ok what the ****

[Ravioli]

Some of you might remember a thread i made in december were i said my computer refused to boot. It gave no video output whatsoever, and the mouse/keyboard didnt light up (no power).

Well, i bought a new mobo and replaced the old one and the computer worked. It worked for about 2 weeks, but now the SAME thing happened. However, there is a slight difference. When i boot it, i get SOME of the POST to appear. It tells me the Mobo Name, the CPU name, and then it says that Dual Channel Memory is detected (or single if i take one out). But then it freezes, nothing else happens. It SHOULD continue and say how much RAM i have and then detect all the hard drives and then boot Windows. I noticed that once again, my mouse and keyboard receives no power at all.

So since this happened to two motherboards, we can say surely that the mobo is not the cause. I have taken out the ram cards and tried different slots to no success. I have disconnected all hard drives and it does the same thing. I have reconnected all connectors, same thing.

My problem is VERY similar to this:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/254843-10-freeze-post-dead

So im suspecting its either the CPU or the PSU. Right now i wont touch the PC for a day in some superstitious hope that it will work if i leave it alone for a while.


Have anyone experienced the same thing before?

 

[No Limit]

What kind of power supply are you using? Did you install any jumpers or anything else on the mother board? Did you hook up the USB and audio connectors from your case? it sounds like something in your set up is causing a short and ****ing up your mobo. Unfortunately that probably also means your new mobo is shot.

One good way to troubleshoot is to completely eliminate the computer case. Take everything out and try to power it while the mobo sits on a table (make sure no metal is around to short anything and also leave the stand-offs from the case on the mother board).

 

[Ravioli]

PSU is Truepower Trio 650 watt.

It worked perfectly for two weeks, so if i had something wrongly connected in my setup then it wouldnt of worked in the first place i think.

I have no idea what can cause this...the components worked on both mobos, and then suddenly the computer breaks in the same way. Il try taking it out of the case as a last resort cuz thats a pain in the ass. Thanks for help.

 

[Ravioli]

Now i noticed something really strange. If i disconnect all the powercords from the HDDs and the DVD player, the computer wont give any video output at all, and i cant turn the computer off with the button (i have to pull the power cord). If i connect 1 or more powercables into the HDDs or the DVD drive, the thing i described in the first post happens.


PSU failure?????

EDIT sry for doublepost

 

[No Limit]

The thing that can happen especially with the front panel USB/audio connectors is the computer will work just fine even if you hooked up something wrong until you try to plug something in. There could also be a metal shaving or something that gets moved and creates a short. But honestly this is all a guess on my part, very hard to say.

 

[Quixoticism]

I'm not sure how much this will help or if it applies at all to your situation but here goes.
I have recently been trying to overclock my computer since it's getting slower it seems every day.
Sometimes my computer would hang on post right after detecting the memory(similar to yours) and I found out that it was because my memory was getting overclocked beyond what it was capable of supporting. After adjusting the cpu/ram ratio I was able to get it to get past post and running smoothly.

Try going into the bios and making sure all the settings are correct. That's all I can think of. It sounds like it's unrelated but it couldn't hurt to try.

 

[No Limit]

Now i noticed something really strange. If i disconnect all the powercords from the HDDs and the DVD player, the computer wont give any video output at all, and i cant turn the computer off with the button (i have to pull the power cord). If i connect 1 or more powercables into the HDDs or the DVD drive, the thing i described in the first post happens.


PSU failure?????

EDIT sry for doublepost

Didn't see this before my last post. Could very well be PSU. I just find it a bit odd that it turns on at all with a bad PSU.

What happens when you disconnect the power cord from the actual PSU in the back, wait a few minutes, and then try turning it on again.

 

[Ravioli]

Quixoticism, i cant even access the BIOS because it freezes before i have a chance. Thx for your input tho.

I cant disconnect the power cord from the PSU end because it goes into the PSU itself (no plug)

 

[No Limit]

I mean the actual power cord:

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00CeATbHVGYfph/AC-Power-Cord-LE-D2-P1-2-.jpg

 

[Ravioli]

I mean the actual power cord:

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00CeATbHVGYfph/AC-Power-Cord-LE-D2-P1-2-.jpg

ohhh, yeah ive done that several times already. Each time i do something inside the case i always disconnect it.

