Hey guys!
I just got myself a new computer (or at least the parts for one).

When I assembled it, it worked for a while, but in the middle of my RH9 install the screen froze and I couldn't do anything other that turn it of by pulling the plug.
After that - the computer won't start! Hard drive and CD blink and make the sounds they're supposed to make, but nothing on the screen.

I've tried to just run the motherboard with the processor and graphics card with the same result, and then just motherboard and processor, still same thing (no beeps or anything).

Anyone have an idea of what could be wrong?
My stuff:
Motherboard ASA7N8X-x
Processor: AMD XP Barton 2500
512 MB of corsair memory.
graphics card: ASV9520M128

please help! I'm kinda desperate here! is the motherboard broken? or could it be the processor? could I have broken it or does it sound like a factory-made flaw?

ZZ

Sounds like either the motherboard or the PSU isn't giving enough power.

If you have spare parte lying about then try swapping them about. It is often the only way to tell without proper dianosis equipment.

nope, I have nothing. A friend of mine has taken the box home for the night to test with his graphics card, but that's pretty much it.

The strange thing - is that it worked for a while...
And now - nothing. The caps-lock keys don't work which my more knowledged friend said that it would even without a graphic card, or even memory.

There is one big light on the motherboard, and it works. the fan works fine, and so on... the computer looks and behaves like a normal computer except that it doesn't respond to the keyboard or output anything.

Remove and reinstall your memory first, borrow some from a friend if you can. If that don't work, check your proc. Make certain that the heatsink is installed properly. There should be no gap in there. If needed remove and reinstall. Make sure to clean and reapply the heat sink grease/compound. If you have a extra one of those swap and see if it will work. You may also want to try disconnecting all drives.
If that don't work and you don't get the screen for the memory count or BIOS then call the manufacturer. It may be bad. Tell them what you have done/checked and see what they say.

Hope you get it working.

dalek: Now that you mention it, I did accidentally put a finger in the white processor paste (is that what you refer to as grease?), but there still was some left, so I figured that it sould be fine anyways, and just washed my hands...

you think that could have anything to do with it?

You need to strip it down to the barebones:

• CPU and heatsink/fan
• memory
• video card
• floppy
• keyboard

Then clear the CMOS according to the instructions given in the motherboard manual.This usually involves moving a jumper and moving it back.
Then see if it POSTs.If it does POST,enter the BIOS setup and load optimized default settings.Then start adding back components one at a time.
HTH
lynch

lynch: I will try to do that, but what does POST mean?

I have read that air bubbles in the grease/compound can cause the cpu to overheat.
I have also read that you should not touch the cpu where the die is or the bottom of the heatsink. Something to do with the oil in our skin. If you do, you can clean with 99% alcohol, drugstore usually. Get as pure as you can because the rest is water. Water bad.

I would go to a local computer store and get a tube of heat sink grease/compound and reinstall the CPU from scratch with a good alcohol cleaning on the cpu, carefully, and the heatsink. I think www.tomshardware.com has a detailed how to for this.

I hope the CPU is OK. Some mobo will shut them off when they get hot. Sometimes though that don't work when the heatsink is the problem. Depends on the cpu.

Post back with what happens.

Power On Self Test.It's the single beep you hear when you start the computer.
1 beep=sweet
lynch

ok, guys! thanks for all the advice! I will try to do all of the things that you've said! please post anything else that may come to your mind!!!

thanks again!

//Ziggamon

Ok, guys, here's what I have so far.

I tested the computer with a friend's graphics card, and there was no difference - which means that the graphics card is probably intact.

Then - I removed the heatsink (or fan, don't quite know the diffrerence) and took out the processor.

The processor looks like this (I like to reference to this pic to ease communication in spite of my technical ignorance) http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/pc/do...17/winhec2.jpg

Anyways, the processor paste lies rather strangely, there is some paste outside of the immediate core (and perhaps some on the other metallic thingies around it.) The layer of paste on the core is not very even, implying that the cooler was tilted some how (?)

Also, there were some black marks on the cooler itself.

