Fault finding advice: Motherboard?

Fevvahz

Fevvahz

Fevvahz

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Guys,

Im after some advice regarding fault finding one of my machines. I was typing away on my machine, and click, the machine switch's off. I try the power switch, no response. No fans, nothing. I check the light on the motherboard. Its flickering on and off wildly, no set pattern.

I turn the PSU off and on at its switch, same flickering. I try another power lead. Same issue. I take the PSU out, and test it in a known working machine. The other machine boots fine. I dont have another PSU of sufficient wattage to test the broken machine, and I dont have a spare AM2 motherboard or CPU.

At this point in time, Im assuming that the problem is the motherboard. From past experience, and what Ive read, if it were simply the CPU, the machine would at least power on (perhaps give a beep code complaining of a duff/no CPU). However, before I go and purchase another, I wanted a different perspective.

The hardware is as follows:

MB: Asus M2N-SLi Deluxe
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 500+
PSU: Antec EarthWatts 500W

Its not overclocked, and has been rock solid since I bought the bits back in January. While I'd like an excuse for an upgrade (CPU, GPU, MB), I really can't warrant it at the moment as all the games I play run really well.

So - advice if you will? Thanks in advance! :)
 
& no loose cables, components, etc?

But sounds mobo related. You could search (here, Asus support -used them before & quite good, Google, etc) to see if a known problem.

EDIT: Should still be under warranty
 
Last edited:
hp7909 said:
& no loose cables, components, etc?

But sounds mobo related. You could search (here, Asus support -used them before & quite good, Google, etc) to see if a known problem.

EDIT: Should still be under warranty
Click to expand...
Nope, checked all cables, re-seated everything (CPU, RAM, GPU etc.) Tried Asus' support website, unfortunately it isnt much help at all regarding the symptoms of blinking LED. Also tried the Asus forums. One post here regarding a different motherboard, the user Ulrich seems to indicate that the standbye components could be damaged. However this guy had recently re-cabled, and I hadnt touched mine since I built the system. :(
 
Just tried another PSU from a known working machine on the motherboard. LED light on MB is constantly green, will not power on. :s
 
Is there no audible beeps ?

Remove everything GPu, Memory etc and try replacing one at a time, if you start getting beeps, its a good sign, count the beeps.

The beeps will probably tell you to insert a component You removed, also before you start reset the bios.

let me know how you get on


p.s. check for any fans not going rouind, if the are not on start up disconnect that fan and try again, a fan failure can cause this error.
 
magpie1966 said:
Is there no audible beeps ?

Remove everything GPu, Memory etc and try replacing one at a time, if you start getting beeps, its a good sign, count the beeps.

The beeps will probably tell you to insert a component You removed, also before you start reset the bios.

let me know how you get on

p.s. check for any fans not going rouind, if the are not on start up disconnect that fan and try again, a fan failure can cause this error.
Click to expand...
Nope - no audible beeps (thats what worried me!). Tried replacing everything one at a time, no beeps. The fans dont even move.

Tried a friends PSU in my machine, nothing. Also noticing a slight smell, not of burning, more an ozone kind of smell. Ive tried my PSU in a friends machine, it works in that too. Boots just fine.

Im thinking its the MB which is goosed. <sigh> Perhaps time for an early upgrade!
 
rather than one at a time take them all out and try to power the m/b by itself, including
the h/d cd etc, I have had one like this and I got it back so be patient, and be careful.

sometimes the swaping to a good machine will bring the other one down, if it was another component. thats why I advice is to strip all out and start again from the floor,

how old is this setup?
 
I've tried powering on the motherboard on its own first of all mate. Same blinking on the LED. The setup's only 11 months old, and I'm pretty gutted as it didnt cost me much, but is/was really impressive.
 
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