 

[Ravioli]

OMG i made progress!!! I think you are right about the USB thing.

I disconnected all USB plugs from the computer, and the computer booted up But since my keyboard and mouse are USB i cant navigate. If i plug them in the computer wont boot. Doesnt matter which ports (back or front panel).

How should i troubleshot this from now on? I dont have any PS/2 keyboard/mouse

 

[No Limit]

Well I meant USB thing as far as the front panel connectors on your case hooked up to your mother board go, but lets pretend I meant your regular USB just so I look like I knew what I was talking about .

What USB devices did you have plugged in (any USB hubs?)? Try just plugging in the keyboard and see if it boots.

 

[No Limit]

Also, one issue I was having with my new build last week was the parrallel port wasn't letting me boot the windows installation. Disabling that port in the bios fixed my issue, not really related I don't think but worth trying anyway.

 

[Ravioli]

The USB devices i had connected the day before it broke was the keyboard and mouse and an external hdd. If i disconnect all of them it works, but even if i connect just the mouse or keyboard it wont work. I even tried installing the extra USB thingy that came with the mobo and used that for the keyboard and mouse but that didnt work either. Seems like any form of USB device connected makes the computer unbootable.

I tried connecting them once windows was up and running (at the log in screen) but then they simply remain dead, no power whatsoever. If i try plugging them in while at the screen that lets you select which windows configuration to boot (safe mode etc) the countdown for the automatic selection freezes.

I will try to get a hold of a PS/2 keyboard and mouse so i can navigate through BIOS to see if i can problem solve in there.

Thanks for your continuous help btw, it is very much appreciated!!

 

[No Limit]

What if you just plug the hard drive in if you havent' tried that? I ask because it could also be due to the bios detecting a USB mouse/keyboard which is something that can be screwing up (however unlikely).

If you still got your old mobo might be worth hooking that up and see if it posts without anything connected to the USB. If it doesn't I would still suspect the PSU.

 

[Ravioli]

I tried that but the same thing happened. Yeah im now suspecting that it could be the PSU acting up, and that my other mobo is actually fine :/

I just got a hold of those PS/2 USB adapters and i can now use keyboard and mouse. Time to check out BIOS and whatnot.

 

[Baserape>]

Had a similar problem with my PC a while back. Fluffin thing would not boot past bios screen until I unplugged every USB cord from my PC. For some reason my usb powered mixing deck was spanking things up. And guess what? I have not been able to replicate the error!!!!

Annoying!!!!!!

 

[Barney Fife]

Reading this, I'll bet $3 on PSU.
Two unrelated MBs cannot have excatly the same symptom.
Try MB with diferent PSU if possible.

Good Luck.

 

[Rico]

It's your PSU. It can't handle the load.

 

[No Limit]

It's your PSU. It can't handle the load.

Usually if it couldn't handle the load it would get really hot first. Why would you think it can't handle the load?

 

[Ravioli]

Im quite sure its the PSU too, but i can assure you it can handle the load. I use to have more hard drives and other internal PCI components for about 2+ years and it worked fine. Now i have only 1 hard drive and no extra unnecessary components installed.

I have googled around and i cant find many other people with the same problem. Its usually USB memory sticks etc that people have problems with, and it just freezes their OS, not POST.

 

[Rico]

Usually, if you system fails to power on/behaves erratically when certain devices are plugged in, it's because the PSU can't cut it. It would be a different story if said devices were system hardware (mobo, ram, etc) but since they are USB peripherals, whose only interaction with the system has nothing to do with the system being able to power on, that means the reason their presence causes a problem is due to the extra power they drain from the system.

There are many reasons a PSU could have worked well in the past, and doesn't right now. Suffice it to say it is most likely wear and tear, as electronics can also deteriorate over time (much like an old car's Average Miles Per Galon will also decrease over time)

The thing with failing PSUs is that you have to be careful with them. If it is your PSU failing, and you keep using it, you may eventually end up frying your motherboard. This actually happened to a guy I know very very recently, who was trying to push some HP desktop's PSU (280 Watts!) with a new gen videocard. His PC wouldn't boot, he didn't know why. I say its the PSU, he doesn't believe me, then a week later I see a facebook post mourning the death of the system he was trying to put together. Reason? PSU killed out his other components.

