Re: OT: PC burn out.

["Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>]

NZG <ngustavson@emacinc.com> wrote:
> The other night my home PC died.
> Specifically, my processor fan gave out while I was in the
> other room and it overheated. (I left it for a few hours)

Hmmm, I guess no auto-shutdown, eh?

> Now, when I plug the power supply into the little 12V power
> jack next to the CPU, the power supply won't turn on.

Er, do you mean the 2x2 4-pin P4 header?
Or the full 10x2 (or 12x2) 20-pin (24-pin) ATX 1.0 (2.0
connector?
Or both?

> In fact it appears to be shorting internally because once
> I attempt it the power supply won't come back alive 
> util it has power removed from it, is unplugged from the
> header, and sits a second.

You mean the PS won't start its fan?  Or other?  The only way
to tell is to in-line an AMP meter and check for current (or
at least probe parallel to any 3, 5 or 12V line and check for
potential).

> This happens regardless of whether the processor is
> installed or not.

If the processor isn't installed, it shouldn't start at all
IIRC.

> The neither the processor nor the motherboard show any
> visable damage and they don't smell like they've been
> burned.

Check the caps around the CPU.
Also, did you put in a new CPU?

> Given these clues I have concluded that at least my
> motherboard is fried.  My processor may or may not be
> fried, I'm not real sure how to check this short of
> putting it into a known good motherboard and seeing
> what it does.

I'd say the CPU is fried, and that's why your mainboard is
not starting up.  The system can_not_ POST if the CPU is not
working.

If you're getting beep codes, look up what they mean for the
mainboard's BIOS vendor.

> I have ordered a replacement motherboard from newegg(and
> am wondering why I ever went with micro ATX)

???  What's wrong with MicroATX  ???

I bought an older ViA Socket-462 MicroATX for $25 new
recently to go into an Aspire Q-XPack enclosure.  Exact same
chipset as my wife's existing ATX version, which I told with
its tower case and 400W PS for $50 to a friend.  Threw her
XP2600+ in and it worked flawlessly.

Most MicroATX mainboards are $45-60 these days, even the
latest GeForce 6100 + nForce 410 NV4x integrated video for
Socket-754.  Socket-939 mainboards are $70+, although the
CPUs are a bit more costly (I'll admit). 

> and am debating whether to order a new processor 
> (AMD 2600)or to risk putting the potentially blown
> processor into the new motherboard and try it out.

Computer Geeks has a brand new, retail box Biostar MicroATX
with XP2600 for $95:  
  http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=M7VIG400-2600-N  

Otherwise, maybe you should consider a Socket-754 or 939
mainboard and CPU instead.  Socket-462 virtually _died_ last
year, and the cost of a Socket-462 CPU can be more expensive
than a Socket-754 processor today.

> What do you think?

Well, if you told me how much you paid for the mainboard,
I'll let you know.  ;->


-- 
Bryan J. Smith                | Sent from Yahoo Mail
mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org     |  (please excuse any
http://thebs413.blogspot.com/ |   missing headers)

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