Machine Not Posting...

[STELTH]

This is an interesting problem.
My brother has a computer that when you turn it on, it comes to life, but it won't POST.
I've had issues like this before and it was always the RAM, so thinking that this is just one of those problems, I swap the RAM out for a known working stick. I fire up the machine, it still does not go.

When the first time I tinkered with his computer, it would just start fine. When I would reboot it, it wouldn't POST. Then I'd swap some parts out and it would POST fine. When I would power it up again, it wouldn't POST.
It's gotten to the point where it will not POST at all anymore.

Things I have tried to fix it:
* Swapped every single part (including IDE cables and monitor) for known working parts.
* Taken the computer out and placed it on a towel to see if it's shorting out.
* Tried all his components in other computers to ensure they work (they do).
* Taken it to a repair shop (Must be a crappy one) and they couldn't get it to work, either. They told him his brand new Radeon 9800 Pro was fried (it's not).
* Tried only booting up with a video card plugged in. (No HD)
* My brother took his monitor in to a repair shop the first time this was happening and they said it was fine.

His machine:
AMD Athlon XP 2000+, 512Mb Generic DDR(2x256Mb), Radeon 9800 Pro, Abit KG7 (current BIOS), Western Digital 40Gb, Sound Blaster Audigy, DLink 530TX Network card, Antec 400W PSU, Viewsonic P95f.

I thought there might be an incompatibility with his Radeon 9800 Pro to his PSU/mobo, but he had this same issue when he had his GeForce 4 Ti4400 in there.

Anyone ever have an issue like this? Or know how to resolve this issue?

Thanks for any assistance.

 

[defakto]

I had a similar problem on a machine i was working on for somebody, it also had multiple dimms in it. Have you tried populating the ram slots from slot 0 and up? that fixed the problem for me. I know it sounds like a stupid little thing, but it worked.

 

[STELTH]

I did actually, because I remember when I had the exact same setup he did, that was one of the problems that kept me from POSTsing. Also, I checked to make sure he had his RAM from the same maufacturer. Before, I had Samsung and Infineon and it wouldn't POST.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Try clearing the cmos with the computer unpluged.

Is the case speaker plugged in and are you getting any beep codes.
If not does it beep at you if you try a boot without the vid card.
How about without the ram.
If still nothing then start thinking maybe dead mobo.

Luck..........

 

[STELTH]

Try clearing the cmos with the computer unpluged.

Is the case speaker plugged in and are you getting any beep codes.
If not does it beep at you if you try a boot without the vid card.
How about without the ram.
If still nothing then start thinking maybe dead mobo.

Luck..........

No beep codes. It beeps once. Which means everything is keen.
I've not tried to boot without a video card. I will tell him to try that.
The RAM is totally fine. I tried it in another machine.
The mobo is fine, as well. My brother and I both have an Abit KG7 and I swapped them. Both have POSTED recently and work just fine.