I'd just buy a new PSU, or borrow one to test it from a friend.

 

[Ravioli]

Thanks for your comment. I actually now remember that my friend who has the exact same PSU and very similiar hardware components had his PSU fail a few months ago. We bought them together, so it should be a wise idea for me to get a new one.

 

[VirusType2]

Is it the same USB that you couldn't figure out where to plug into the motherboard? Is it your front panel USB? Because you could have plugged it in to somewhere or someway that it wasn't supposed to connect.

Another thing, you were saying something about pressing the power button just turns it off (among other weird things it was doing), that sounds like a bad ground for the motherboard.

The mainboard has to be aligned correctly, you can't just put the screw in at an angle to line it up - the backplate (where the video connectors and stuff pokes out of the back of the case) should be lined up exactly right.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was in fact a bad PSU, but .. it might not be.

 

[barbarbarbarbar]

Oh just take it to a professional - It will be much cheaper and it's stress free.

 

[No Limit]

Oh just take it to a professional - It will be much cheaper and it's stress free.

Believe it or not some people here are actually "professionals".

 

[Acepilotf14]

Oh just take it to a professional - It will be much cheaper and it's stress free.

Just not geek squad.
Geek Squad is the worst place to go to. Ever.

Spoiler

this is ironic as I am wearing a geek squad shirt right now I got free once when I went to best buy to pick something superficial up

By the way shop around so you don't get horribly overpriced. It happens a lot, especially when these places try to take advantage of the common ignorance surrounding computers.

 

[No Limit]

Just not geek squad.
Geek Squad is the worst place to go to. Ever.

Spoiler

this is ironic as I am wearing a geek squad shirt right now I got free once when I went to best buy to pick something superficial up

By the way shop around so you don't get horribly overpriced. It happens a lot, especially when these places try to take advantage of the common ignorance surrounding computers.

I work with a lady who brough in a computer from her boyfriend. She needed me to clear everything as she wanted to sell it. She told me the guy paid $400 to have a shop install 512MB of ram and clear off a virus. Absolutely insane. Considering something like that takes 2 hours or so to do that's about $200 /hr. I need to increase my prices.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Make sure more complicated things are less expensive, and the simpler the process, the more expensive it gets.

A simple format especially should go for $400-500, while putting together a PC should be around $20 if they have the parts.

...
Maybe I should give up this aviation thing.

 

[No Limit]

Why in the world should a format cost $400-$500? Thats absolutely insane. As I said its 1-2 hours of work. Maybe if we are talking about having to restore all the programs and files from before, but for most everyday users this isn't something that takes long.

The average I charge for virus removal is around $120-$160. For a reformat without any backups I charge $120.

 

[Rico]

I've been considering opening up shop for PC repairs, but my main concern is some guy deciding to sue me for "breaking his computer" after I fix his PC and he decides to kick it all the way home. I have professional experience in the field obviously, but I'm mostly concerned with liability since I'd be doing it on my own.

On Topic: Ravioli, keep us updated. I hope your mobo isn't damaged.

 

[No Limit]

I've been considering opening up shop for PC repairs, but my main concern is some guy deciding to sue me for "breaking his computer" after I fix his PC and he decides to kick it all the way home. I have professional experience in the field obviously, but I'm mostly concerned with liability since I'd be doing it on my own.

On Topic: Ravioli, keep us updated. I hope your mobo isn't damaged.

That's what terms of service are for.

 

[Rico]

True, but it seems like a big mess I'd really want to be careful with. And considering I probably would be doing it more as a hobby than a livelihood (I already do well enough) it seems like asking for trouble.

 

[unozero]

You are cursed Ravioly as long as you live in Italy and don't learn to speak Italian
EVERY PC YOU WILL BUILD BREAK FOR NO REASON.



WHOOOOOOOOO

 

[Asus]

I know you say you've tried using just the back USB but do you have the front USB ports plugged into the motherboard at all? Could those wires be off set on the row of pins on the board?
Drives and such do spin up at boot and cause a spike in power but you say you don't have as many as you once had. I don't see how the added power for a keyboard and mouse could be what causes a 650watt psu to be over stressed...

Also, make sure the metal tabs on the IO shield (on the back of the case) are not actually into the USB port. Those tabs are supposed to rest on top of the stack of ports.