Hardware HELP!!!

[Broomjockey]

Hmm... I was wondering as I posted that, wasn't quite sure, thanks for correcting me on it

No problem. I'd have thought "no beep = fine RAM" if my friend didn't get a bad kit. When it happened to me, it'd been because a BIOS setting got twiggy.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Check the pins on the monitor cable connections. I once had problems with those getting bent.

The monitor was tried on a different system already, iirc. And if there are no beeps it should be POSTing properly and the RAM should be okay...

Yes, the monitor is fine, and probably the video cable too. But check the pins in the video connector on the problem computer. That's where I had a problem.

[technical.angel]

It's not the card. I found a spare at work and tried it, same thing. I guess now I just have to wait for the RAM.

[Plague*Star]

Well, it's offically NOT the video card. Swapped cards and still no go. Now I just have to wait on the new mem stick.

If the machine is that dirty, you may have gotten dust in the RAM socket when you moved the module. It is also possible that the motherboard has gotten "confused".
Remove or disconnect any other cards, drives, etc. noting where they connect. Carefully remove the CMOS battery, overnight if possible, or just for half an hour or whatever. With the machine unplugged and the battery uninstalled, press the power button several times and then depress it for 30 seconds. Then re-install the battery and power up. If it still doesn't fire up, remove the video board and RAM, and try again. If it still fails to boot, remove the battery again and depress the power button.
If the machine won't beep (POST) with all the components disconnected, it must be either the motherboard, the CPU, or the power supply. Although the power supply would appear to be good, that may not be true. The only sure way is to substitute a known good supply. Danger- if it's a Dell or several other manufacturers unit, it may use a non-standard power supply where the "standard" connector is wired so it fries the motherboard.
If you can rule out the power supply, it's either the MB or CPU. It is possible to swap things around if you have old stuff lying around, and determine which, but it's often academic at that point. More cost effective to replace CPU, MB and RAM, or the whole computer. Sorry if this is ramble-y or unclear, I'm new to posting here and the leetle text window is throwing me off.
P*S

[lordlundar]

No problem. I'd have thought "no beep = fine RAM" if my friend didn't get a bad kit.

POST codes are funny that way. There's no real standard for them, so while one BIOS can have a particular response meaning problem a, another BIOS can have the code mean problem b. It's weird.

[Broomjockey]

POST codes are funny that way. There's no real standard for them,

This is why I like my motherboard. I don't need to know the BIOS's beep codes. It's got a two digit display and a translation guide in the manual.

[Blade_Raver]

If the new RAM doesn't fix it, it could be the mobo somehow grounding out on the case.

Try unscrewing mobo from the case, place mobo on an antistat bag and try to power it up.

[crashhelmet]

If I understood everything correctly here, the unit powers on, but there is no signal sent to the display. No POST beeps are given (although we don't know if this particular system gives audible beeps) so we don't know if it boots or not. We know the monitor works on another system so it's something system wise.

A couple questions before I continue with my recs, if you don't mind.

What was the original problem with the system? What were you asked to do? I assume it was related to RAM, but was that to upgrade it or was he getting memory errors?

For the RAM, how many DIMMs are installed in it? If there are 2, make sure you've got them in the proper sockets Duals are almost always separated.

For example:
Slot 1 - Bank 0
Slot 2 - Bank 1
Slot 3 - Bank 0
Slot 4 - Bank 1

In this case, the 2 DIMMs would go in slots 1 and 3. If you put them in any others, they might not read right.

Have you tried removing and reseating the CPU?

The best thing I can recommend for this is to take it all apart and start with just the bare bones of what it needs to POST. Disconnect all drives, remove any and all extra cards. Give it nothing but MoBo, CPU, RAM, and Video. if it boots, reconnect things one by one until you find your short. If not, try again when you get the new RAM in. Hopefully that's all it is and nothing is too FUBAR.

CH

[Blade_Raver]

Ooh the ol' chip creep problem...

I never even thought about it until you mentioned that.. Good point!

[Andara Bledin]

I once had a problem not to different with video issues.

After all was said and done, it was determined that the south bridge on my motherboard had gone out.

Other than that, any other questions I have are already asked.

^-.-^

[technical.angel]

I'm seriously upset now. The new RAM came in, and it didn't help.

I mean, how the heck do I tell someone their computer died while I happened to have it in my possession????

[Blade_Raver]

I've had an instance or two in my past where static electricity shorts out a board...

It sounds like the problem is the motherboard itself.. it died..

Possibly could be just the video card slot itself (I didn't remember if you said it was an AGP, PCI-E, PCI slot)

If it has a regular PCI slot, try an old PCI slot video card.

[technical.angel]

Could the processor be to blame?

[technical.angel]

Took everything I could out, and still no beep, so I blamed the processor. The client was really cool about it. I'm picking him up a new PC tonight. Now, I just have to try to recover his files off of his HD with the Master boot record error. Shudder.

Anyone got help with that?

Like, if I use the recovery console to fix this, the files will be fine, right?

[Der Cute]

Use the MBR fix command
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true

This will Hopefully fix the MBR and you'll have the data.

Cutenoob