tek69
asked on
Computer wont post
My computer crashed just before Christmas and I'm trying to get it up again.
MB is an Asus p4t-533c with 4 banks of RDRAM . I had it running one day, ran to the store and when I got back there was no video signal and the hard drive light was stuck on. After checking out everything I think one of the PS rails went bad so I put in a new PS. After booting up the post beeps was a high low siren (same length) indicating bad cpu so I put in a spare that I had and got the same response. I also had a spare MB which I transferred everything to and still got the same post wail. I ordered a new processor and after installing that the wail is gone but now I get no post at all and no beeps, just a solid hard drive light. My guess is that the bad rail in the PS fried my cpu and maybe a memory stick, but I can't do the usual test of remove all memory and start with 1 since it's RDRAM and I have no CRIMM modules to test with. Any ideas as to what it could be since I'm not getting a post or am I on the right track? Feels like a fried ram stick to me but can't test it without getting more memory and RDRAM is hard to find and expensive.
Thanks!
MB is an Asus p4t-533c with 4 banks of RDRAM . I had it running one day, ran to the store and when I got back there was no video signal and the hard drive light was stuck on. After checking out everything I think one of the PS rails went bad so I put in a new PS. After booting up the post beeps was a high low siren (same length) indicating bad cpu so I put in a spare that I had and got the same response. I also had a spare MB which I transferred everything to and still got the same post wail. I ordered a new processor and after installing that the wail is gone but now I get no post at all and no beeps, just a solid hard drive light. My guess is that the bad rail in the PS fried my cpu and maybe a memory stick, but I can't do the usual test of remove all memory and start with 1 since it's RDRAM and I have no CRIMM modules to test with. Any ideas as to what it could be since I'm not getting a post or am I on the right track? Feels like a fried ram stick to me but can't test it without getting more memory and RDRAM is hard to find and expensive.
Thanks!
kavlins
are you sure its not a vdo card issue ?
ASKER
It's not the video card forgot to mention I've already checked that.
starting from basics...
* Have you applied thermal paste to cpu and heat sink ? CPU and heat sink doesnt fit 100% correct always. if thats the case you might have fried the cpu only.
*Rambus DRAM is freaking expensive, doesnt have an alternative here.
*Power supply has the capacity to run all these hardwares right ?
* Have you applied thermal paste to cpu and heat sink ? CPU and heat sink doesnt fit 100% correct always. if thats the case you might have fried the cpu only.
*Rambus DRAM is freaking expensive, doesnt have an alternative here.
*Power supply has the capacity to run all these hardwares right ?
Asus was especially bad about using cheap capacitors from about 1999 to 2006 or 2007. - Not all Asus boards had bad caps but it's common with Asus and you need to check before you waste a bunch of time chasing other possibilities.
On that:
Asus particularly liked using OST [brand] and Chemicon KZG series on some boards during that time and both of those often fail with no bloating. - So nothing bloated doesn't mean you don't have caps issues.
Bad caps = noisy dirty power [full of ripple] to the RAM, CPU, and everything else.
Anything that isn't getting good clean power will fail tests and possibly not work at all.
Picture is from a P4T-E which is the same vintage and series as your board.
Power supply caps have also been a common problem from ~1999 to present.
- What is the power supply?
.
Asus-P4T-E-00a.jpg
On that:
Asus particularly liked using OST [brand] and Chemicon KZG series on some boards during that time and both of those often fail with no bloating. - So nothing bloated doesn't mean you don't have caps issues.
Bad caps = noisy dirty power [full of ripple] to the RAM, CPU, and everything else.
Anything that isn't getting good clean power will fail tests and possibly not work at all.
Picture is from a P4T-E which is the same vintage and series as your board.
Power supply caps have also been a common problem from ~1999 to present.
- What is the power supply?
.
Asus-P4T-E-00a.jpg
ASKER
Hi Kavlins thx for quick replies.
Done the basics.
I always use the paste and follow proper directions.
Power supply is 550w new replacing 500w that ran in it for 4 years. Old ps had 4 12v rails in the design and 1 rail failed somewhere so lights came on and fans spun but wouldn't boot (had this happen before in another computer so knew what I was looking at, but got lucky on that one where only PS was needed to correct problem). With new power supply everything properly powered up and post screamed CPU failure (from rail failure fried CPU most likely). Now with new CPU no more screaming CPU failure alarm, however no continuance of post, nothing no crash, beeps, anything. Looks to me like fried RAM stick from PS failure that cooked CPU and RAM but can't test. Ordered some RDRAM so waiting for delivery, could be several days was hoping to hear opinions if I'm assuming the right problem. I've done the basics of troubleshooting where you remove everything like video cards etc etc and start with the basics, just unfortunately on this design with the RDRAM I can't test memory without CRIMMS or extra verified memory.
