ArabiaTerra Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I was playing FEAR on Tuesday, when my monitor went blank and started flashing the "No Signal" message it normally does after I have switched off my computer, except the computer seemed to be working normally (The usual leafblower whine from the fans.). I pressed the reset button with no effect. I then restarted the computer manually with, again, no effect. So I took the side off and had a look inside. Power supply fan..... Check, Processor fan..... Check, Case fans..... Check, Graphics card fan..... Dead. So it looked like the Graphics card had blown. Just to be sure I pulled the card, blew the worst of the dust off and refitted it. Still dead. So I went to bed. Next day I dug out my old Grapics card and fitted that. Horror of horrors, it was dead too. "Oh " thinks I, "Must be the motherboard. I can live with that. It was less than half the price off the graphics card". Just to be sure, I took my first card up along my mates to test it in his computer. Dead! "stoness!" thought I. So people, any suggestions? It looks like my graphics card blew and took the motherboard with it (or vice versa) and it looks like a total replacement of the computer is the best answer, given the age of the components involved. Specs below.- Athlon 64 3200+ @2.2GHzAsus K8V SE Deluxe mobo1Gb RAMGeforce 7800 GS AGP graphics I won't bore you with the drive config as that should be fine. Is this a blessing in disguise? A golden opportunity to upgrade to the dizzy heights of Core 2 Duo and DX10 graphics, or am I missing something obvious? All suggestions appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooks Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Hmm, I would probably test the old GFX card first to be on the safe side. It is unlikely that the GFX card overheating would cause the mobo to die although it is possible. You could also try resetting the CMOS in case it has been thrown out with the GFX card dying. All worth a try before shelling out too much money. If nothing else you can go for the upgrade and build a nice 2nd box for Linux or something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Resetting the Cmos? Is that done simply by removing and replacing the battery on the mobo? I have actually tried two old graphics cards on the mobo and neither worked. I can't believe all of them are dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Some good news anyway, it turns out the graphics card is garuanteed for 3 years. (It died seven days after the standard 1 year warranty ran out) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trout Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I mind I managed to fook a graphic card a while back while playing a very heated game of Half Life. In the middle of frenzied mouse clicking action I thurst out my leg straight into the side of the PC box (without the side panel as it's guts were hanging out!) and **psssst** and there it was .... that knowing smell of electronic burning - a nice smell on any other occasion -!! That was the end of that gfx card and the ruddy socket off the motherboard - never mind the game that I was winning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Yeeees... really putting your foot in it. A further update in my saga. While waiting for my tea to cook, I was browsing my motherboard manual (as you do), and I discovered a section on "verbal POST error warning". Apparently my computer is supposed to talk to me when it dies. I switched it on, and nothing , but wait! A muffled squawking was coming from the speakers, turning up the volume, I heard:- "System Fail, CPU Test" repeated over and over. So it seems the mobo may be ok, but the CPU is dead and I reckon I can pick up a replacement for that on ebay for £20 or £30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trout Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 ^^ That is mental. Never seen or rather heard of that personally. Makes for better diagnosis than the old stylee four short beeps, five long beeps, nineteen semi-short beeps .... one hooring long beep, a beep of undetermined length, a couple of really fast beeps = potential memory error or some other random something ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooks Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Asus mobos have had the wifie speaking for quite some time. I would still recommend resetting the CMOS though. Look for a jumper (3 pins) near the battery. As you have said, you have the manual. It should say in there somewhere. Usually it is just a case of shifting the jumper to the other two pins but if it only has two then you will have to short them out. Any bit of metal will do. The machine won't boot but it will reset the CMOS. After that try another boot, once you have shifted the jumper back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted July 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 I have a dilemna. I have bought a new processor from ebay which should (barring strikes) be here today or tomorrow. The problem is : If my mobo turns out to be knackered as well, I won't be able to tell if the new chip is any good and, what if the mobo is faulty and fries the new chip? Can I afford to take the chance? I've been following a couple of mobo's on ebay and they seem to be going for between £20 & £30 but I am a poor man and have been (metaphorically) living on bread and water these past couple of weeks to afford this chip. I really don't want to have to splash out more wonga just to be safe. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted July 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Ok, so the new chip arrived. I looked at it for a whole 5 minutes before deciding: F*ck it, I'll give it a try. Guess what? The same message: "System Fail, CPU test", with an addition: "No CPU installed". So it seems to be the mobo after all. It isn't even seeing the new CPU. How much do you bet that my original CPU was fine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 New motherboard arrived today My computer lives again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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