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Vote for how to fix my computer

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What is wrong with my computer?

  • Bad CPU

    Votes: 4 40.0%

  • Bad MB

    Votes: 5 50.0%

  • Bad RAM

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .
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kinch

kinch

Wash me
Okay, here is the deal:

My computer, home built, has been running fine since October 1 or so. I have built all my comps since my 386 (and I still have a 5 1/4 inch drive in my computer for kicks) and am generally adequately capable at building them.

A few days ago, with gloriously bad timing, my computer kicked. The computer will boot briefly, a few seconds, spin the PSU fan and then the CPU fan and then, directly after spinning the CPU fan, kick off and restart a second or two later on its own. Without getting too specific, as I feel it is unnecessary at this point, I have a 700w PS running a quad-core intel on a Gigabyte MB with 2 gigs of ram and other fun stuff, but not much. I have a huge thermaltake fan and heatsink on my CPU that kept it running at 30 degrees tops: no to little chance of overheating.

Anyway, I removed everything and place my motherboard, bare except for the CPU and fan/heatsink and RAM on some cardboard on a wooden table. I booted with the PSU hooked up to the motherboard and CPU/fan. Same problem. I removed the CPU and the PSU ran constantly without shutting off, but, then again, there was nothing to shut it off.. .

I hooked up a new 650W PS and I have the same problem, so no PS problem.

So the possibilities are:

1) short in the/bad MB
2) bad CPU (but why?)
3) bad RAM (didn't even consider this, given the quick kick (and yes I swapped them and tried one stick at a time), but read that somehow this may also be it)

Ideas?
 
For a short to manifest in the MB so late in the life is highly unlikely. It would have cooked it a long time ago

CPU failure isn't out of the question.

Since you are getting something, it isn't your Power entry module or its fuse.

Pull the HD, buy a new PC/Laptop
 
Upvote 0
Pull the board out, sit it on a book or something (anything not metal) :banger:

Have had issues with the little tabs on the IO panel touching the usb or ps2 ports, causing it to do things like that. If it only powering up that briefly, it is not gonna be a bad CPU. It could be something with one of the CPU heatsinks/fans not making contact, because overheating could make it continually restart like that. But it sounds like a shorting problem to me.

All else fails, kick it.

Edit:
Anyway, I removed everything and place my motherboard, bare except for the CPU and fan/heatsink and RAM on some cardboard on a wooden table. I booted with the PSU hooked up to the motherboard and CPU/fan. Same problem. I removed the CPU and the PSU ran constantly without shutting off, but, then again, there was nothing to shut it off.. .
Click to expand...

Ok I should probably wake up and read the entire post before responding :p That is a rough one, could be either the CPU (which is odd causing a power prob like that), or even a bad CPU socket? You dont have it overclocked do ya?
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
the scenario you describe is often battery and/or heat related...

Had you not revealed so much about your cooling sys... that would have been my first response... is there some type of a system battery on a motherboard that could be the culprit?? what battery is responsible for the date/time to keep going? something is telling the box to shut off before it 'overheats' ..

RAM doesn't seem a logical culprit...
Not sure about CPU.. but I would think it'd get further into the start up and reveal some type of error code if this was the culprit

so by default, motherboard...

as a wild ass testing process... what if you stuck individual components in the fridge for a spell to cool them off... test one at a time... then pull it out and try the startup... might tell you if one of the elements is retaining heat... before your cooling sys has a chance to keep it cool AFTER startup...
 
Upvote 0
I'd get a can of raid - it's clear you've got

roaches.jpg


in the system :biggrin:
 
Upvote 0
failing DIMM slots? though I've never had that issue on any GB board I've owned.
the only "battery" that could have gone bad was the bios battery... again, extremely rare.

heat doesnt seem logical... machine isnt on long enough, and even if there was poor contact
between the CPU and heatsink, it would take much longer to lockup. (remember, lack of on-die memory
controller on Intel's gives them a much higher temperature threshold)

Dead CPU? - though without any specific cause (unless you've had a PSU short) would be
pretty much out of the question.


So this is your pick - Bad/failing DIMM slots;
Bad/failing RAM
or - unacceptable default RAM voltages and/or timings.


Barring any caps that have swollen or gone on the mobo; I dont see anything else being a problem.

p.s. (you were sure not to ground the board out were you?)
 
Last edited:
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