[XP] Fans

Firstly I will put the link to my previous post so you can see what I need to do. http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...62#post1192062

I have my new motherboard, new processor fan and heatsink. I had intended to follow Trains advice by installing a case fan low at the front and another high at the back of the tower, unfortunately there is only one connector on the motherboard for a chassis fan :eek: Which position is optimal to place the one fan? Even with one chassis fan it will be an improvement to the old set up.

Virtual Patient

You really should follow Trains advise. Chassis fans can be powered by a 4 pin Molex connector (like the one on your hard drive). If you don't have an extra one to use you can get a "Y" adapter.

This is what you need, most case fans will come with one supplied:

http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1902.html

By using the adapter, you bypass any possibility of having the fan doing any damage to the mobo because it drew to much current. Another plus for using the adapters.

:o I really should have looked inside the case fan box before pestering you :o

Thank you for the prompt replies, my case fan came complete with the necessary extra adapter/cable. I just didn't realise it was there in what looked like a blanking box in the packaging.

I will now take a few deep breaths and go ahead with the new motherboard installation ... wish me luck?

Virtual Patient

Take it easy, watch what you are doing and things will work out just fine.

:( ok I'm back to square one.

I installed new motherboard, complete with new ventillation system, all seemed fairly straight forward. BUT..... I am in exactly the same position as I was before .... a computer that does absolutely nothing. The power supply seems to be fine, all fans are functioning normally, the dvd drive activates and looks for a disk as per usual. There are NO bios beeps and no noise from the hard drive at all ( I really miss those graunchy sounds it used to make). I have checked the connections to make sure they are all clean and snug. I am now a lot poorer and still have a tower that is not sure if it's supposed to be a computer or a toaster :( .

Any idea where I go from here?

Virtual Patient

Remove all pci cards, leave your video card in, and try booting?
What happens?

If nothing , then try to boot up with only the floppy drive connected.. Yes disconnect the cd/dvd device and all hdds.
What happens?

Did you make certain that you plugged the sqare 4-pin 12 volt connector? If you don't hook that up then you get exactly what you are experiencing.

https://discussions.virtualdr.com/im.../2011/05/1.jpg

hi,

yes supersparks, I did make sure the square 4-pin connector was in place (phew)

ok.... I didn't install my agp graphics card at all, thought I would use the motherboard onboard graphics till I was sure everything was working ok. No pci's attached either.

I just disconnected all drives except the floppy and had the same result ... power supply working, fans all functioning and nothing else ... not a whisper .. not a clunk :(

Virtual Patient

Have more than one stick of ram?

Only use one and if that does not work swap around.

If you have, or can borrow, a multimeter, here's how to test the power supply:

Testing PSU Voltages

ATX Power Supplies

Trigger Power Supply for testing

In depth look at the power supply

Or alternatively you can buy a proper PSU tester, they don't cost much:

PSU Tester

ATX12V PSU Tester

ok ... checked with one, both, the other one, and a completely new ram stick and still no change.

I will have to take a look at the links posted by SuperSparks later tonight, I've just run out of play time now :(

I'll get back to you, but if you have any more ideas please let me know?

Virtual Patient

Post the make and model of the mobo please.

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?ASR-P4I65G

That is the motherboard I just installed. ASRock P4i65G, I hope that is the info you asked for?

Virtual Patient

Close enough, thank You.

Take a look at this, thinking your new setup just may have bad caps.


http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5

The first motherboard that this computer killed, showed serious damage to capacitors, the ones immediately to the side of the heatsink. The second motherboard - Gigabyte one that I assume was dead does not show damage to the capacitors, and the new ASRock one does not show any visible signs of breakdown or damage either.

I am hoping to get the power supply checked today but if I need to buy a multimeter it might be another few days :(

Virtual Patient

The PSU testor maybe cheaper.

have you checked the setting of the clear cmos jumper? I had one once with a silly default

Thanks saturdaygig for that ray of hope ...... lasted all of 30 seconds, the time it took me to take a peek. :( no, unfortunately the clear cmos jumper is not in place.

I am still waiting on a friend to turn up with a multimeter, seems it's not on his list of urgent things to do.

Virtual Patient

You say the clear CMOS jumper is not in place. Are you saying it's not on the Motherboard--it's actually missing? If so there's no need to do any further troubleshooting until you get a jumper on those pins--the jumper normally goes on pins 1 & 2. That jumper HAS to be in place. If you don't have one laying around maybe you can get one from an old Motherboard, a hard drive or CD drive.

