I built my machine probably 3 years ago. It's been running fine with no problems. All of a sudden my Dell 2001FP goes blank but yet the machine is still running. I thought was very odd. So I shut it off manually. Power it back on it shows the Asus logo. With that being said, now I know it's not my monitor. Everything seems to be turned on. I checked my 74GB raptor and I put my hand on it and seems to be on and working. I don't heard anything wierd or feel anything wierd for that matter. Could it be the Lithum or do they call it a CMOS battery that needs to be replaced or am I missing something here? I'm just assuming that because I can't think of anything else.
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Very Strange Computer problem that I've never seen before
- Thread starter baldyguy
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r00k
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So to get this straight, at random times, your lcd shuts off completely? or goes into power saving mode?
If its going into power saving mode at random, and refuses to come out, it sounds to me like the video card is ceasing to give out a signal.
Before i go into it, are there any other details of troubleshooting youve tried?
edit; note it is not your cmos battery. If your cmos battery were dead or dying, your bios would lose its settings constantly, your system time and date would be constantly off or set back to like 1997.
If its going into power saving mode at random, and refuses to come out, it sounds to me like the video card is ceasing to give out a signal.
Before i go into it, are there any other details of troubleshooting youve tried?
edit; note it is not your cmos battery. If your cmos battery were dead or dying, your bios would lose its settings constantly, your system time and date would be constantly off or set back to like 1997.
r00k
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Yes, please, SPECS!! You said the machine is 3 years old. Another thought i had is that you should consider your power supply. Open 'er up and see if there are any capacitors with leaks. Same for motherboard, just don't 'open er up ' 
No my LCD didn't shut off at all. It just went to a black screen, with the indicator light being orange. It looks as if went to power saving mode.
This happened with I was just searching for some word documents.
The problem is that I'm not sure where to begin as far as troubleshooting.
The machine worked fine for 2 years and never really had a real problem with it at all.
I'm not sure if it's the video card because, the first time I shut it down, and power it back up it showed the Asus p4c800 E-Deluxe logo. I let it sit for 5 mins and didn't go past it.
It didn't go past that, I tried to go into the Bios and wouldn't let me so I powered it down again and tried to bring it back up. No luck.
if it was the video card, wouldn't I be seeing signs of disorted lines of some sort and also a burnt smell? It wouldn't be the video card if it showed the logo right?
This happened with I was just searching for some word documents.
The problem is that I'm not sure where to begin as far as troubleshooting.
The machine worked fine for 2 years and never really had a real problem with it at all.
I'm not sure if it's the video card because, the first time I shut it down, and power it back up it showed the Asus p4c800 E-Deluxe logo. I let it sit for 5 mins and didn't go past it.
It didn't go past that, I tried to go into the Bios and wouldn't let me so I powered it down again and tried to bring it back up. No luck.
if it was the video card, wouldn't I be seeing signs of disorted lines of some sort and also a burnt smell? It wouldn't be the video card if it showed the logo right?
r00k said:
Asus p4c800 E-Deluxe board
Intel 2.8 HT
Corsair 512 x 2, forgot the model number
ATI 9800 pro, 128MB
I forget the exact specs because it's been a very long time since I paid any attention to it.
So say if it was a failing Mobo, would it still light up or a sign of a failing mobo is that it will not post or make a post beep sound?
if it was the video card then it wouldn't have shown the first Asus p4c800 E logo would it?
Intel 2.8 HT
Corsair 512 x 2, forgot the model number
ATI 9800 pro, 128MB
I forget the exact specs because it's been a very long time since I paid any attention to it.
So say if it was a failing Mobo, would it still light up or a sign of a failing mobo is that it will not post or make a post beep sound?
if it was the video card then it wouldn't have shown the first Asus p4c800 E logo would it?
enigmamdw said:
Is it possible to smell the leakage?
If it were the PSU, then would it power up all of the internal devices (fans, dvd burner, hard drive etc.)??
Also wanted to mention that I probably use this machine 1-2 twice a week and even if I do my wife uses it just to browse the internet for no more than 30 mins. Shes not a super power that does heavy tasks.
