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Burning smell, doesn't boot

G

ghostee

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
333
Here's the deal. A friend of mine has a system that was sitting idle and started rapidly powering itself on and off, which he noticed as the blue lighting he has in it was flickering. After turning it off and back on, it sat with no video. The system is now on my bench, and will turn on -- all fans turn on (PSU, CPU, case, video card). The hard drive does not spin up unless I have the IDE cable disconnected from the motherboard. The DVD drive eject will also not work while the cable is plugged in. I get no video or beeping of any kind.

The system is an old P4 478 system with an Abit IS7-E2 motherboard.

What I have tried:

- A different known working PSU
- Removing all drive / front panel / etc cables, only leaving 1 stick of RAM, CPU, video card, and power connection.
- Switching RAM to second slot
- Removing RAM -- heard no warning beep
- Removing video card
- Reset CMOS via jumper and battery pull

Nothing I have tried so far has been at all successful.

Now I'm not hearing any POSTing or beeps at all, but there is no case speaker so unless the board would output that through the standard 3.5mm audio out port or has a built in speaker (doubt it), thats not helpful.

When I turn the system on and have the case open, I get a really awful burning-ish smell. I can't pinpoint exactly where it's coming from, but it doesn't seem to be the power supply. I see no burning marks or burst or melted caps on the board. The smell does seem to be coming from the board away from the CPU and ATX connectors, but I'm not positive of that.

What do you suggest as the next troubleshooting steps?

Would my next step be to obtain an internal case speaker to see if I can hear any POST beeps? If I plugged a speaker in, I could pull the RAM to see if the board beeps to rule the RAM out, right? I don't want to waste my time or money picking up a speaker, assuming I can find one around here, if it's not gonna be of much help.

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Your next step would probably be to stop continually frying the motherboard by repeatedly turning it on.
 
computerpro3 said:
Your next step would probably be to stop continually frying the motherboard by repeatedly turning it on.
Click to expand...

OMG LOL.

But seriously, yeah that motherboard is probably toasted beyond salvation at this point.
 
Kinda figured, just wanted to see if there was anything else I should be checking. If the issue was something like RAM or video card, he'd probably replace it, but being the motherboard he'll just do a new build.

Thanks.
 
Friend breaks motherboard - 100 dollars Brings to service 200 - dollars

Repeating the problem ---- Toastless


I would say that the Psu went out and killed the board.

What psu was it?
 
Yeah, if it smells like somethings burning, it's burning, buy a new board, and probably a new PSU as that sounds suspect.
 
Sounds like the IDE controller (SB) is burning? Anyhow, yah, replace it.

You can find case speakers online for around $2 shipped.
 
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