A lot of boards do not even have the pins, there fore you must remove the battery.

But I have also seen the pins set as saturdaygig brought out.

sorry I should have been clearer, in order to clear cmos on this particular motherboard you need to put a jumper in place, the pins are there and have no jumper, therefore it is not set to clear cmos to default.

impatiently waiting on a psu tester still :(

Virtual Patient

Have you tried to clear the CMOS?

No I haven't tried to clear the CMOS. The main reason for this is that the state of the computer is exactly the same as it was before I replaced the motherboard, I am kind of thinking it wasn't the motherboard after all, and am hoping to check out the power supply shortly, after that I am going to be really unhappy if it ends up to be a dead processor :(

Virtual Patient

Back to the drawing board, just had an electrician friend check out the power supply and it's doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing, all voltages are as advertised.

Does this mean I have wasted loads of money and that my processor is dead?

Virtual Paitent

Possibly, but you need to try clearing that CMOS first, sometimes that's all it needs.

Hi there,

todays update, just did the clear cmos thing, no change

thought while I was there I'd try a different hard drive, no change

so far I have a new motherboard, new heatsink, two new fans, a fully tested power supply, cleared cmos, all ram sticks checked out individually and a new stick tested for good measure.

End of the road? Do I try a new processor now?

Virtual Patient

p.s. my router died at the weekend too ....and the washing machine ... do I see some kind of pattern here?

A couple of things you can try before buying a new processor. Double check that the processor is installed correctly, no bent or broken pins and the the heatsink is installed correctly with thermal compound. Also try to boot up with the motherboard removed and placed on some insulating material--cardboard, wood, paper etc. Sometimes a standoff in the wrong place will short out the motherboard. And for now just buy a new router and run around in dirty clothes.

Good luck!

Hi,

I rechecked the processor yesterday and took a close look at the pins, all seems ok there, seated correctly with thermal compound.

Do you mean just unscrew the motherboard and place something insulating under it (whilst in the machine) to check that out?

Virtual Patient

(got a replacement router, dirty clothes and ooops the exhaust just fell off my car :mad: )

If you can manage it the way you describe that would be OK--otherwise swing it out of the case--if you have to disconnect drive and/or fan cables that's OK as at this point you're just trying to get it come alive. Glad ya got a router, dirty clothes aren't all that bad and the exhaust falling off may be a blessing--people will hear ya coming and are less likely to hit ya.

ok ... but I'll need to wait till tomorrow to test that, think I'd better take a look at the washing machine/car first ;) ....... will post back results.

Virtual Patient

hmmmm.....perhaps I did this all wrong..... if I put something non conductive between the motherboard and the frame of the computer then it doesn't even power anything, could this be because the screws holding the motherboard to the frame are part of the circuit ... i.e. ground (earth) connections?

Anyway, that was a failure, nothing happened at all, no power even to the fans/ drives at all.

Virtual Patient

(car fixed ... washing machine and puter still dead)

No, the ground is supplied to the motherboard through the wiring to the power connector. If this didn't cure your problem it should at least do what it has been doing--so--obviously you have something shorting out or something has come loose. Check that the power connector is fully seated, nothing on the motherboard is touching the frame. Also might check that the small connector from the front panel power button switch to the motherboard hasn't come loose.

ok... got it this time....situation unchanged though, I got exactly the same result as before, fans all powered up, activity light on hard drive and dvd drive but absolutely no booting noises, no beeps.

Virtual Patient

At this point I can't think of anything else to try--maybe someone else will jump in with a new idea. It does seem it's either a defective CPU or motherboard. As I recall you just bought both these items new--should be under warranty--maybe you can get them exchanged.

Unfortunately the cpu is the only thing I haven't replaced, I think that's my next step, if I'd known it was the cpu I would've got a different motherboard and upgraded at the same time ... lol ....no matter ... unless anybody else has any ideas that will be my next move.

Thanks for your help

Virtual Patient

You're welcome but I'm afraid I wasn't much help. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

I too think that you've pretty much exhausted all other possibilities. Unfortunately when it comes to mobos and CPUs substitution is really the only thing you can do to test them, and as it's the mobo 90% of the time, you did everything right. You just got unlucky :(

ok ...ordered a cpu off ebay for now, let's hope this one works cos I gotta get a new washing machine too lol.

will post back when I have installed new/tested? cpu.

Virtual Patient