Computer experts PLEASE HELP!!!

[bstaley]

Last night before I went to bed I set up TMPGenc to encode some video overnight since it said it would take 12 hours. (I've done stuff like this before without problems.) This morning I went to check on it and my computer is dead. The power light was flashing, and the reset button wouldn't do anything. (I disable "sleep" mode, so that's not the problem.) I held in the power button and the power light went off, but now it won't turn back on at all. It's completely dead. I unplugged the cable from the power supply and let it sit for a few seconds and it's still dead.

My thinking is that I either fried the CPU, or the power supply went bad. If the power supply went bad would the power light flash like it did?

I've never had experience with a fried CPU, so I don't know how to check. Will a computer even try to post with a bad CPU? I don't know if my mind is playing tricks on me, but I thought I detected a burning smell when I was trying to turn it on this morning. I just called home and had my wife try it, and she said she thinks she smells something burnt too. I don't want to order a new CPU until I know for sure.

I have the A7M266 with bios 1.07. What's the fastest processor I can run with this setup?

Thanks for your help! I finally got my system totally stable with ProTools and all my other software, and now this happens. [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[mlemos]

bstaley, sorry but it sure sounds like you fried your CPU or your motherboard. If it was the power supply you wouldn't have any lights flashing.

Do you have a friend who has the same CPU or a different CPU that works with your MB? If you can determine that your MB still works all you have to do is order a new CPU.

Good luck,
Marc

[J. FO]

you should be able to update your bios as well. most have live update over the web.

[bjoneill74]

you may want to try a new powersupply.. in my experience power supplies can do some weird things. You'd think it would be all or none, but that generally isn't the case.

Try a new power supply, or try hooking up a known good Mobo and CPU to your power supply.

The power supplies are much cheaper than a CPU and a MoBo.

Brian
http://www.landofchocolate.net

[mike001]

I second that. If your getting nothing it more likely that you power supply. I would try that first! What is you power stiuation like? Is you PC on a power surge or UPS???

[bstaley]

The computer is rack mounted with all of my other rack gear, and they are all connected to a Furman Power Distributor/Regulator. All other gear in the rack is working fine.

If the CPU is fried, will the computer do anything (beep, lights come on, etc..)? Right now it does nothing at all.

The fact that the power light was blinking this morning tells me that the power supply was at least putting out something, but since turning it off I can't do anything.

[mike001]

Its suspect that both your CPU and MB are fried thats rare. I doubt thats your issue. You mother board would beep if you CPU was not there so try and remove it and see what happens.

I am a systems guy and the first thing I would do would be to take apart the machine. Take every thing out of the loop. Ram, Drives, Cards.. etc

Make it so that the only pieces your working with are the power supply, Motherboard and CPU. If your system doesnt go on then I would try that new power supply. If it does then you have another problem start adding components one at a time. Ram first, vid card, harddrives,...etc.

Process of elimination is how I find a bad component.

Hope this helps.

M

[bstaley]

It's fixed!

It was indeed the power supply. I just ran out to CompUSA and picked up the Antec TruePower 330 and everything works fine. Thanks for all of your help and suggestions.

[Roy Howell]

Fantastic, man...way to go you guys... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[mjames08]

When the power supply is switched on, do you get a light on the motherboard?