bigbrother
07-18-2006, 08:30 PM
We have to post these instructions almost daily so I decided to place a detailed tutorial here on how to go about the troubleshooting routine we always recommend when someone has a no boot, no beep, no video situation.
CAUTION:
Be sure and always ground yourself by touching the power supply before handling the motherboard or other components to avoid electrostatic discharge (static electricity, it can damage components). It should be plugged into a properly grounded outlet. I prefer a power strip, so it's always plugged in and still grounded even when the strip is turned off.
The tools needed:
Non-conductive surface, such as a linoleum tabletop, cardboard or rubber mat.
Small screwdriver.
Known good power supply.
Power strip. (not mandatory but helpful if your power supply does not have a primary power switch on back.)
Components needed:
Motherboard:
CPU/fan/heatsink - double check to be SURE the fan is plugged in. 30 seconds without it and the CPU is fried.
Video Card - or onboard, depending on motherboard.
RAM - I prefer one RAM stick to reduce the number of components that can cause trouble.
Monitor - Can't see any results without it.
Keyboard - Not mandatory but very useful if you need to change BIOS settings.
Speaker - Again not mandatory, but it's helpful to hear a beep code.
Power Supply - Can't get anywhere without it. Use one you already know is good.
Procedure:
Connect the components listed above, check all connections and be sure they are in their proper location and secure. If your motherboard has a small, square 4 pin power connector, your power supply will need one and it should be connected, it is required for proper operation.
If you have already tried the unit inside the case, reseat the RAM and video card a few times to clean up the contacts. This means pull the card out of the slot and put it back in, often 6 or 8 times are needed to clean off oxidation.
Locate the Power On pins on the motherboard and short them briefly with a small screwdriver, that should power up the computer. If everything is properly connected, in working order and contacts are clean, you should see a BIOS screen and hear one beep. If you get no video or beep, switch off the power strip or unplug the power supply to shut down. Reseat video card and RAM. Sometimes this must be done several times, heavy oxidation can be difficult to clean up.
If you still get no beep or video after several tries and have reseated the RAM and video, further troubleshooting is necessary. I won't go into great detail here, but the things to check are:
Video card - try a different one.
RAM - try a different chip.
Motherboard - Have it tested by a reputable computer shop.
CPU - Have it tested by a reputable shop.
Power supply - A weak power supply can be difficult to sort out, it can be checked with a multimeter or taken to a shop for testing, or purchase a new one. Power supplies aren't very expensive, usually less than half the cost of a motherboard or video card.
~ TigerClaw
CAUTION:
Be sure and always ground yourself by touching the power supply before handling the motherboard or other components to avoid electrostatic discharge (static electricity, it can damage components). It should be plugged into a properly grounded outlet. I prefer a power strip, so it's always plugged in and still grounded even when the strip is turned off.
The tools needed:
Non-conductive surface, such as a linoleum tabletop, cardboard or rubber mat.
Small screwdriver.
Known good power supply.
Power strip. (not mandatory but helpful if your power supply does not have a primary power switch on back.)
Components needed:
Motherboard:
CPU/fan/heatsink - double check to be SURE the fan is plugged in. 30 seconds without it and the CPU is fried.
Video Card - or onboard, depending on motherboard.
RAM - I prefer one RAM stick to reduce the number of components that can cause trouble.
Monitor - Can't see any results without it.
Keyboard - Not mandatory but very useful if you need to change BIOS settings.
Speaker - Again not mandatory, but it's helpful to hear a beep code.
Power Supply - Can't get anywhere without it. Use one you already know is good.
Procedure:
Connect the components listed above, check all connections and be sure they are in their proper location and secure. If your motherboard has a small, square 4 pin power connector, your power supply will need one and it should be connected, it is required for proper operation.
If you have already tried the unit inside the case, reseat the RAM and video card a few times to clean up the contacts. This means pull the card out of the slot and put it back in, often 6 or 8 times are needed to clean off oxidation.
Locate the Power On pins on the motherboard and short them briefly with a small screwdriver, that should power up the computer. If everything is properly connected, in working order and contacts are clean, you should see a BIOS screen and hear one beep. If you get no video or beep, switch off the power strip or unplug the power supply to shut down. Reseat video card and RAM. Sometimes this must be done several times, heavy oxidation can be difficult to clean up.
If you still get no beep or video after several tries and have reseated the RAM and video, further troubleshooting is necessary. I won't go into great detail here, but the things to check are:
Video card - try a different one.
RAM - try a different chip.
Motherboard - Have it tested by a reputable computer shop.
CPU - Have it tested by a reputable shop.
Power supply - A weak power supply can be difficult to sort out, it can be checked with a multimeter or taken to a shop for testing, or purchase a new one. Power supplies aren't very expensive, usually less than half the cost of a motherboard or video card.
~ TigerClaw