Something broke, but what!?

[Yvo]

Well today I experienced something strange to say the least.

It was time to reformat that computer of mine and start on a clean slate. All goes well and Windows XP installs great. No problems... like I normally don't have.

So this is the order I went in post-installation.

1. Activate Windows
2. Run Windows Update to get all the Critical updates & windows XP updates
3. Restart
4. Install the Audigy drivers off of my cd (which are XP compliant)
5. Restart
6. Install the Audigy updates
7. Restart
8. Install the nvidia detonator drivers (ver 28.32)
9. Restart.........

Notice the "." because after this restart my computer rebooted but the screen never turned on again.

So I check the basics.
1. Monitor cable unplugged? Nope
2. Video card fried? Nope
3. Monitor fried? Nope

So now I am getting worried. Now my motherboard (8KHA+) has a Post 80 card integrated and I glance at it and it reads FF which means the system is booting. Yet I never saw the video bios screen or POST screen.

However I have noticed that my computer doesn't do the usual "beep" when it goes into Windows.

So what broke. I personally am thinking either motherboard or CPU... what is the likely hood of one. I will remove a CPU from a different computer later tonight and see if it is that, but I'd rather prevent removing a CPU all together.

Thank you,

Yvo

 

[tboneuls]

If you cant see any POST or BIOS, its prob. a motherboard or cpu - double check that monitor and vid card though

 

[Geoffrey]

I had the exact same problem...the very same problem. I had to replace both the motherboard and the cpu, because it looked like the cpu fried (which it did) and then the motherboard wouldn't work with the new processor that I ordered. Anyway, no beep codes generally mean that there isn't a processor, or that the processor is bad. See if you can try testing that processor in another motherboard...if not, I'd replace the processor.

 

[wefixitalways]

Did you have problems before you reformatted what were they. Whould the computer boot fine before you started the format.

 

[Yvo]

The problems before the format was that my computer would continually lock up at random times. Most of the time when I was doing the most simple task (such as: clicking a link, listening to music, watching movie trailers online).

This was very annoying and it had to be the 4in1s because I finally decided to install these again. So a simple format and I was back on the road until now.

Thanks for all the advice, looks like that I will be plugging in a CPU tonight to see if the motherboard and/or motherboard might be fried. I hope it won't be the motherboard because I really like this mobo and this would definitely give me a sour taste.

Yvo

 

[Yvo]

Update:

Put in a different CPU and the first message I got said Award BootBlock 1.0 right after the Video Bios.

Something about a BIOS Checksum Error.

In any case once I figure out (downloading the online manual as I type this) where the reset pin is and hoping that will get me back on track!!

Yvo

 

[Barrei]

Sounds like motheboard to me. Good luck.

 

[Yvo]

Well its official

I have one dead mobo and one fried CPU.

Tonight I ordered a new CPU (1800+) and a new mobo (Epox 8K3A) ordered via newegg.

Will be in by Wednesday next week.

The BootBlock was a pain to figure out. I read that you could reflash the mobo but all attempts have failed. It freezes every single time I put in a floppy disk (tried Dos 6.22, Win95a/c, Win98 bootdisks) so I can't even reflash the bios... atleast then I would have a form of a computer.

Now is the question... what could have caused this. I have a surge protector so really what could have caused this major failure.

Any ideas would be more then helpful.

 

[Yvo]

Just to add one more thing and end this thread basically.

This morning I thought I would take another look at a fried system and it booted up past the bootblock. Then I noticed that the cpu I put in the computer was a Duron 750 and that it was set at 133mhz instead of 100mhz. Basically I was overclocking the processor by 250mhz w/o any good cooling. I switched the jumper to 100mhz and BAM the computer booted.

So the motherboard isn't fried! But I already ordered the other motherboard and its on its way.

So will I see big performance hits with a 8k3a instead of a 8kha. I am still using crucial pc2100 ram. Should I just send the mobo back when it comes in?

Thanks for all the help!