PC dead?

[Troy711]

My parents old PC decided to not turn on one day. My first guess was the power supply and I've since put a brand new one on and it still doesn't turn on. Suggestions?

If you need more info just ask and I'll do my best to answer you

[nathanVS]

any funny smells coming from the motherboard? go for a sniff

does it beep at all? or just not turn on?

[GetToDaChopa]

If after installing the new PSU the computer still does not boot, try removing the cmos battery and the ram and then try turning it on again (just remember to unplug the power before you remove them). If still no luck then its the mainboard. Or if after doing those it boots and start beeping, let me know.

EDIT Oh and also remove any pci cards too.

[Tom_1569]

and check the switch. I laughed when this guy brang a PC to me, he had already replaced PSU, RAM, CPU, Mobo, turned out to be a broken switch.

[88GreenVN]

Probably the CPU or main board. I have a stack of M/B and CPU's that have died over the years.

[Jesterarts]

Does ANYTHING happen?

Funny thing, my PSU threw in the towel just the other day and I had endless funny trying to get my PC running again.

ANYWAY,

When you plug the PSU in and turn the switch on it on, does the little light on the MB come on?

Do you get any activity when you push the power button? Fans spinning? HDD spinning? Lights on the front coming on?

[Troy711]

You get absolutely nothing. I'll try removing all the above mentioned stuff and report back

[Deutscher]

If it's not the PSU, it's probably the motherboard.

Other week, replaced the GF's motherboard, and the monitor wouldn't turn on anymore (the comp loaded up still). Bloody finally figured out it's the fricken RAM! Tried different monitor and all.

Computers are POS! But can't live without em.

[Rufus®]

Like a few have said, sounds like the mobo! strip everything out (pci cards, video card, RAM) and see if you get any action from it, if not, i'd put my money on the mobo.

Also, test the PSU in another PC if you can.

[Troy711]

By the sound of it the motherboard is gone. I took all the cards out.. checked the power button and it's still doing nothing. The hard drive doesn't spin up, no fans even switch on and the power supply is brand new.

What will I be up for for a P4 motherboard? And what should I look for.. I'm basically doing the PC up to run through my TV to run movies off and to run music through my surround sound unit. I'm pissed cos I just bought a new video card with HDMI out and a new sound card with optical out

[50LTRv8]

Had a quick look around for you, none at IJK, but auspcmarket has 2, one at 80 and another at 100, look up the socket 478 MBs on their site

[Deutscher]

Ahh zang. P4. It usually sucks buying a motherboard because you can't buy for older CPU's. Unless you buy second hand.

Had to replace the motherboard for my gf's because usb's didn't work and they lost the CD. She had a AMD 2000 cpu, because you can't buy a new motherboard for these old cpu's, I gave her my old AMD 3800 - So she could use it with a new motherboard which was capable of AM2 & AM3.

After changing the board and cpu, her old RAM wouldn't fit in the motherboard so had to buy new RAM aswell. Then we realised we can only connect 2 IDE applications (she's got 2x IDE HDD's and 2x IDE DVD-Roms), so now we running 1 IDE HDD and 1 IDE CD-Rom, then we brought 1 SATA DVD-Burner.

Just to fix those stupid USB, had to replace - CPU, Motherboard, RAM, DVD-Roms!!

[Rufus®]

Just to fix those stupid USB, had to replace - CPU, Motherboard, RAM, DVD-Roms!!

Why didnt you just buy a PCI USB expansion card? probably cost $20

[Deutscher]

Why didnt you just buy a PCI USB expansion card? probably cost $20

.................................................. ....... Ooops. Didn't even think of that! O well it wasn't my money. It was also the fact that she didn't have a MB installation CD, so if anything went wrong couldn't do anything, Tried looking for drivers but it was impossible.

[Troy711]

If I was smrater I would look on eBay but I dunno WTF to look for haha.

[GetToDaChopa]

478 Motherboard you say?

478 motherboard, Computers, Socket 478, Used items at low prices on eBay.com.au

Although some of those are a rip off.

[Tom_1569]

Are you sure its a 478, more P4 sickets then that.

[GetToDaChopa]

Well without seeing a picture of the current board and cpu that Troy has, this is the most likely one. So to confirm, Troy if you could post a pic of the current board and cpu and we'll let you know.

[Troy711]

I'll see what I a can come up with. Got me thinking though, it could be a P3...

[gelousi]

ive got a soket 478 motherboard at home, if u were in melb ide say come passed with the comp and if its the same u can take it, see if it has ddr ram because p3 never had ddr only sd. or if your confident remove the fan and heat sink and the cpu will tell u what sort it is ok