What's going on with my computer?

January 20, 2006 6:07 PM

Hefty computer problems. My computer (Asus A8NX-E Deluxe) suddenly shut off one day. When I would power it up the fans would run for ~10 seconds -- no BIOS, nothing, then the fans would turn off. Replaced power supply, no difference. Replaced motherboard and the weird fan problem fixed. Placed everything in, no video now. And...

It's a GeForce 6800 GT video card, the fan runs so it appears to be working. I replaced it with a no-name known to be working AGP 4X card. Same results. I'm stumped, all I have in is the CPU, the GeForce and the RAM. If I take out the CPU and the RAM the video card should still show the BIOS screen right? I mean I should have nothing plugged in and still see something on the monitor? Any ideas what could be causing this? Two motherboards (one brand new) from a top company going bad at once? I'm so confused as what's going on.

posted by geoff. to computers & internet (9 comments total)

I should mention that I don't think a power surge was to blame, there was no kind of electrical storms and nothing else seem or went out of whack (TV and TiVo in the same room, lights didn't flicker, nothing else on that same surge protector went wrong).
posted by geoff. at 6:12 PM on January 20, 2006

When I put the new CPU into my motherboard, it would shut off within 15 seconds. Turns out there was a piece of tape on the CPU interfering with heat dissipation. CPU would heat up and trigger the thermometer on the motherboard. Make sure your computer isn't overheating in some way.
posted by Rothko at 7:06 PM on January 20, 2006

You know, when I purchased my A8N-SLI, it wouldn't display anything through the PCI-X port. I know you said you're on AGP, but try installed a crappy PCI video card and see if you get anything. If you do, take the time to flash the BIOS and see if AGP works after that.

Also, the Asus boards are supposed to have talking POST codes. Plug into the onboard audio with any speaker and see what happens... (it didn't work for me, naturally)
posted by disillusioned at 7:11 PM on January 20, 2006

Actually POST didn't work until I realized it'd only go out the old-fashion green speaker cord (NOT the SPDIF) -- it kept saying "NO CPU" -- and I did have it in until I realized the heatsink and fan were on and even though it fit in the slot I had to take off the cooling unit and lock the processor into the arm. It's all working now, though I think I will need to buy soem new paste -- I don't want to have to replace a CPU too.
posted by geoff. at 7:18 PM on January 20, 2006

Though why the speakers are able to say "CPU NOT DETECTED" and not just display it through the AGP card is beyond me. Damn over-engineering.
posted by geoff. at 7:22 PM on January 20, 2006

I should also add, to close this up -- my motherboard did NOT beep nor did any of the front panel indicators (hdd led, power led) display. And yet it appears the only thing the motherboard does in a no CPU setting is shout "NO CPU" at you.
posted by geoff. at 7:24 PM on January 20, 2006

Yep, I hated that motherboard. Mine just fried a few weeks ago. Weirdest error conditions EVER. And then one day it just quit.
posted by SpecialK at 9:07 PM on January 20, 2006

Interesting...

I'd postulate that perhaps the system needs a processor to display video, whereas the FSB/BIOS is able to (and does) run the post elements. Mine at least beeped at me.

Be careful to read up on reapplying thermal paste, as cleaning off the existing implementation properly is important.
The Arctic Silver people would have you believe it's a very matter of life and death and that only their specially formulated compounds, mixed with the good wishings of a practicing Wiccan and a sacrificing of a portion of one's soul will let you properly reapply, but it's really not that complex. Just make sure you clean it properly, and make sure you only use the small amount they recommend.

I had to reapply, which I did to my AMD 64 X2 4400+ and it runs under 100°F most of the time, with the stock (retail) heatsink.
posted by disillusioned at 4:10 AM on January 21, 2006

I have the same board had the same type of problems, swapped out everything, no luck.

got a 450w power supply everything suddenly worked.
posted by Max Power at 9:24 AM on January 21, 2006