:42 incase you wonder at the lag in the morning.
I have to again ask if the 4 prong square ATX power source is connected to the mother board. This is used for powering the CPU according to the motherboard information. I would give MSI help a short email with the CPU code and their model of MB. It may take them a couple days to answer, but I feel they can best help you at this point.
Good question, but yes, that connector has been plugged in for all of our tests.
I hate to admit defeat, but I have actually officially given up on this now; my colleague has been very gracious in all of this, acknowledging that there is no fault on my part (I did, after all, manage to assemble it all into a working computer, it just didn’t survive the trip home).
I’m planning to return the motherboard as faulty; I think this is reasonable - we should be able to get at least a flicker of life or a beep out of it and we can’t - gotta be something wrong with it.