Help please dead CPU or Graphics or?

PikKOn · 23 Sep 2007 at 17:12

Hi everyone I am experiencing some issues with my comp and am unsure of whether my CPU, Graphics or something else is dead. Here is the scenario:

I have plugged everything in and my Motherboard green light is "lit". Power Supply is giving power to my case fans and heatsink having switced it on I know this. The red light on my graphics card is also "lit" with a green LED.

The problem: When I boot up the familiar BEEP sound should appear, however this is not the case. I have removed my memory and tried single modules but still no luck... in fact I have removed connections to my HDD and memory but still NO BEEP which has me wondering that my system is actually not booting up at all which leaves me asking is my CPU dead?

If anything is unclear then please post and I will be happy to reply. Thanks for all input and suggestions.

Many thanks in advance, Pikkon.

mikeo · 23 Sep 2007 at 17:44

Questions

- Is this a "new build"?
- If so, what stage are you at in the build (EG. is this the first "power on")?
- If an existing PC. Have you recently added any new components? or have you been aware of anything "odd" happening before this (a bit vague here I know).
- Can you get into the BIOS? If so, try selecting "default settings".
- I will assume you've checked all connections are tight and in the right place.

If a new build. Then have you connected the "front panel connections" correctly. As obviously one of these is for the front panel speaker (IE. where your beep comes from).

I would have thought if it was either the CPU, or the graphics card, your would get a BIOS beep message.

Could be PSU. Too much to hope you have a PSU tester? or failing that, a spare PSU to try? If not the PSU, then I would start to think it may be the motherboard.

Though I'm sure there are lots of folks on here with far more experience than me.

Good luck.

PikKOn · 23 Sep 2007 at 17:55

Its not a new build but just migrated to a new case. I checked that everything was attached and seems to be ok. I deliberately didnt connect the HDD and memory modules but I recieve no BEEP. The PSU is powering my case fans and necessary LEDs but the problem is I don't have someone who has the same spec as me and am unsure of how much PC World will charge for merely testing my PC to check what components are dead... but may have to resort to this

There is a 3 year warrany on my CPU anyway as I purchased a retail version of Overclockers.

mikeo · 23 Sep 2007 at 18:26

Right...

So you are saying ever thing worked fine before in the old case. But once you transferred everything over into the new case, it no longer works.

So you are saying ... that it doesn't even appear to go through the BIOS POST? Just your fans running and nothing else happens?

Don't know about Intel core2 boards. But do you need any supplementary power supply for the CPU (IE. for AMD's you need to connect a separate 4 pin power cable). And if so, is it connected?

Have you checked the connections for the front panel speaker?

Any chance there's any sort of short circuit on your motherboard? Check mobo manual and check you've fitted it 100% as specified (not being insulting ... it does happen).

PS. This is where it's handy to have a mobo that supports something like an LED display that gives you an error code etc. My K8N SLI has 4 little lights that indicate where in the boot sequence it's got to.

PikKOn · 23 Sep 2007 at 18:33

I knew that maybe a problem and tbh before I posted here I made sure that everything was connected 100% and did this for two days taking connections out and putting them back in. I have done Google searches and seems that people suggesting the CPU has gone or even the motherboad, but I would seriously doubt something gone wrong with the mobo.

Apparently my brother saw smoke coming out of the CPU which maybe that the CPU is dead... wonder if this is covered by warranty :| Don't understand that though as I left the PC not connected for 24 hours

mikeo · 23 Sep 2007 at 21:50

Errr... If someone saw smoke coming out of your CPU, then I would think it's "bit the dust".

To be honest, if the CPU is broke, I would still normally expect the mobo to try and POST and you would get a beep code. In the case of an AMI BIOS, it would be 7 short beeps.
As you don't get this, then your motherboard may well have been damaged as well!

One thought might be to try it without a CPU fitted and see what the motherboard says. Though I would suggest seeking further advice before trying this.

Otherwise... Short of trying another CPU, I'm at a loss to suggest what you try next.

Obviously a proper technical repair centre would have the necessary tools to check each component. Or at least a "mule" PC that they could swap bits in to test. This is how I've done it in the past myself.

Anyone else got any suggestions?

Got to admit though. That smoke coming out of the CPU sounds a little ominous to me!!

Good luck.