Reply With QuoteMy dad recommends switching the power supply from computer 1 or 3 and putting it in the number 2 computer.
Does anyone know how to test a power supply?
Okay, guys, I'm not sure I wrote down everything I have, but I think it's most of it:
I have
computer 1 (mid-size)
cd-rom drive
3.5" disk drive
fan in back
motherboard(possibly bad?)
teleph. modem card(might as well give away)
3d graphics card
1.2GHz processor(possibly bad, is in motherboard)
20GB hard drive
4 USB ports
possibly Windows XP home cd or dvd
128MB SDRAM
-------------------------
computer 2 (full size)
(possibly bad power supply, comuter smokes when it runs)
DVD-ROM
no disk drive
side fan
cpu fan
Socket A MB (bad, possibly)
1.5GHz AMD (bad, possibly)
ethernet card
video card (seperate)
-----------------------------
computer 3 (mid-size)
cd drive
3.5" drive
ethernet card
2 USB
20 Gig HD
-------------
lastly in a bag in my room I have a 6.48GB HD
comments welcome, but this is basicly my upgrade or bust thread, I'm hoping it'll get a lot of traffic and have a positive outcome(a running computer)
My dad recommends switching the power supply from computer 1 or 3 and putting it in the number 2 computer.
Does anyone know how to test a power supply?
With a PSU tester
I bought one for $8 or so recently...
Bok
I was at Wal-Mart 3 hours ago!!!Originally posted by Bok
With a PSU tester
I bought one for $8 or so recently...
Bok(And my seizure disorder keeps me from driving on my own, btw)
My dad's getting a power supply from another computer and switching with the presumed bad one. He's also putting a hard drive in.
Assuming it works, I need a good Linux distro to install. It'll be just Linux, and it would be nice if it could interact with Windows with a minimum of hassle.
Can anyone recommend a good Linux distro that fits that criteria. The computer will only be used for crunching btw.
Okay, now it's debugging time!!!
He switched power supplies and tried two different hard drives. It gets to a screen where it gives some boot options, but no matter which one you pick about 20-30 seconds later you're back where you started.
Could the problem be BOTH hard drives? They're pretty old.
if you got past bios screen and can't load os i suggest try to reload os. if you have info on hd you do not want to lose- if loading windows when it asks what file system choose leave present file system intact.
Actually, and I forgot about this(sorryOriginally posted by GHOST
if you got past bios screen and can't load os i suggest try to reload os. if you have info on hd you do not want to lose- if loading windows when it asks what file system choose leave present file system intact.), but my dad attempted to boot Windows with a recovery cd, and that didn't work either.
try a different power supply. i once swapped out everything. one at a time, mobo,cpu,memory, hd's, cables, finally the power supply. in my case it was ps supply, ya never know. when i had that problem first it just started crashing. then it would start to load up and stop like yours is doing.
Actually, the original problem was the power supply. My dad switched to a new power supply and reinstalled the hard drive, which was temporarily placed in a much slower computer.Originally posted by GHOST
try a different power supply. i once swapped out everything. one at a time, mobo,cpu,memory, hd's, cables, finally the power supply. in my case it was ps supply, ya never know. when i had that problem first it just started crashing. then it would start to load up and stop like yours is doing.
I'm going to ask my dad to check the hard drive connections. He probably did, but it doesn't hurt to make sure.
Any other ideas?
since you are moving HD's around, please don't forget what we overlook so often, check the jumpers on the HD's.... don't forget the CS (cable select) typical default versus the true master/slave config.
BIOS should find everything OK as far as disks go.
I had a SK8N mobo blow a voltage regular clean off the board. It did damage the PS in the process as well (an Antec 550). FWIW, the PS tested ok. I did find a ground-loop fault by connecting the suspect PS to another known good mobo. This was found by simply checking the PS (mounted in the case), with the mobo isolated from the case by leaving it in open air, ungrounded. The PS should have maintained chassis ground, which it did not. When I did connect the mobo to chassis ground, the whole thing stopped working.
I ended up replacing the PS and, obviously, sending the mobo out for factory RMA (it was still under warranty). The PS was also replaced under warranty as it was supposed to have shutdown without suffering such damage.
I have since then replaced my other PSU's with Silverstone Zeus (650W) supplies. I have no more ground loop problems.
I have had other issues with machine failures... feel free to email me direct if you have any further questions.
Chuck
This is going to sound like an idiotic mistake, but when my computer first started having problems, we discovered that the case fan(as opposed to the cpu fan) had been unplugged for about three months.
