Non Post diagnosis help

[cjolley]

ARGGGGGGG.......
(glad to get that out of my system)

So, here is the situation:
I'm getting and upgrade kit so I turned off my computer and took out my MB, mem, vid, HDD, and PS, and moved them to a new (old) case.

Now it won't post in the new case!
The fans come on, network lights up, but nothing else.
The HDD does not sound like it is attempting to boot.

It is an MSI K9N4 SLI MB if that matters. One vid card ATI 4670 (I tried a different one, no diff)

This case was sitting around because the mb that was in it apparently died a few months ago but now I am suspicious because it had the same symptoms.
Can a case be shorted, for example the power button, in such a way as to cause this behavior?

[Umfriend]

How about returning the stuff to the previous case? If it works there it must be the case or how you connect it.

[cjolley]

How about returning the stuff to the previous case? If it works there it must be the case or how you connect it.

Sigh...
Well, I had to leave it in mid stream to go to work. lol
I can't do much from here but be frustrated and ask around for ideas.

Musical motherboards it is.

[VJ]

A pressed/stuck reset button can result in that behaviour...

I had it happen to me once: completely baffled as some leds light up, fans spin up, somehow things stop without feedback. I decided to completely open everything, tried to remove the front panel and suddenly... POOINNGGG... the reset button flew halfway across the room... On the outside it looked fine, but inside it was in a constantly pressed position.
I suspect it cuts out some voltage lines, but not all of them.

Hope it helps,


Jörg

[degrub]

if there is a reset button unplug it. Also any front USB etc - unplug.
Also, could be a short from MB to case.
Is the MB flat - not warped by the case ?

[Fat Tone]

What VJ said. You can also try removing the pwr and rst connectors from the mobo and start it with a screwdriver if you are careful.

A couple of weeks ago I recevied a memory upgrade for my core i5-750 board, which is a slightly temperatmental Gigabyte. I removed the old 2x1GB and 2x2GB, put in the new 2x4GB and...nothing.

After a quite a bit of swapping and hair-pulling I realised that when only using 2 slots they had to be slots 2 and 4, not 1 and 3...

So, check you have put your memory back where it came from.

Edit: degrub posted while I was typing. I've had that too. Too many USB devices or a crappy hub can prevent powerup.

[VJ]

FT: Some mainboards have onboard power buttons. Wouldn't it display something with the wrong memory configuration (or beep)?

Forgot: are there diagnostic leds or something on the mainboard?

[cjolley]

Thanks for the ideas, I'm going to take off work early and get started on them.

PS. No diagnostic LEDs on this cheap MB.

[VJ]

It may have diagnostic beeps... so if nothing works, try connecting a PC speaker and see if it gives any beeps...

[cjolley]

It's dead Jim.
I tried all the suggestions and it never even got far enough to beep in either case.

Rolled the dice and sprang for a new $60 mb and it's up and running

I hadn't turned it off for months. Guess that explanes why people don't like to power down servers.

[VJ]

Sorry to hear its dead... But glad to hear you solved it so quickly.

[degrub]

no bent pins in the CPU socket ?

[cjolley]

no bent pins in the CPU socket ?

No, the CPU slipped right in to the new MB socket.

I did notice that the chipset fan was broken. Maybe it had been overheating and couldn't take a power cycle?

[degrub]

That's probably what did it. One thermal cycle.

[cjolley]

OK, picture this.
1, turn off mb with over heated chipset chip.
2, immediately spray with cold canned air to remove dust before dis-assembly.
3, dead chip

That's my best guess.

Anyway, the new board is working flawlessly.
Advantages - 16x pcie vid, solidstate caps
Disadvantage = only two mem slots taking it from 4 gig to 2

HUGE ADVANTAGE: The old parts, plus new mb, went into ChooChoo's computer and her games (Wizard101) will play without stalling.
Which means I HAVE MY COMPUTER BACK. it's even a bit faster

Thanks guys.