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internetsandman
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Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn it b

Wed May 02, 2012 6:07 pm

So i recently brought home a new monitor and keyboard, I plugged them into a brand new system i had built that had been sitting idly for a couple months waiting for said monitor and keyboard, I got it all hooked up, i was using it fine, watched a couple youtube videos when all of a sudden a loud buzzing noise from my speakers, a frozen image on my screen, and it was like that till I shut the system off via the power button. I tried turning it back on, it got stuck in a loop of powering on for one second before shutting off again, in about three second intervals between each startup attempt. After attempting to unplug and replug all power cables inside the PC, as well as the power cord itself, and not seeing any other thing I could do, I'm worried that a $2000 gaming computer just killed itself the day I'm finally able to start using it

An important thing to note is that I know the computer has worked before, I've hooked it up to my HDTV and played games on it for good periods of time, with an occasional BSOD but that was mainly due to unstable OC's, before I found a stable setup that did work, and now it's refusing to turn on at all, nothing happens when the power button is pressed

My system specs:

Fractal design define mini
Asus P8P67M-pro
Core i7-2700K
Corsair H80
16GB DDR3 1600 G.skill Ripjaws
HIS Radeon 6950
D-Link 802.11n wifi card
Corsiar force 3 120GB SSD
OCZ Vertex 2 60GB SSD
Corsair AX650 PSU
 
thegst
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 6:46 pm

Not that i think you necessarily overstressed that PSU, but I like to overbuy a bit to have a surplus for upgrades later. Corsair is a good brand to stick with.
I do think it's probably the PSU, though. Just like anything you need to have some known-good parts around to check it out...can you borrow a PSU and possibly a graphics card?
If you manage to power on, check your temps in the BIOS. Did the H80 somehow fail or could the waterblock be mounted incorrectly?
Pull and disconnect all unnecessary hardware, go to 1 stick of memory, BIOS defaults, etc etc.
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Forge
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 6:49 pm

Not a lot of diagnostic info to work from. Try jumpering the green to any black on the power cable, see if the machine spins fans and hard disks. If so, your PSU is probably ok. Do you have any other machines that you can use to test CPU and/or memory?

My money is on failed motherboard.

Nice case, btw. I just discovered Fractal myself.
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internetsandman
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 6:55 pm

Forge wrote:
Not a lot of diagnostic info to work from. Try jumpering the green to any black on the power cable, see if the machine spins fans and hard disks. If so, your PSU is probably ok. Do you have any other machines that you can use to test CPU and/or memory?

My money is on failed motherboard.

Nice case, btw. I just discovered Fractal myself.


I still saw LED's on the motherboard as I was attempting to troubleshoot, so I'm not sure it'd be a dead motherboard, and I really hope it isn't cause I'd much rather have to replace a PSU with 100% modular cables than a MB that makes me tear apart the entire system >.<
 
kc77
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 7:27 pm

Take the MB out of the case. Set it on some wood or cardboard. Then try to turn the comp on. Many times the case can short the MB and prevent the comp from turning on.
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internetsandman
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 7:33 pm

kc77 wrote:
Take the MB out of the case. Set it on some wood or cardboard. Then try to turn the comp on. Many times the case can short the MB and prevent the comp from turning on.


If that was the case then I wouldn't have been able to use it for two months on my HDTV, considering I've done nothing to the internals since then
 
Forge
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 7:34 pm

kc77 wrote:
Take the MB out of the case. Set it on some wood or cardboard. Then try to turn the comp on. Many times the case can short the MB and prevent the comp from turning on.


Possible, but less likely in a machine that's been running fine for some time. I still put my money on mobo, blinky lights or no.
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internetsandman
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 7:41 pm

Forge wrote:
kc77 wrote:
Take the MB out of the case. Set it on some wood or cardboard. Then try to turn the comp on. Many times the case can short the MB and prevent the comp from turning on.


Possible, but less likely in a machine that's been running fine for some time. I still put my money on mobo, blinky lights or no.



