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Endless reboot

buildornot

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
86
My old computer suddenly wouldn't turn on about 2 months ago. Not a single thing would power on when I pressed the power switch. Since I was busy, I resorted to using my laptop for the time being. I finally have some time to fix whatever is wrong with it.

Here are the essential components:
Gigabyte EP45-UD3R
Some Intel Q8xx CPU (don't remember which one)

The first thing I did was clear the CMOS, but nothing changed.

Then I connected a new PSU without taking anything out. This time the computer actually powered up, but it would stay on for about 7 seconds, then turn off for about 3, and then repeat.

I then stripped everything off the board except the CPU and PSU, and the reboot cycle still happens.

What's malfunctioning?
 
the motherboard most likely. sounds like its not passing POST

Any way to directly test whether it's dead? I also don't think the mobo has speakers, so I have no way of knowing what's wrong from beeps.

I'm curious why nothing would power up with the old PSU, but with the new one, at least it powers up even though its an endless on/off cycle?

That's why at first I thought it was my old PSU that had died. I so happy when the computer turned on after connecting the new PSU until this had to happen.

I would swap out the ram if a re seat doesn't fix the issue

What's a re seat? Would it be safe to say that I should suspect the motherboard or CPU only since it's cycling on and off with only those components connected?
 
So I tested the old PSU in another build that I know functions, and that build did not start up. There's a green light on the motherboard, but when I press the power button, nothing turns on, just like what happened with the original PC where the old PSU came from.

Is it really likely that both the old PSU and old motherboard went bad at the same time?

I read somewhere that something could happen to motherboards, and if you just take it off the case and re-insert it, it should work properly again. Based on the endless power on-off cycle symptom here, would that be recommended?

So here's the summary of everything that's happened so far:
- Old PSU in both original pc and functional test-pc doesn't power on.
- New PSU in original pc goes on the endless power on-off cycle with nothing but mobo and cpu
- New PSU in working test pc powers on fine
 
I incorrectly flashed my motherboard BIOS and since there was no backup chip on the motherboard ( like there is in some newer motherboards ie. some motherboard have 2 bios chips, one for backup ) it got stuck in an endless loop, not being able to post ( power on self test ) and not being able to be re-flashed, just endlessly rebooting.

I had to buy a new MOBO.
 
Electronic components inside your old PSU had failed. If the fail-safe circuitry inside the PSU fails, it will allow excess current or voltage to be unleashed into the motherboard, thus killing it. Is it a cheap PSU? It's not a smart thing to plug a dead PSU to your functional PC. Use a multimeter for that.
 
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