PC has gone Kaput!

[Frost, colonel]

My PC is:
AMD 64 3500+(2.2 Ghz,Intel 3.5Ghz)
Asus AV8 Mobo AGPx8
1 gig of Corsair dual 512x2 paired pc3200 extra low latency memory, 2-2-2-5
Sata-1 Raptor H/drive
ATI X800XT 256 DDR AGPx8 GPU
Decent 400 watt PS
Creative Audigy 2 ZS soundcard.
Antec P160 case.
Creative 7.1 T7900 speakers.

Upon returning from one's hol's and switching on the PC, one was loading Call of Duty 2(level '88 Ridge' I think) when a nasty prolonged screach came out of the speakers, followed by a locked screen, I pressed reset, but the PC will not boot up(blank monitor, no display at all).

It is not the monitor, as I have tried it on another rig!
I can see nothing wrong in said PC, no black marks or loose bits, etc and it is very clean.

All the fans are on including the GPU'S and the PC looks like it's trying to start up ok, so what could be wrong, the MOBO, or GPU?
There is no response from the key board, which only lights up Caps lock etc, on the intial start, after this, these lights don't come on when pressing Caps lock etc

Hoping it isn't expensive, because I was thinking of flogging it in 2 months, for some posh speakers, for med 2.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/advice!
Ps I have had the PC for 2 yrs without any problems at all.

[OTZ]

Any Bios beeps?

Here are a few things you can try:

1) Reset the CMOS.

2) unplug everything except GPU/HDD. Use only one stick of RAM (and if that doesn't work, try the other)
- Re-seat the vid card/CPU fan.
- Reset the CMOS.

3) check to make sure the CPU fan is connected to the right PIN on the Mobo. Some PCs will not boot unless there is a fan hooked into the CPU Fan Pin.


5) try swapping some parts in from another PC available. Start with the GPU (even an old PCI model will work for now), then RAM, and then HDD.

The problem could be anywhere at this point. Process of elimination will work best.

Were the RAM settings the ones recommended by Corsair? Ie, did you check their site to make sure that voltage/timings/settings were set properly in order to ensure the stuff would run at 2-2-2? Sometimes, low latency RAM is pretty picky when it comes to settings, and it can cause BSODs, crashes/lockups etc...

[Locky]

Could've been the MOBO, or the PSU. Usually if it boots, but wont make any sounds, or the keybaord show lights, it's probably the MOBO that went the way of the dodo. PSU's are to intricate, and RAM, will still allow you to boot, even if it doesn't work. It's the mobo i swear. My MOBo fried itself a while ago, i could boot up, but my monitor would go blank, and effectively the PC would be on, but it isn't.

[0ldboy]

If I was you I'd go for the CMOS reset. Worked for me as I had exactly the same problem.

Hope it works for ya

[Frost, colonel]

If I was you I'd go for the CMOS reset. Worked for me as I had exactly the same problem.

Hope it works for ya

Please excuse my ignorance, but how do I do this?

[Aristocrat]

My first thought is the motherboard, but follow OTZ's advice, reset the CMOS, and try swapping parts, notably the cpu if possible.

[OTZ]

I think that if it was the mobo, then nothing would fire up at all - but - I have only ever seen one mobo stop working, so that opinion isn't based on too much experience.

[Aristocrat]

The MoBo may be only damaged and not dead, a damaged MoBo can cause much odd behaviour.
A friends motherboard which died recently still powered the fans which were connected to it, that was weird.

[Aristocrat]

Check your motherboard manual but there are 2 ways I know of:
Turn the computer off and unplug it from the wall, then either:
A) You have to set some jumpers on the motherboard.
or
B) You remove the CMOS battery from the motherboard for about 30 seconds.


As I said though check your motherboard manual, or if you have lost it check the Asus website as it should have an online copy of the manual.

[Frost, colonel]

Well it's not the CMOS, incase it's the GPU(preparing for worst case senario), what is the best value AGP card I can get, that is as fast as my ATI X800XT 256 DDR AGPx8 GPU. How about this:BFG GeForce 7600 GS OC 512MB DDR2 HDTV/DVI (AGP) @£100?