Would it be worthwhile to go out and buy a replacement PSU and an upgraded mobo all at the same time, just to cover both possibilities?
 
kc77
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 7:45 pm

internetsandman wrote:
kc77 wrote:
Take the MB out of the case. Set it on some wood or cardboard. Then try to turn the comp on. Many times the case can short the MB and prevent the comp from turning on.


If that was the case then I wouldn't have been able to use it for two months on my HDTV, considering I've done nothing to the internals since then

It's just a suggestion .... a cheap one. What costs more testing it outside the case, or buying a new MB? When I troubleshoot I always remove possible factors, before buying anything.
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Forge
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 8:45 pm

internetsandman wrote:
Would it be worthwhile to go out and buy a replacement PSU and an upgraded mobo all at the same time, just to cover both possibilities?


You'll be buying stuff soon enough. I'd look into the warranty first thing, though, since you haven't described any abuse that would void one.
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P5-133XL
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 8:55 pm

Buy a beep speaker and learn how to use it! You can buy a diagnostic card or start swapping parts till it starts working again but a beep speaker is much cheaper.
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derFunkenstein
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 9:45 pm

If it's power cycling itself, a speaker isn't going to do anything for you. My guess is as Forge said, ti's probably the motherboard, but when you don't have spares lying around it feels like you're shooting in the dark.

If you're desperate to get this up and running, buy a mobo, see if it fixes it, and if/when it does RMA the current one and sell the replacement on ebay or whatever.
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P5-133XL
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 11:23 pm

derFunkenstein wrote:
If it's power cycling itself, a speaker isn't going to do anything for you.


Even then it should beep code why it is. It may be the motherboard, but it could also be RAM, or the PS, or even something else like a shorted cable. The fact is that no one here actually knows and no one here has even come close to a suggesting a proper diagnostic process. That process normally starts with a beep speaker or if you've invested in a diagnostic board that is also a fine start.

You start out with pulling everything from the MB, and that includes video card, RAM, USB, SATA, Firewire, just about everything leaving only the PS, Processor, beep speaker, and power button plugged in. Do a physical inspection looking for any burn marks, something that looks wrong or smells burnt. When you power cycle the beep speaker should beep code for lack of RAM. If not, you now have a code for what the problem is or if it doesn't beep at all then you've limited the potential problem to a relatively few possibilities that need to be swapped out. Add 1 stick of RAM back in, and power cycle and it now should beep for the lack of the video card. If it beeps for RAM, then you now have a clue as to the problem. Keep adding one missing items till it does a single beep i.e. everything is currently OK. Keep adding stuff one item at a time with a power cycle between till you MB is normal again. If it hangs or power cycles then the last item is your problem...

You can all speculate what the problem is, and I'm sure someone will be right but no one yet has done anything other than to speculate...
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c1arity
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 11:42 pm

My guess would be the motherboard as well. Sounds like it's gone.

I sell and repair a lot of computers and parts and recently have had a lot of weird crap happening with Asus boards. From weird memory issues, to boards starting on fire (with good PSUs), to just bad QC. Not saying Asus is bad...just that it seems their QC has taken a dip as of late.
 
c1arity
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Wed May 02, 2012 11:48 pm

P5-133XL wrote:
derFunkenstein wrote:
If it's power cycling itself, a speaker isn't going to do anything for you.

You can all speculate what the problem is, and I'm sure someone will be right but no one yet has done anything other than to speculate...


Mostly because we aren't anywhere near the computer.

At this point you do usually start trial and error starting with the two most obvious things...motherboard and psu. The most difficult thing about the process is the time it takes if you don't get it right the first time. Just keep moving down the list.
 
P5-133XL
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 12:10 am

c1arity wrote:
P5-133XL wrote:
derFunkenstein wrote:
If it's power cycling itself, a speaker isn't going to do anything for you.

You can all speculate what the problem is, and I'm sure someone will be right but no one yet has done anything other than to speculate...


Mostly because we aren't anywhere near the computer.
Exactly, but rather than guessing wouldn't it actually be better to supply the proper diagnostic process so that the recipient has a chance at diagnosing the problem without spending a bunch of money on stuff that will just become spare parts.

