Rare computer problem has me stumped - it''s in the shop but

Tue May 25, 2004 3:26 pm by Stinger

I've got a year and a half old PC that is kept on just about 24/7. This weekend it sort of died but not entirely. This is what it is doing.

It powers up fine but there are no post beeps at all. The two CD-ROM's lights stay on continuously. The monitor will come on for a second then go into stanby mode. I've taken all peripherals out and re-seated them to no avail. It's an Asus mobo that has an indicator light right on it and it will come on. But it will not boot.

The only thing I discovered when I opened the case was the fan on the chipset (not the CPU fan) was not running. I got it started with a little nudge but it's dying for sure. The comp shop hasn't had time yet to diagnos the problem.

Any takers? The mobo is still under warranty and all so if it is the mobo chances are this will be a fairly cheap fix. Can't be the battery due to the comp being on most of the time and it is only a year and a half old regardless.

I've gotten no responses from other forums. I'll post back what the issue is when I get the comp back, but what the heck is the deal??

Here's the specks:

Asus A7V133
AMD Duron 1.3 gig cpu
512 pc-133 RAM
Western Digital 40 Gb hdd
Super case ATX w/400w power supply
Windows XP home
CD-RW
CD-ROM
Elsa Galdiac GeForce 2 GTS Pro 32 DDR RAM
Audigy SC

Rob "Stinger" Lordier
Creator of the original Privateer FAQ
3+ years here and still lovin' every minute!

Favorite saying - Life is a journey, not a destination

Tue May 25, 2004 3:51 pm by Indy11

Stupid suggestion but I thought I would save everyone the task of belaboring the obvious which you've probably considered already: Cooked chipset?

Tue May 25, 2004 3:58 pm by Stinger

yep, that's an obvious one but even many of todays mobo's do not have a fan sitting on the chipset. Yea, I realize it's on there for a good reason. Also, Asus mobo's are famous for their built-in shut down features in regards to heat and this one has those.

You could be right. Battery was my first guess and that was even after seeing the mini fan not moving.

I shut the comp off for 3 hours and still same results. If the chipset is fried it coiuld be the root of all the evils but chipsets frying is not common at all regardless of the mobo. If it does turn out to be the chipset then that most certainly would fall under warranty.

Perfect example of a design flaw in my book. That's why the topic is titled "rare."

Edited by - Stinger on 5/25/2004 4:59:54 PM

Tue May 25, 2004 4:04 pm by Indy11

Have you inspected all the capacitors? I just read a note somewhere that Asus, Abit and some other very reputable mobo makers ending using crappy capacitors. Check for bulging, tilting or discolorations. Those are all signs of failed capacitors. I'll go look for the article. It had pictures of various kinds of capacitor failures.

Anyway, maybe failed capacitor = unmodulated current = fried chipset?

Tue May 25, 2004 4:06 pm by Esquilax

Hmm, it could be the power rails, the chipset, a heat issue, the RAM, the PCB could have a short, or it could even be a faulty capacitor. It's hard to say.

Edit: Damn! Indy beat me to the capacitor!

I hate busy days! I've been trying to draft this post since Stinger first posted it up!

Edited by - esquilax on 5/25/2004 5:06:57 PM

Tue May 25, 2004 4:26 pm by Tawakalna

the chipset fan is irrelevant. however no post beeps generally indicate, as you've no doubt figured out, either mobo problem (power, components) or that it can't pick up the vga. I've been seeing this prob a lot lately. if that vga card you're putting in is only 2x/4x AGP and it's a 4x/8x AGP slot, presuming it fit, you would see this problem. Plus component testing on anything is crap these days, so yeh it might be the capacitor. But I'd schlong another agp card in just to check.

if it was fonk ram you'd at least get some post beeps. I'd have it sent back on warranty anyway. I got an MSi Neo FSP2 865pe last week and that wouldn't post either (fuming I was) so stormed off to seller, got another, that did the same, poked about for a bit - and realised I'd put the boot diagnostic display onto the USB 2.0 connector (well they do look identical and I am colourblind!) Oddly enough once I'd swapped them over, it booted fine

in short, check everything then double check it.

btw you should be abandoning Asus now, Abit/MSi/Gigabyte are tops at the moment. I've chucked 4 Asus boards away since Crimbal.