What should I do? Is it really possible to clean a processor?
Is it ok if let the cooler just lie around? the grease doesn't dry or something?

Hope this information helps you help me some more!

//Z

If the 'grease' you use is silver colored, it may be conductive. If you are not overclocking I would recommend you get a plain grease. They are usually not conductive. The kind that is pink or white is usually not conductive. That's what I use. I have no cooling problems with mine.

You can clean it with alcohol. Go to a drug store and get the purist you can. I use 99%. The rest is water, so the purer it is the better. Wipe with a clean cloth when done. You will not be able to get all off of the heatsink. Just get all you can. Do NOT touch the part of the heatsink that touches the CPU. Hold by the fins or something.

Tilted issue: The heatsink was probably caught on the little raised part of the socket. Not good. The info that was sent with my mobo warned about this and showed a picture. It said once you have the clip that holds the heatsink on in place. You should be able to move/twist 'slightly' the heatsink. It won't move much but if it moves a bit without a lot of effort you should be OK. I looked at mine to make sure with a flashlight. Look at this link.
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...2_9342,00.html

Click on the processor you have, should have a pdf and a video if you can download and watch. I would still use non-conductive grease, not the adhesive tape. You may want to change CPU/heatsink later. It's easier with grease than with the tape. Sometimes the proc will break with the tape.

This link is really good: (Part of previous link.)
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...5E1065,00.html
Click on "Socket A AMD Processor and Heatsink Installation Guide". Pay good attention to the pictures and the raised part of the socket. This may be what yours caught on.

The grease should not dry out. I use this stuff on electronics all the time and have never seen it dry out to a point that it won't work. You do need to get it off before you reinstall though. You don't won't air bubbles in the grease. That will act like insulation and may cause a 'hot spot'. Once you put the heatsink on do not remove it. That causes air bubbles.

It may be possible that the CPU got too hot and fried. I would try it though to be sure. Any damage that will be done is done already.

I hope the CPU is still OK. It is possible that it could cause damage to the mobo but not likely. Just cross your fingers and be really carefull when putting together. I spent about 45 minutes putting the CPU in and attaching the heatsink and checking for problems.

Post back what you get or if you need help.

Ok, I'm back, but no good news whatsoever...

I did as some of you adviced me to - I cleaned both the CPU and the heatsink with alcohol, and applied new grease, properly this time, and plugged the motherboard in, and nothing...
Still the same thing as before...

The processor looked kind of intact - but I don't know - are you supposed to be able to see on a proc that it has burned?
And the motherboard? Is there some way to check if it is whole other than testing with other people's computers?

One more question I have is this: I have a wire running from my computer box (don't remember what it is called, the Chieftec thingy), and it looks just like the wire that the heatsink fan has, so I connected the heatsink to PWR_CPU, and the power to CHA_CPU? maybe this was wrong and has damaged the motherboard?

There are no beeps whatsoever on startup...


I hope this info may help you help me even more!
Also, please keep in mind that the PC ran for like 5 minutes, and the screen just froze during my RH9 installation...

//ZZ

Some more questions -
1) are there fuses on motherboards? if so - is it possible that one has gone? what do they look like?

2) there was wire from the computer box that looked exactly like the wire that you use to connect the heatsink to the motherboard. I figured it was used to power the fan and plugged it into a socket on the motherboard, I had two that looked exectly the same. Maybe the fact that I plugged power into it broke a fuse, or perhaps even the entire motherboard?

I'll bet that the CPU is fried. I would e-mail the manufacturer of the mobo and tell the problem and describe the CPU install problem and see what they say. I would think the mobo is OK. The CPU is likely bad. You can't look at it a nd tell if it is bad, unless it blowed up.

Asus, I think that is what you have, can probably be a lot more precise on that. They may for example be able to tell from something else if the mobo is good or bad. Asus is a good mobo so it should be OK.

You should get some info before you install again about the needed power cables. They are usually pinned so that you can't hook up wrong but it is possible. My Abit came with a poster. Most do, but I don't know about Asus.

Let me know what Asus says. I hope it just the CPU and not both.