If it were the PSU, then would it power up all of the internal devices (fans, dvd burner, hard drive etc.)??
Also wanted to mention that I probably use this machine 1-2 twice a week and even if I do my wife uses it just to browse the internet for no more than 30 mins. Shes not a super power that does heavy tasks.
r00k said:Yes, please, SPECS!! You said the machine is 3 years old. Another thought i had is that you should consider your power supply. Open 'er up and see if there are any capacitors with leaks. Same for motherboard, just don't 'open er up '
r00k
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I know at some point i faced a similar problem, where my monitor would just shut off. This is the route i would take to troubleshooting.
1st - Check your cpu fan for dust clogs. Overheating can cause this sort of instability. Check all fans, and check your power supply fan. Be sure all are clean and functioning.
2nd - Run a windows based stress test like Prime95 for a little while. Failure will definitely expose hardware weakness. Fail once, restart, retest. Upon failure, see if the NUM LOCK key functions on the keyboard or not. If it isn't lighting on and off on the keyboard, the system itself is locked up. Multiple failures, particularly increased rate of failures, rule out the LCD.
3rd - Reseat your video card and monitor cable. If your lcd dies, power the lcd off, wait a minute, power it on. Still on blank screen / power saving mode?
Do you have any spare hardware in house that can be swapped in for testing? An old monitor, vid card to take from another machine? That would also help. Let us know how stress-testing goes.
1st - Check your cpu fan for dust clogs. Overheating can cause this sort of instability. Check all fans, and check your power supply fan. Be sure all are clean and functioning.
2nd - Run a windows based stress test like Prime95 for a little while. Failure will definitely expose hardware weakness. Fail once, restart, retest. Upon failure, see if the NUM LOCK key functions on the keyboard or not. If it isn't lighting on and off on the keyboard, the system itself is locked up. Multiple failures, particularly increased rate of failures, rule out the LCD.
3rd - Reseat your video card and monitor cable. If your lcd dies, power the lcd off, wait a minute, power it on. Still on blank screen / power saving mode?
Do you have any spare hardware in house that can be swapped in for testing? An old monitor, vid card to take from another machine? That would also help. Let us know how stress-testing goes.
lithium726
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I had the issue where my Monitor just turned off at random intervals, even though the panel was still on... it just went black. I had to RMA it to Viewsonic, as my secondary monitor was not doing the same thing and I tested both ports. When i got the new monitor back I havent had a problem yet.
Take that for what its worth, but I would think its the monitor.
Take that for what its worth, but I would think its the monitor.
Erasmus354
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It is the monitor or the video card, try and find a way to test the two and find which is bad.
Probably in agreement with Luxor, I saw something happen to someone else's rig earlier this year and seem have the exact same symptoms as you've described and it was his mobo that died. Everything powered on, but no display.
The problem you will have now is finding a mobo that supports your CPU, probably a 478. There's not too many places here in the UK that you can still get motherboards for that socket type, but don't know if it's the same where you are? That's assuming that it is indeed the motherboard.
If it is the mobo, then you could try and get your hands on an Asrock p4dual, they're pretty cheap, let you OC a bit if you want and will also let you add a PCI-E card if you ever decide to upgrade your 9800pro.
Good luck
The problem you will have now is finding a mobo that supports your CPU, probably a 478. There's not too many places here in the UK that you can still get motherboards for that socket type, but don't know if it's the same where you are? That's assuming that it is indeed the motherboard.
If it is the mobo, then you could try and get your hands on an Asrock p4dual, they're pretty cheap, let you OC a bit if you want and will also let you add a PCI-E card if you ever decide to upgrade your 9800pro.
Good luck
just the fact that he said it sat at the Asus logo after the PC locked up and was shut off and turned back on somewhat points to the mobo being the issue. Like someone else said try running something like Prime95, I have used it before to bring hardware issues to light and it does a pretty good job of it. It would really be helpfull if you did have another computer to swap parts with though. And, damn I hate saying this, if all else fails and we cant help you here it will be time to drop it off somewhere.