Mobo shot? Couple questions...

Klainn · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 67 Location: Indianapolis

I think I know pretty much what went on but wanted to get some other opinions and I have a question later ...

Came home the other night and looked at my router and noticed that the indicator showing the gentoo box was online was actually off. Went to the box and I hear it running. Turn on monitor and it won't wake up, nothing unusual, just had to hit control of shift to wake it up ... still doesn't respond. I hold the power button on the case (ATX Case / board) and wait, 10 seconds ... 20 seconds ... 30 seconds, it's not turning off. Reach behind and flip the switch on the power supply. Machine powers down.

go to turn it back on and it does not respond. CPU fan doesn't even twitch when the power is brought back. Machine is dead. Do you all think that it's probably just a board shot? I'm guessing it's the board simply if the PS had blown it wouldn't have been running when I got home and it won't respond to my attempts to power up at all with the power button.

Also, my other question ... If I replace the board / chip / ram .. will I need to reconfigure anything on the machine or would it likely boot right up?

Thanks.
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shade266 · Guru Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 593 Location: Internal

It is possible the board is shot. But the problem could also be only due to the power supply. If you replace the mobo and cpu you will have to configure your kernel for the new hardware. CPU and chipset along with the video/sound/graphic cards etc. Sounds painful but use genkernel if you are unsure about what to compile in the kernel since genkernel includes nearly all hardware support.
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:34 pm Post subject:

Klainn,

I may be the motherboard or the PSU. If you have a spare PSU try that first because its easier to change.
The motherboard doesn't do a great deal to the soft off, but you could have lost 5vSTB, so it won't switch on again.
Other things could have gone wrong with the PSU at the same time too.
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NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
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those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Klainn · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 67 Location: Indianapolis

I did think about it being the power supply but I can't think for the life of me why if the power supply blew, why would it still be running till I shut it down. It's for sure possible thought.
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:50 pm Post subject:

Klainn,

The 12v was still alive to power the fan and drive motors but the rest can have been dead.
Since your router light was off, the NIC in the PC wasn't powered. That uses 3.3v or 5v depending on the version of PCI bus you have.

Was the CPU heatsink warm ?
That would incdicate that the 5v may have been OK. Some CPU core voltage regulators use the 5v.
On the topic of CPU core voltage regulators, do you have any domed top or leaking capacitors in yours?
Thats a sign that you may have lost Vcore. Its easy for a competent soldering iron user to fix.
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Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Klainn · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 67 Location: Indianapolis

That's a good point .. I'm kind of interested in a new case anyway. I may grab one of those (with new PS) and if that worked then I'm set.
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Klainn · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 67 Location: Indianapolis

Good news, turns out it was the power supply after all. Everything is now fine. On the other hand, fry's was having a heck of a sale so I got an athlon and dfi board cheap.
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Note: This post is a natural product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects.