How to check definitively if mobo is dead?

gizmo1990 · 10 Jun 2010 at 14:03

I think I've killed my motherboard. When I turn my pc on all I get is my cpu and chassis fans spinning. I get no sounds/beeps nor the monitor signal clicking on.
See here

How do I go about finding out if the motherboard is actually the culprit? Or could it possibly be the cpu? Basically I can't use another mobo or pu as I haven't got any to hand nor can I borrow any. I need to be able to test it as it is and as quickly as possible.

Does anyone know how I would go about doing this, it's really stressing me out.

U4iK · 10 Jun 2010 at 14:29

Hi

I see your previous thread states the system has 4gb of ram. Is this two sticks of memory or one?

If it is two try booting up with each separate stick as it could possibly be one faulty stick of ram. Reason I say this is I had similar symptons with one of my systems not too long ago and thats what it turned out to be.

good luck

Brizzles · 10 Jun 2010 at 14:36

On a cardboard box, outside the chassis.

Reseat your cpu

Connect 24pin AND 4 pin powercables.

1 stick of ram ( try both slots with single stick / try both ram sticks in each slot )

Make sure the power button switch is not faulty

Try all the above options with your other PSU

Hope that helps

gizmo1990 · 10 Jun 2010 at 14:57

Thanks guys.

uki4, it's 2 sticks of 2. I've been testing it without them tho. And I still get no sound. So basically I'm discounting anything being wrong with the ram. Is it correct to presume this? Basically should my board make a loud beeping sound if there is no ram in it and the mobo and cpu are working fine?

mrdbristol, How will doing what you say determine which part is defective? What signs am I looking for which will tell me it's either the cpu or motherboard?

Brizzles · 10 Jun 2010 at 15:24

gizmo1990 said:
mrdbristol, How will doing what you say determine which part is defective? What signs am I looking for which will tell me it's either the cpu or motherboard?

Its a process of elimination.

What CPU ?
Is it compatable with the mobo ?
Does the bios need updating to support the CPU?

The RAM. Trying in different slots might help determine if the motherboard has a defective ram slot

The mobo is powering up, lights and fan spinning so it might not be the motherboard at fault. Hence trying a 2nd psu

Setting the mobo on a cardboard box will eliminate any possible shorts.

Is the power on switch connected the right way round on the mobo + / - headers ?

All things i would consider when trouble shooting

HazardO · 10 Jun 2010 at 16:56

gizmo1990 said:
Thanks guys.

uki4, it's 2 sticks of 2. I've been testing it without them tho. And I still get no sound. So basically I'm discounting anything being wrong with the ram. Is it correct to presume this? Basically should my board make a loud beeping sound if there is no ram in it and the mobo and cpu are working fine?

mrdbristol, How will doing what you say determine which part is defective? What signs am I looking for which will tell me it's either the cpu or motherboard?

You need to have at least 1 stick of RAM in the board.