Fried motherboard?

[ParoX]

Hi... I recently came home to my computer, moved the mouse, and had the entire system freeze. No task manager, nothing. I reboot it, but nothing happens. The computer doesn't even post. I try rebooting it several times, once getting a series of consistent beeps (I couldn't discern a beep code from them), and getting garbled characters other times.

Mostly the machine just wouldn't display anything at all.

I suspect the board's fried. Your diagnoses?

Anything that I might be able to try to get the system back online? I'm not too keen on waiting 6-8 weeks while ASUS takes their time with it.

Failing that, any ideas to strongarm the guys @ the store into just giving me a new board right out?

[Lanackse-Kanvae]

is the board still under warranty? If so then that manufacturers have a duty to replace it. The standard manufacturer's warranty is 12 months as far as I know.

You need to discern the beep code. Asus might have a version online for you to check what the beeps mean so that can help us pinpoint the problem.

[Zimber]

Listen carefully to the beeps and at least figure out how many of them there are. Post that, and the BIOS info/version number (it's on the chip).

[MalikTous]

Unplug the AC cord from the power supply, open the box, and remove and re-install the cards and RAM to reseat them. Clean the system out with low-pressure compressed air and/or a small (25mm) paintbrush at the same time. Make sure the jumper caps and ATX power connectors on the mainboard are fully in place, and make sure any socketted chips on the MB are fully inserted with your thumb. Make sure the CMOS battery isn't loose or leaking.

Then plug in the power and try it again. A friend of mine had a similar problem and it was loosened RAM.

[Melkya]

you could either have a bad CPU or bad RAM i would try checking them forst before you spend the bucks on a new motherboard

[ParoX]

Concerning beep codes:
There was no discernable beep code. I have yet to find a beep code for an AMI (or any BIOS) that matches what I heard. (I.e. a series of continuous, monotonous beeps. More than 10 of them. I was lucky enough to get a beep code only twice out of at least 50 attempted boots.)


As for the board's warranty, I've only been running this board for about a month. It is no longer covered by the retailer, bus asus will indeed replace it. I'm trying to weasel my way out of having to wait two months for them to get the board back to me.

@Malik:
Thank you kindly for recommendations. Unfortunately, the board has yet to accrue a signifcant amount of dust on it, and both RAM sticks were well seated. (They've also been individually tested in the board.)
I've unhooked and rehooked everything with no luck :S Clearing the CMOS worked once or twice, but no longer does.


I'm going to take the board into the retailer tomorrow so they can figure out what's wrong with it for me. (It's not that I can't, but that I shouldn't have to. It's more trouble that it's worth.) I plan to coerce them into giving me a replacement board now and then they can keep the board asus sends back. 6 to 8 weeks is a long time.

[infiltrate200]

What kind of board is it? Could be many different things wrong with it. From a fried processor to a bad HD.

[Mirukuko]

that's not a bad HDD..... It's something below the OS level.

I'd say mobo, proc, ram are the likely culprits in that order. Borrow a friend's computer, and start swapping out parts until you find what's bad, then buy a replacement part.

[Foxfire15]

well, lets see, if you were only able to get the POST to work twice out of several tries, than it's most likely not the RAM, but it might be part of it. it's probably the CPU and/or Mobo (if one goes, the other has a tendancy to go with it). my recomendation would be to replace the board and the CPU just to be safe. also, try the RAM in a different PC if possible to make sure it wasn't damaged at all just in case.

[Mirukuko]

If flashing CMOS helped, even a little bit, then it's likely your BIOS is fubared. I'd recommend getting a new motherboard. (Verify the problem like I and foxfire described before shelling out cash)