Comp Won't Post

P

Prose

Weaksauce
Joined
Oct 18, 2004
Messages
110
So I was playing WoW last night, runnin around, slashing, hacking... and BAM my machine freezes up in the bad way. The headphones are making this screetching sound, and everything is locked up. So I reboot the system, and things start up fine, and I happily resume the slashing and the hacking. BAM, it happens again. This time the system simply won't post. I turn it on, the fans are on, the lights are on... but nothign on screen, no beeps, nada.

I've tried taking out the videocard, swapping in an older one, didn't do anthing. I'm pretty much clueless as to what I should do, so any suggestions would be awesome. Thanks!
 
after googling around for similar problems I've tried disconnecting the CD and DVD drives, Video card, and HDD, and then just booting up like that. no such luck. still the same response... the computer turns on, the fans get goin' everything SOUNDS normal, but the system simply doesnt post, i never get any of that lovin' beepin' sound.
clues?
 
If your not getting it to post then it is PSU, ram, MB or CPU. I assume that your speaker is hooked up on your case with no beeps. I would reset the cmos then try it. Then its parts swaping time. I do ram first cause its easy then psu then cpu.
 
since im a total newb and I can't find the documentation to my mobo, ive just taken out the battery on it and im gonna wait a few mins before i put it back in. then I'll reboot and hold [DEL]... that should reboot the CMOS, right?
 
its cuz your hacking you noob. :mad:

fyi, its probably your ram.
 
Hello...Anyone in there? Give us your specs. Complete specs.

Well from what you have given (really nothing), here is what I think you should do.

1) Take out your SB Audigy 2 ZS (I think you have one from the sound of things)

2) Clear CMOS

3) Boot up with 1 stick of RAM

4) Reseat video card

5) Reseat CPU

My bet is on the sound card (if you have one) or RAM.


From the looks of things, it doens't look like you know how to clear the CMOS.

Move the jumper from pins 1-2 to pins 3-4. Wait a second then put the jumper back to 1-2. Dont hold any key down, then press delete when it prompts to get into BIOS. Leave the battery for now.
 
ok the gear:
geForce 6600 256mb asus (some cheap replacement) AGP
1gb Samsung shit RDRAM
P4 3.02ghz
Soundblaster Audigy (SB1394)
and the mobo is an older Asus, not positive where exactly I'd read which one it is...

I tried taking out the Soundcard, and all but one of the sticks of RAM, no luck...

You're right that I have no idea how to reset my CMOS hahah other than what I googled... I'm not sure exaclty where the jumper pins are or anything... I'm guessing they're on the bottom right corner of the board?

I appreciate the help guys, total newb here without any dork powered friends so Im pretty hopeless.
 
see mobo manual. its most likely the jumper closest to the cmos battery. but see manual first.
 
Dear god, you have RDRAM, I pity you. Jeez, I don't know where to start with this one. If I finish all my work in time I might be able to help you over the phone. Yes, the CMOS jumper will be next to the battery.

How many sticks of RAM do you have? 2 or 4?

One thing I can ask you to do is do this....Hopefully clear CMOS and then hold INS while booting and see if you beep. You can try this before CMOS reset but after would be ideal. Try both.
 
hahah yea. old system... what was I thinking... i know.

yea the whole ordeal is a mixed up bag of cat shit. all the documentation is in boxes somewhere unknown since I last moved... I've been trying all sorts of stuff... Gonna give these other suggestions a try. hopefully nothing is straight up busted. I'm not too sure exactly why it broke in the first place but then again im the n00b.

anyways, all the help is greatly appreciated, seriously. plus this is sortof fun in the most frsutrating way learning about the PeeShee.
 
Well I think that with rdram you need to have at least 2 sticks in the correct slots. Its been a couple of years for me though.
Cmos
http://www.pcper.com/images/reviews/152/cmos-clear.jpg
If you look real close on the board it should say cmos printed on it. There will be a little plastic piece that has a tab on it. There will be 2 or 3 pins about the diameter of a small paper clip. Pull the clip and put it back so that it covers the middle pin and the one that was bare. Leave it for 30 seconds and move it back. Asus may still have the manual for DL online. That will also tell you what 2 slots need to filled with memory. Frys will test power supplies for free if one is close to you.
 
You don't need to leave it for 30 seconds, a nano second is enough. But yes, do check your PSU. My bet is on the RAM currently.
 
ok finally managed to find the manual for my mobo, which ironically wasnt even correct, but i did find the crap needed for resetting the CMOS. unfortunately, it didnt work out. same stuff goes down. whether its RAM, CPU, or mobo thats busted, i think its time to just upgrade alltogther... start fresh. as long as my fuckin HDD is ok, then im not too worried about it.
 
i just finished reseating the CPU, which was a fuckin adventure let me tell you. that god damned intel retention thingy is a son of a bitch. no luck with that either. i dont really have anywhere nearby that I can check th PSU... not sure how id go about doing that on my own if it was possible anyways...

I guess all there is left to do is smash the stuff? its not like I really want RDRAM anymore, or an old AGP mobo, or this proc for that matter... just the stuff on my HD. even the 6600 i couldnt care much about. yea... after today... smashing sounds good...

but ill hold off for a ray of hope.
 
First test your PSU. Any hardware store can do it or Frys will do it for free.
 
Well, thanks for all the help guys, seriously.

I'm gonna get my PSU looked at some time later this week, and we'll see how it goes. For now it's gonna be slow-ass laptops and crappy web browsing, gonna start the read-up on gear for a new box. Decided it was time anyways.

If you guys have any good suggestions with reguards to an all-out scratch build or parts, feel free to let me know.

Once again, thanks a bunch for all the help. These forums have always been awesome, even if I'm only in here when my machine is falling apart.
 
hahahah yea other side of the continent.

just a random question, if the problem is my PSU, and its worked fine for years, how did it crap out?
 
well if you have 4 sticks of RAM i would start with that. Different combinations, different slots. Lets see 4 different sticks, 4 different slots thats 4^4 (I believe) different combinations. that would be my first guess and I would bet its probably right. I think that if you were playing happily for a while and it happened and then you played happily again for a while and it happened it is probably the second bank of memory but thats just my guess. If that doesnt work, use it as an excuse to bail on RAMBUS ;)
 
Yea I'm fairly confident its PSU or CPU at this point. We'll know for sure when I go to get the PSU checked on, but reguardless, this is certainly the chance to bail on the RAMBUS. I'll salvage the HDD and the CD/DVD drives, slap the 6600 into another box laying around here and then just start from scratch. I'm feverishly reading all the posts here on pretty much all the parts, and I'll post what I think I'm going to go with once I'm fairly confident. Then I'll let you guys pick it apart with the knowledge powers. Pretty much ahead of time I'll say that what I'm looking for is basically stability over overclock-ability, without comprimising power. Gonna go all out here and get a new display aswell.

But yea: Thanks again to all you guys for the help and suggestions. [H]ardOCP is the shit.
 
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