Yes, it is quite likely that it is either the MB or the PS but really there are lots of possible causes of power cycling.

c1arity wrote:
At this point you do usually start trial and error starting with the two most obvious things...motherboard and psu. The most difficult thing about the process is the time it takes if you don't get it right the first time. Just keep moving down the list.


I start out exactly where I said, I pull everything and do a visual and smell examination first then I add back the processor, PS, power button and beep speaker and start the process. I'm not interested in buying HW just to swap something out. If I have the spare parts already then sure I may swap items before going to the beep speaker using my relatively informed guess. After all, the beep speaker process does take time and my time is worth something too.
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sluggo
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 12:23 am

The LEDs that are lit are being powered by +5SB, a standby voltage. This is the PSU voltage that powers the circuitry that monitors the front panel, which waits for someone to press the power button. The fact that you press the power button and nothing happens, even though the standby voltage is present, means that the motherboard and/or CPU has been rendered stupid. It doesn't recognize the pressing of the power button. If it did, you would get a light of some kind on the front panel, however briefly, and the fans would pulse, even (in most cases) with a damaged PSU.

It could still be a dead PSU even though standby voltage is present. But my money's on the motherboard/CPU. CPU, in particular.
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relmerator
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 11:42 am

That's exactly what I saw when I lost a video card recently. The 2700k has integrated graphics, so an easy test would be to yank the 6950 and plug the monitor into the onboard video.
 
Walkintarget
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 12:30 pm

P5-133XL wrote:
Buy a beep speaker and learn how to use it! You can buy a diagnostic card or start swapping parts till it starts working again but a beep speaker is much cheaper.


These things are just invaluable for what OP is now dealing with. I managed to resurrect a 'dead' Asus M2N32-SLI board using one, and I've used it 2x since on other questionable boards. Even a dead board will give out clues via the speaker, so P5's suggestions so far are spot on. You can usually tell the guys who live this stuff from the guys who google everything. :)

I had a 6950 that was DOA, so I'm leaning towards GPU failure at this point. Just a gut instinct.
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sluggo
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 1:00 pm

Walkintarget wrote:
P5-133XL wrote:
Buy a beep speaker and learn how to use it! You can buy a diagnostic card or start swapping parts till it starts working again but a beep speaker is much cheaper.


These things are just invaluable for what OP is now dealing with. I managed to resurrect a 'dead' Asus M2N32-SLI board using one, and I've used it 2x since on other questionable boards. Even a dead board will give out clues via the speaker, so P5's suggestions so far are spot on. You can usually tell the guys who live this stuff from the guys who google everything. :)


The OP says: "and now it's refusing to turn on at all, nothing happens when the power button is pressed"

How is the chipset going to report error codes to the beeper if the machine can't power up?

To the OP - reset the BIOS, take out all the expansion cards (including video), use the integrated graphics, disconnect all the drives, use one stick of memory (a known good part), and a keyboard. If the machine still doesn't turn on, do a low-confidence test on the PSU by unplugging it from the motherboard and jumpering the green lead on the PSU connector to any black lead. If a connected optical drive lights up, suspect the motherboard/CPU. If it doesn't, suspect the PSU.
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cjcerny
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 1:09 pm

Could be a corrupt CMOS. Use the jumper on the motherboard to clear it and then see if the machine starts.
 
P5-133XL
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 4:05 pm

sluggo wrote:
The OP says: "and now it's refusing to turn on at all, nothing happens when the power button is pressed"

How is the chipset going to report error codes to the beeper if the machine can't power up?


The chipset is not what reports the error codes, the POST (Power on self test) does and that is in the BIOS.

Even if there are no visible signs of life, it is common there there is still enough life to send a signal to the speaker. The POST is designed to still be able to do that. If the beep speaker does not beep at all, then it still helped because you have limited the failure to the what would cause total failure i.e. no power from the PS (low voltage will still operate the beep speaker), a very badly damaged MB, a totally dead processor, or no BIOS.
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sluggo
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 5:29 pm

P5-133XL wrote:
sluggo wrote:
The OP says: "and now it's refusing to turn on at all, nothing happens when the power button is pressed"

How is the chipset going to report error codes to the beeper if the machine can't power up?


The chipset is not what reports the error codes, the POST (Power on self test) does and that is in the BIOS.