Done the basics.
I always use the paste and follow proper directions.
Power supply is 550w new replacing 500w that ran in it for 4 years. Old ps had 4 12v rails in the design and 1 rail failed somewhere so lights came on and fans spun but wouldn't boot (had this happen before in another computer so knew what I was looking at, but got lucky on that one where only PS was needed to correct problem). With new power supply everything properly powered up and post screamed CPU failure (from rail failure fried CPU most likely). Now with new CPU no more screaming CPU failure alarm, however no continuance of post, nothing no crash, beeps, anything. Looks to me like fried RAM stick from PS failure that cooked CPU and RAM but can't test. Ordered some RDRAM so waiting for delivery, could be several days was hoping to hear opinions if I'm assuming the right problem. I've done the basics of troubleshooting where you remove everything like video cards etc etc and start with the basics, just unfortunately on this design with the RDRAM I can't test memory without CRIMMS or extra verified memory.
ASKER
Hi PCBONEZ thanks for your reply.
I'm very aware on the Caps problem as I replaced this very board in another computer I had built years ago. I bought a replacement on ebay and was sent the wrong board and since I was in a hurry bought another one elsewhere thinking I got screwed. Well the original vendor surprised me and sent the right board out 2 weeks later when they verified they sent the wrong item which is how I had the backup board that I'm using now.
So I have a good board that all caps look good on, good processor, and NEW PS Antec TruPower 550w which replaced an Antec NEO 500w that was in it.
I'm very aware on the Caps problem as I replaced this very board in another computer I had built years ago. I bought a replacement on ebay and was sent the wrong board and since I was in a hurry bought another one elsewhere thinking I got screwed. Well the original vendor surprised me and sent the right board out 2 weeks later when they verified they sent the wrong item which is how I had the backup board that I'm using now.
So I have a good board that all caps look good on, good processor, and NEW PS Antec TruPower 550w which replaced an Antec NEO 500w that was in it.
If you have already ordered new RDRAM, i guess we will know the issue when it arrives...
ASKER
Ya couldn't help myself I stole a 4 piece 1 gig set from ebay for $30 w/free shipping and a DOA guarantee at the last minute.
ASKER
I was really hoping to get some opinions if this sounds like memory or something else not already covered...
well - as you are already thinking, you can have more than 1 bad component, which makes troubleshooting more difficult.
usually, i test the parts on a known good set-up..but difficult in your case..
you can test the voltages of the PS to check if they are correct or not, with a voltmeter - even on a bad board, with the bad PS, to know what happened.
usually, i test the parts on a known good set-up..but difficult in your case..
you can test the voltages of the PS to check if they are correct or not, with a voltmeter - even on a bad board, with the bad PS, to know what happened.
Antec Smart-Power, Smart-Power-II, True, True-Power, True-Blue, True-Power-II, NEO and a few others use Fuhjyyu Capacitors which are *THE* worst of the worst.
- They are even worse than GSC. - And that's saying something!
Take a gander at the Antec photos I posted in this thread:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/25015002/Motherboard-won't-boot-with-Antec-smartpower-2.html
.
- They are even worse than GSC. - And that's saying something!
Take a gander at the Antec photos I posted in this thread:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/25015002/Motherboard-won't-boot-with-Antec-smartpower-2.html
.
Don't go cheap on power supplies - as you have seen, when they go, they can send a surge that fries anything they're connected to. Seasonic and PC Power & Cooling are very well known for their quality. Since you had swapped motherboard, cpu, and power supply, and you're sure the video card is ok, that really leaves the RAM to replace. It is also possible one component that you replaced failed after installing, but I would check the RAM first.
ASKER
There's nothing wrong with the brand new power supply, but thanks PCBONEZ for the heads up on Antec's capacitors since I still have the receipt I will definitely exchange this for another brand... any suggestions? I only bought this one for the modular plug design that let me re-use the modular plugs I had installed from the Antec NEO HE.
Definitely aware of the potential for multiple component failures as this looks like the old PS took out the board, cpu and some or all of the RAM.
Suggestions on a good brand PS? I never go cheap on PS's I've just obviously been uninformed on the capacitor weakness of Antecs.
Definitely aware of the potential for multiple component failures as this looks like the old PS took out the board, cpu and some or all of the RAM.
Suggestions on a good brand PS? I never go cheap on PS's I've just obviously been uninformed on the capacitor weakness of Antecs.
I recommend Seasonic or PC Power & Cooling.
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ASKER
It was the memory. Thanks alot everyone for your help and thank you PCBONEZ for the information on badcaps.net I'm sending them my blown board to get it recapped since I can't find a spare on ebay.