So my home desktop PC crapped out a couple weeks back. Based on the symptoms, it's either the power supply or the motherboard, I'm guessing. It just won't turn on. Pressing the power button did nothing beyond me hearing a clicking-type noise. Bought and tried a new Power Supply, with no luck. Am wondering now what else to do. Should I be looking at eBay for a new Mobo? This is a few years old Gateway 507GR running Windows XP. Specs are listed here. Any other ideas? The whole case/HDD/CD-DVD drives, etc... were fine, and as I said the Power Supply is brand new. Any advice is appreciated.
Check your heatsink and processor, making sure there's still thermal compound on it. Modern processors won't startup if it doesn't detect heat dissipation. You will need to re-apply compound so that your system starts up. It won't until it detects the dissipation effect the compound brings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_grease If that is the problem, then I recommend Arctic Silver: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007 To apply, simply use about a dime sized amount. Don't overdo it, as that will make it more difficult to dissipate heat, and then lock the heatsink down on the processor. If that's the problem, then your system should power up. J.
^^^ Thanks, but would that cause the initial non-start-up issue? And just how quickly can the processor recognize such a situation? I mean, I get ZERO apparent activity upon pressing the Power button. Nuthin'. Zip. Nada. Zilch. [Edit: to J. Allen]
If there is a processor, memory or graphics problem and the mobo/psu is fine then your computer will beep on start up but the screen will stay blank. It sounds like a mobo problem if you have tried a new psu with no luck. If you're really luck it could just be the 'on' button that doesnt work. Try shorting across the on button jumpers on the mobo...
follow the wire from the "on" button on the case to where it connects to the motherboard. Disconnect this and run a wire directly between the pins (they're only a few millimeters apart, so "shorting" them with something is just as easy, paper clip?). This tell you if the problem is the power button making contact.
Yeah thats right. Plus, on most motherboards the jumpers are either named or numbered. If they are numbered you can refer to the manual
Tried a few more things, exhausted my level of expertise, tried the things others advised, still no luck. Gave up, put it all back the way it was before, sealed it all up, and drove the desktop up to a good local CPU sales/repair store. $35 evaluation fee, and then we'll see what the verdict is in a couple days.