Wow.

Okay, you understand that the BIOS is just code and settings, right? And that there has to be an execution unit somewhere that operates on that code, right? Great. So where do you suppose that execution unit resides? That's right, in the CPU. And the part of the BIOS that initializes and enumerates I/O (such as the beeper) is handled by the chipset. The BIOS is simply the bootstrap code for the machine, and also supplies the POST code. Said POST also being managed by the CPU, with any error codes being transmitted to the beeper via the chipset. No chipset means no beeps. No CPU means no chipset init which means no beeps.
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P5-133XL
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 9:06 pm

You really don't know how things inside a computer work do you. Yes, you need a CPU to execute BIOS code which is where the POST instructions exist. The CPU is hardwired to start executing code upon power-on at a specific address ( 0xFFFF0) which is located in the BIOS which will be a jump address to the start of the POST code.

However, it does not need the chipset to operate the beep speaker. To operate the beep speaker the CPU uses the out instruction to a specific port (bit 1 of the keyboard controller port 0x61) if you turn it off and on at a specific rate you'll get a beep, change the rate and you'll get a different frequency. Run a loop for x amount of time you'll get a short beep, run it for x plus some more and you'll get a longer beep, don't run that routine for y amount of time you'll get a pause. None of this activity requires the chipset rather it requires an operating CPU, a valid BIOS, a working keyboard controller, and a minimally operating MB with some power going to it.
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derFunkenstein
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 9:15 pm

P5-133XL wrote:
You can all speculate what the problem is, and I'm sure someone will be right but no one yet has done anything other than to speculate...

Well we can't all be clairvoyant like you, apparently. :lol:
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sluggo
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Thu May 03, 2012 9:36 pm

P5-133XL wrote:
You really don't know how things inside a computer work do you.

Yep, I do.

However, it does not need the chipset to operate the beep speaker.

Yes, it does. The speaker is driven by the HPET (high-precision event timer), which is part of the north bridge.

If you'd like to continue to lift irrelevant text to support your position, feel free. I'm done.
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ShadowTiger
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Fri May 04, 2012 3:32 am

You probably moved your computer from the TV room to another area/power outlet. Maybe this new power outlet has problems and fried your PSU/Mobo, are you using a good surge protector?

This is probably not the problem... but if you are going to test the components, I suggest moving the computer back to the TV where it was working properly.
 
internetsandman
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Mon May 07, 2012 7:00 pm

Update to the situation

Today I went out and bought a brand new power supply (same as the one I was currently using) and a new motherboard (maximus IV gene)

after tearing the whole system down and rebuilding it with these new parts, and pressing the power button, the graphics card started spinning its fan at what I can only assume is max speed and wouldn't slow down (btw during this whole process, whenever I've went to unplug the graphics card from its power connectors it's started emitting a loud constant beep even when there is no power going into the computer, the beep only stops once the card itself is removed from the socket), though the computer was no longer power cycling, a step in the right direction I have to assume, yet still no image appeared on my monitor

I went and grabbed a spare graphics card I have lying around, a 5450 for testing purposes, and plugged that in instead. Still no response from the monitor, the debug LED is hanging at 34, I looked that up in the users manual but all it says was CPU post memory initialization, or something to that effect, but it never changes after that.

Before I burn another five hundred bucks on solutions that won't work I need some serious help with this, nothing I've done so far has worked and i'm feeling more and more frustrated as time goes on
 
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Mon May 07, 2012 7:13 pm

internetsandman wrote:
Before I burn another five hundred bucks on solutions that won't work I need some serious help with this, nothing I've done so far has worked and i'm feeling more and more frustrated as time goes on

OK, before throwing any more $$ at this it's time to resort to a box-top boot. CPU, vid card, and 1 stick of RAM. If it POSTs, rinse and repeat with the RAM in each slot. If it passes that test, add RAM, rinse, & repeat until all sticks are good in all slots. Then, and only then, add the hard drive.
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P5-133XL
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Re: Help needed asap, my computer died suddenly, can't turn

Tue May 08, 2012 3:29 pm

Rather than harp on a beep speaker, why don't you believe the diagnostic LED's and start from there?
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