bad motherboard or faulty PSU? Flashing red LED (3VSB)

Beagle

Beagle

Beagle

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Joined
5 Jun 2003
Posts
74
Hi,

First off, I'm running an ABIT IP35 Pro board with a Zalman 400W PSU. The set-up has been running problem free since I built it a couple of years back.

Today, out of the blue, my machine would not boot. Nothing happens, no fans, nothing.
I took the side of the case off to investigate and what's happening and saw the red 3VSB LED is flashing really quickly. There is no POST code. After a while, the LED stops flashing and stays on. The code 0.1. appears (I can't find out much about this code online). Then after a minute or so, the POST code display goes blank, then a while later either an F. or a flashing 2. appears. Can't find out much about these codes either!

After searching online, this could apparently mean one of two things! So, (other than trying a new PSU) how do I go about finding out if my PSU is faulty or my motherboard is dying?

BTW, if I jump my PSU with a paper clip, it does operate the fans. So is it definitely my board? And if so, what socket 775 board would you recommend?
 
All that jumping the PSU with a paperclip does is show that it's not completely dead and that it's producing enough power for the fans.

It doesn't confirm it's not faulty.
 
i would try to take it to alocal pc store and kindly ask them if they could try one of their psus on it to see iof it works and if it does than buy the psu from them, but apart from that there isnt much we can help really
 
Surveyor is completely right.

Do you have access to a multimeter? If not buy one for a tenner which will be a lot cheaper than taking it in somewhere. Repeat the "paper clip" test only this time check the voltages are within acceptable guide lines.

Here's how :

http://www.huddysworld.co.uk/index....hie-talk-hardware&Itemid=60#Measuring_Voltage

If the PSU looks to be ok, then it could be a faulty motherboard, possibly with the VRMS.
 
Thanks for the advice. I did as you suggested and picked up a multimeter. Using the paper clip trick, the readings were good. But with the ATX block connected to the motherboard the readings were very, very low.

So I guess this means a dead board?
 
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