Dead CPU?

Garee · 19 Apr 2010 at 10:24

I posted a week or two ago about how my pc is failing to boot up at all and the fans start up for a couple of seconds before losing all power.

I replaced my PSU with a Corsair 400w and the same issue still occurs!

I am now sadly thinking it must be my CPU because when I remove the CPU power cable the system fans start up immediately and it sounds like it is starting up properly.

Another thing I have noticed is that there is no beep from the mobo so it could also be that. Either way this is going to be expensive

Any help is much appreciated.

Specs:

Q6600 @ Stock
Denver 10 Micro ATX mobo socket 775
4GB DDR2 RAM
Corsair 400w PSU

Not the best but it has served me well over the past 2 years and majorly needs an upgrade.

Crowort · 19 Apr 2010 at 10:30

More likely to be the mobo. CPUs rarely 'die' unless you overvolt them or the mobo fries them.

I'd suggest looking at 2nd hand or a new build if you choose to replace either mobo or cpu next.

Garee · 19 Apr 2010 at 11:28

Is there any way I can find out which one is causing the problem? I don't to purchase the wrong component.

I'm afraid a new build is out of my budget completely.

d_brennen · 19 Apr 2010 at 11:30

I'd suggest trying a new motherboard. As said CPUs rarely die unprovoked

fs123 · 19 Apr 2010 at 11:33

If you remove the cpu from the socket and then powerup, the motherboard may beep when no cpu is detected. This could indicate that the motherboard is ok.

Garee · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:26

There is no beep

Looks like it's the mobo..

Would I be better getting another socket 775 mobo or buying new cpu/mobo/ram for future proofing? I only have around £300 to spend.

Sayso · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:32

it could be the mobo or CPU, but i have never had a CPU go...unless the mobo went aswell!!!

you could try picking up a cheap mobo 2nd hand for about £30 to test it out, at last then you will know for sure.

d_brennen · 19 Apr 2010 at 13:03

You can pick up half decent Gigabyte matx boards for about £35 new if you shop about. I've seen some cracking deals on the likes of the G31/G41 ES2Ls. Not rockets but stable and even have some OCing features

Redmint · 19 Apr 2010 at 14:19

Garee said:
There is no beep Looks like it's the mobo..

Would I be better getting another socket 775 mobo or buying new cpu/mobo/ram for future proofing? I only have around £300 to spend.

Future proofing is nice, but then the Q6600s are still good chips and with a new motherboard you should be able to push it to 3-3.6GHz quite happily. If you don't want to upgrade your cooling you might still get 3GHz out of it if it's a G0 chip and you use some decent thermal paste.

Garee · 19 Apr 2010 at 14:21

If I purchased a new mobo - Would I need to also buy a new OS?

My current OS is Vista 32bit however I think it's OEM as the system was originally pre-built by dell/packard bell.

iNPUt · 19 Apr 2010 at 15:42

Garee said:
If I purchased a new mobo - Would I need to also buy a new OS?

My current OS is Vista 32bit however I think it's OEM as the system was originally pre-built by dell/packard bell.

Most probably, I have heard of some success stories where people call microsoft up and get a new key due to faulty motherboard / changing motherboard. But since this is has been supplied by packard dell the probably won't do it, anyway windows 7 is much better would be a good time to go down that route?

Out of interest is your current motherboard dell/packard? If so you will see massive gains with mobo features if you get a new / second hand decent one.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you are still using the dell/packard case if so some of the mountings are different I think.

Garee · 19 Apr 2010 at 16:12

iNPUt said:
Most probably, I have heard of some success stories where people call microsoft up and get a new key due to faulty motherboard / changing motherboard. But since this is has been supplied by packard dell the probably won't do it, anyway windows 7 is much better would be a good time to go down that route?

Out of interest is your current motherboard dell/packard? If so you will see massive gains with mobo features if you get a new / second hand decent one.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you are still using the dell/packard case if so some of the mountings are different I think.

Yes the whole PC was a pre-built dell. Looks like i'll have to save up for a proper upgrade.

iNPUt · 19 Apr 2010 at 17:05

Garee said:
Yes the whole PC was a pre-built dell. Looks like i'll have to save up for a proper upgrade.

Or you could contact dell see if you can get a mobo and new key out of them?

Redmint · 19 Apr 2010 at 17:19

If a PC is out of warranty the chances of getting a new mobo/serial number from the manufacturers are pretty slim... Or they'd charge you a ridiculous amount for it.

If £300 is what you've got to spend I'd suggest this:

New mobo: Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L or similar (~£40)
Titan TTC-NK85TZ/V2 Fenrir CPU Cooler (£30, compatible with other sockets so you can keep it for your next upgrades).
Coolermaster Elite 335 Case (£30, cheap but decent case, will fit a full ATX motherboard too).
Windows 7 Retail (£95, retail so you can reinstall when you upgrade your system again).

Total cost <£200 and it should be a massive improvement to your system. Only new part there which you might not keep that long is the motherboard but if you can get a nice 3GHz+ overclock with that mobo it should last you a couple of years at least.

Garee · 19 Apr 2010 at 19:18

Redmint said:
If a PC is out of warranty the chances of getting a new mobo/serial number from the manufacturers are pretty slim... Or they'd charge you a ridiculous amount for it.

If £300 is what you've got to spend I'd suggest this:

New mobo: Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L or similar (~£40)
Titan TTC-NK85TZ/V2 Fenrir CPU Cooler (£30, compatible with other sockets so you can keep it for your next upgrades).
Coolermaster Elite 335 Case (£30, cheap but decent case, will fit a full ATX motherboard too).
Windows 7 Retail (£95, retail so you can reinstall when you upgrade your system again).

Total cost <£200 and it should be a massive improvement to your system. Only new part there which you might not keep that long is the motherboard but if you can get a nice 3GHz+ overclock with that mobo it should last you a couple of years at least.

Thanks for the help.

My current 4GB DDR2 is only 533Mhz and the specifications for the motherboard you suggested ( which looks great for the price btw ) only mentions it is compatible with 667/800+. Will my RAM work okay or will I have to purchase that aswell?

Redmint · 20 Apr 2010 at 15:19

Tricky, you could either get a slightly older motherboard (probably 2nd hand) that would support your current RAM, or pick up some DDR2 800/1066 (expensive) or replace the whole lot. Not many of the newer motherboards will support 533MHz RAM and unless you can pick up a board which offers the option to run it unlinked it'll seriously limit any overclocking attempt.

Easiest/least hassle method is possibly picking up a 2nd hand 4GB 1066MHz kit (should be £50-60)
Sell your current RAM (should get almost the same for it).
And stick with the motherboard etc suggestions I posted before.

Slightly more hassle method would be trying to do the full upgrade now and selling your CPU too but fitting a similar performance upgrade bundle + windows 7 into £300 would then become difficult.

Liampope · 20 Apr 2010 at 15:34

That's a good CPU, so I'd also say free yourself from the darkside (Dell) with a second hand decent mobo, case, ram and win7. Would be nice to confirm CPU or mobo faulty first (anyone local prepared to do a parts swap?), but if you can't and you do the above (as faulty mobo is much more likely) then the worst case scenario is you were wrong and need to also pay out for a second hand replacement CPU. But everything you would buy would still be worthwhile in the path away from Dell proprietary carp towards a self-built custom rig with a nice 3.6GHz overclock.