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**latexeses** · 01-06-2009, 10:14 PM

Exorcism?? Electricity is magic.

**Bigfoot** · 01-06-2009, 11:19 PM

Sounds like MoBo to me. If you have multiple sticks of ram try just booting with one stick. That should rule out ram problems if you have the same problems. Now that I think of it, one other possibility could be the power switch. If it was sticking closed that would cause the problem that you are having.

**Shuriken** · 01-07-2009, 12:35 AM

Do you have the PC speaker connected properly so that you can hear any post beep codes if any are made? It does sound like it isn't on long enough to even go through POST anyway.....

What wattage is the power supply?

Do you have the 24 pin power connector properly seated?

Do you have the 4 pin power connector (near the CPU) seated properly?

It may not be your problem, but I've seen that problem many times and it was nearly always the power supply.

There really shouldn't be any way that just the board (minus expansion cards) is going to overdraw the p/s, though. Possible short on the board somewhere and the p/s has an automatic circuit breaker that restarts? (The p/s can be tested with a pocket volt meter.)

I've had SPI (Sparkle) power supplies that have run 10+ years. Now I pretty much go with Antec. Not an AOpen p/s guy myself, as I've replaced many, many of them.

One trick you can do if you have a willing gunea pig is to swap the p/s into another computer. If one or both work in another PC, I'd have to say m/b problem.

Also, did you remove the RAM chips when you tested?

**prometheus578** · 01-07-2009, 05:00 AM

"I might as well jump into this thread, too."

Son's computer died a few days ago.
And yes, I get a certain amount of personal pleasure that he can no longer play that stupid "World of Warcraft" crap, but that's not the issue.

Machine fires up and everything seems Ok, but no mouse, keyboard, joysticks... All those "port" thingies are dead.
They give a momentary flash when you plug something in, but then nothing.
(Plug in the laser mouse, the laser underneath flashes once and then goes out)
All those things of his work on my 'puter, but not on his any longer.
Tried dumping it and reformatting Win XP, but no go.
I'm tired of him moping about the house because he can't do his "sword fightin'"...
Mother board issues?
Gateway AMD 64 X2 processor 3800+

**rpgoerlich** · 01-07-2009, 07:43 AM

Had a couple of the same issues, Son moping around, cant play warcraft, older emachine bit the dust. Found an AMD 64 X2 6000+ w/fan and MB on sale over at Frys for $139, along with a couple sticks of memory for $50 and swapped it out. I went ahead and swapped the power supply just because of it's age and didn't want to take a chance that it would crap out and take the new MB with it $30. So for $220 the thing screams. He graduates this summer so I'm looking forward to getting him back out for some more fishing before he starts college and WORK!

**CatatonicBug** · 01-07-2009, 10:26 AM

Originally posted by prometheus578 View Post

Son's computer died a few days ago.
And yes, I get a certain amount of personal pleasure that he can no longer play that stupid "World of Warcraft" crap, but that's not the issue.

Machine fires up and everything seems Ok, but no mouse, keyboard, joysticks... All those "port" thingies are dead.
They give a momentary flash when you plug something in, but then nothing.
(Plug in the laser mouse, the laser underneath flashes once and then goes out)
All those things of his work on my 'puter, but not on his any longer.
Tried dumping it and reformatting Win XP, but no go.
I'm tired of him moping about the house because he can't do his "sword fightin'"...
Mother board issues?
Gateway AMD 64 X2 processor 3800+

Yeah, that sounds like a MoBo issue. You might be able to just replace the board, and re-use all the other parts. look online, and you'll find the best deals.

**prometheus578** · 01-07-2009, 10:57 AM

"Just checking"

Thanks,
That's what he figured, too.

**fvincent** · 01-07-2009, 02:08 PM

Boot

Hey TC. Those MBs' were known for cmos corruption. Sometimes CMOS will get screwed up from the slightest static. Turn off computer, move jumper near CMOS battery to "clear" position. apply power briefly, then turn back off. Replace jumper to original position. turn the power back on, and you should get a post screen. Go into CMOS setup on first boot and set time date ETC.. and autodetect the hard drive. Ive had that happen on the same MB several times. The volatile CMOS table, "kept alive by the battery" can get scrambled and the pointers go to never never land or just loop.

Hope all is well!

Floyd
'80G

**Ivan** · 01-07-2009, 06:12 PM

Prom, WoW can kill anything, including a young man's libido in later life, just tell him that. Chicks don't dig WoWheads.

TC, I would recommend unplugging the power supply connections from the MOBO and taking the CMOS battery out for an hour or so. Make sure there is no way for electrons to pass to the board.

Most boards have a jumper that clears the cmos when powered up with it in the correct position. If that one has one, put it in "clear cmos" position when powering up. Next boot it will need to be back to normal, unless you like resetting your bios settings each boot.

I have had a couple machines that did things like that. Sometimes it is even weirder. Usually some "discharge" time will break the cycle. If it doesn't help, you aren't out much.

**fvincent** · 01-08-2009, 08:09 AM

Hey Ivan

Hey Ivan. Didn't I just say that?

**Ivan** · 01-08-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally posted by fvincent View Post

Hey Ivan. Didn't I just say that?

Well, maybe. But I eloquently threw in some WoW bashing, which you forgot to do, so my post is more credible. :P

Seriously, sorry if you feel I stepped on your toes.

**fvincent** · 01-08-2009, 10:49 AM

No Problem

No sweat Ivan. Some of the newer MBs' have quite a large electrolitic capacitor across the CMOS battery, and CMOS ram can survive for a few hours if not shorted, (discharged). Thus the jumper. Before the jumper days, I would remove the battery then short out the + & - terminals on the MB. Same result.

Now that I think the same thing could happen if the "Power Good" feedback line to the power supply is not operating properly. This wire in the bundle is usually orange, and when shorted to ground, allows the power supply to ramp up. You can test a power supply on the bench by shorting this wire to ground and measuring +12 -12 +5 & -5 voltages when the fan comes on. You dont need a load to do that.

Peace my brother & ride with the wind at your back!!!

Floyd

**TopCatGr58** · 01-08-2009, 06:42 PM

Hey Floyd, Ivan, and the rest,

Okay, this Mobo has a Reset CMOS switch/push button, not a jumper. I pushed it and held it in for 30 seconds, even though the instructions say only 5 is needed. I removed the battery overnight. I pushed it again without the battery, then again with it plugged into power. Then put the battery back in, and pushed it again!

Then tried to fire it up, again, just a pulse of power for a 1/2 second, then nothing, repeatedly over and over. I pulled the RAM, tested fine on another machine, pulled CPU, tested fine/booted completely on another machine. The powersupply for the other machine is what I had used to test this suspect machine, and the "other" machine boots/runs fine with either powersupply, so I'm now pretty sure that the MOBO is fried!

I can get another one for < $30.00 shipped from Ebay, and I've gotten the go ahead from the owner to do so, and since it'll be the EXACT same Mobo, I shouldn't have to REINSTALL Windows and such!

Thanks for all the suggestions, ideas, but looks like just a dead/dying Mobo!
T.C.

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