Okay, now that you've quit rolling your eyes in exasperation: Could it be possible the the cpu was on it's last leg and somehow got "killed" by bootup stress at the exact time that my dad first tested his new power supply/ hard drive combo?
Could a dead cpu be the problem?
I know I'm sounding like an idiot for the mistake I've made, but well...ummmmm...Okay, fine, I'm an idiot.:|punch|:
As long as the CPU fan was running at full/normal speed, then that wouldn't kill it. I've had the heatsink COMPLETELY REMOVED from my AMD's for a bit during BIOS ONLY runs.... I didn't let it run for more than about 2-3 minutes.
Over-voltage or (under-voltage + over-current) (Ohm's law) is the killer of CPUs.
The case fans not running would definately contribute to the northbridge getting clobbered over a period of time due to premature heat induced failure.... but the HD would also suffer damage as well and would most likely show symptoms of trouble first...... if the NB is dead, you are sunk. the mobo is useless. The HD would actually start acting up first as it has a MUCH lower temperature tolerance.
Let me do some digging, or if you have some documentation about specific revision level of the bios, I will be able to tell you which pins to connect to put the bios into 'factory test' mode (if it's in your bios... or which pins to jumper to bypass certain tests).... if it fails to even 'blink' then, it's all over, but what I'm shooting for is to unlock the rest of the bios for you to get into factory mode... you (and everyone) can use these on all your machines to access factory testing routines.
I have one question: you found the case fans were not running.... where were they connected????? directly to the PS? the Mobo? or a fan-controller ???
also... please check the ps's and check the wattage and individual current ratings for each spec'd voltage...
Originally posted by Chuck
As long as the CPU fan was running at full/normal speed, then that wouldn't kill it. I've had the heatsink COMPLETELY REMOVED from my AMD's for a bit during BIOS ONLY runs.... I didn't let it run for more than about 2-3 minutes.
Over-voltage or (under-voltage + over-current) (Ohm's law) is the killer of CPUs.
The case fans not running would definately contribute to the northbridge getting clobbered over a period of time due to premature heat induced failure.... but the HD would also suffer damage as well and would most likely show symptoms of trouble first...... if the NB is dead, you are sunk. the mobo is useless. The HD would actually start acting up first as it has a MUCH lower temperature tolerance.
Let me do some digging, or if you have some documentation about specific revision level of the bios, I will be able to tell you which pins to connect to put the bios into 'factory test' mode (if it's in your bios... or which pins to jumper to bypass certain tests).... if it fails to even 'blink' then, it's all over, but what I'm shooting for is to unlock the rest of the bios for you to get into factory mode... you (and everyone) can use these on all your machines to access factory testing routines.
Sorry for the late response, I've allowed my my sleep disorder problem to get more out of control than usual. Anyway, when my dad gets home, I'll mention the BIOS thing. I'm hoping doing a search on the serial number will get me the info I need.
My dad isn't experienced in doing this(though he has more experience than me) so they weren't connected to anything. Because of the way the computer's situated in my room, there was no way for me to notice this.I have one question: you found the case fans were not running.... where were they connected????? directly to the PS? the Mobo? or a fan-controller ???
no problem.... sleep disorder'ish here too - due to spinal.
Update(kind of): My dad's out of town and unless he get's back before about 3pm Saturday I'm going to wait until Sunday to mention this thread's possible solution to him.
My idea was to take the motherboard and cpu out of computer I'm using right now long enough to see if I can get the dead computer running, then I'd know to throw away the MB and cpu in the dead computer(since the cpu is probably so old that buying a new motherboard wouldn't be a good idea). Unfortunately, I don't have the assets to be able to afford a screwup, so I'm skittish.
If I could only get a job where the paycheck amounts to more than $300 per month I could go wild(by my mentally ill, might always be dependent on the government, standards).
Sorry for the double post:
Since my dad absolutely does not want to screw up(even though I'm sure he has the skills to do it properly), we've hit a snag. Apparently, the only way to get the serial number is to totally take out the MB, which my dad is refusing to do.
So I'm forced to ask: How many possible boards can run a 1.25GHz AMD processor and can we glean anything from looking at the bottom of the motherboard?
I have absolutely no skills, and considering the high percentage of my income that goes into computers right now, as compared to what I actually have, I want to be extremely careful about not breaking anything.
Please leave the mobo's and everything as attached as long as possible if you are running... do the best you can to keep things stable (fans, and little stuff are ok).....
Please check you PM.
C.
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