..how I dearly wish I was not here..

Edited by - Tawakalna on 5/25/2004 5:33:41 PM

Tue May 25, 2004 4:26 pm by Stinger

Ya Indy...do your best to find that article so I can use it as collateral when I try to shove this mobo under warranty up where the sun don't shine.

This is my second Asus board to act up on me in 2004. I don't like the trend at all. They have always been rock-solid overclockers wet dreams for many years.

I will force Asus to reimburse this one...bastidges.

EDIT: No, no overclocking on this one.

Edited by - Stinger on 5/25/2004 5:29:45 PM

Tue May 25, 2004 4:49 pm by Indy11

I could have sworn it was in either the June or May issue of CPU Magazine but I cannot find it on-line. Anyway, see below. There's other stuff about it anyway.

Mention of Asus

History

Older article but with good pictures

This goes back to batches made from 2000 to 2002 or so. Sounds like your mobo may be of the right age.

<edit>
Latest News - Recall Maybe?
Woops. this is not the latest. The article date is old but the site date is tomorrow somewhere.

Edited by - Indy11 on 5/25/2004 6:00:53 PM

Tue May 25, 2004 4:54 pm by arton alpha

question, do you use a surge protector?
if not than i'd say that a surge killed you chipset which is rare but possible other wise can't help you i'll check my a+ text books and get back to you

no post beep is an obviose problem that means the test didn't run Mmmm.

Tue May 25, 2004 5:00 pm by Stinger

Good stuff there Indy.

Ya, all computers I play with are surge protected or I won't touch 'em.

My A+ bible doesn't cover this situation anywhere.

Tue May 25, 2004 5:39 pm by Indy11

It is also in the May 2004 issue of CPU Mag but only in the hard copy it seems. CPU Mag does NOT mention Asus by name but says that although the have ID'd 12 companies (presumably those willing to admit to the problem), many more not listed have the same problem..... Listed are: Abit, AOpen, ECS, EPOX, Gateway, HP, Intel, MSI, Shuttle, Soyo, Tyan and Via.

I've looked through the AsusTek site and they are very silent on capacitors in general. No way to search the topic on their web site. However, being that they are a Taiwan company and most of the discussion points back to Taiwan capacitor makers using a pirated (poorly) electrolyte formula, you gotta wonder how Asus DIDN"T end up buying some "value engineered" capacitors.

That other site clearly IDs Asus boards as having the problem.

Wed May 26, 2004 2:44 am by Esquilax

Regarding possible AGP 2x/4x/8x problems, as I recall, most of the newer ASUS MBs (such as my (old) P4S8X) have an LED that lights up when an AGP card of the wrong type is inserted, so it might be worth checking Stinger.

Wed May 26, 2004 5:14 am by kimk

the shop's gonna say something like the processor's fried or something and then give you anotehr mobo thats not in good shape. maybe the circutry (sp?) got messed up.. 24/7 is alot to ask from a comp IMO.. the heat might have gotten to it. then again what do i know

Wed May 26, 2004 5:49 am by [steel]

@stinger i had exactly the same symptoms with an asus mobo 6 weeks ago
it was 3yrs old though and runs 24/7 too
changed out the mobo for an asrock for £25 result much faster pc due to the better chipset
never bothered to find out what part on the asus had failed though just chucked it
i assume its the northbridge fan that failed as they are famous for packing up
ive gone through 5 on 2 asus boards in 3 years

though i doubt that would kill a mainboard

Wed May 26, 2004 3:57 pm by Stinger

The verdict is in. It was the power supply. I've heard of them dying but never has it been an ongoing issue. It either works or it doesn't. They showed me the actual results in house. Live and learn.

They put in an identical board and the same thing happened...no fan worky on the chipset.

I got out of there for labor only, $50.

I really like my local PC shop.

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