timaaay Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 (edited) I dont consider myself to be a compete computer nub, but this one has stumped me and I need to sort it as soon as I can. Basicly, I can't get my desktop to boot up. It just powers up for a few seconds then turns itself back off. About one time in twenty it decides to stay on and boot up as normal, at which point I can do everything until it just cuts out. This can happen at any time. I've reset the BIOS to factory, removed the battery and moved the CMOS jumper over to clear it, no difference. I managed to check the temperatures through BIOS the last time I got it to boot up, they were fine. Removed/ swapped: Graphics card Hard drive Ram PSU. It did this few months ago but I cant remember how I sorted it. Am I right in thinking the motherboard has gone? Could it be anything else? Edited October 10, 2010 by timaaay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbrus2 Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Normaly its the cpu causing that. I have had a few of my computers die the same way. it gets to a cirtain point and because the cpu is folting its overheating and turning itself off. but alas I have also had this happen when the motherboard has started folting out. But in my opinion if its one or the other both need changing. Get a new CPU and motherboared. If you have anouther rig that you can disect. start swaping parts out 1 at a time. and see if you can fined out exactly what it is that is going wrong. Are the components still under anywarrenty or anything? You can rule out ram. as long as you have the small speaker connected to the motherboared, most motherboards will give you a series of bleeps and they will tell you whats wrong. if if its a newer ASUS motherboared they have a lcd poster on the back or one that sits on the desktop to tell you whats wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HATZY Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 1 of my old pc's was havin the same problem. tried changin the cpu and nothin so in the end i just put an old ram stick in the wrong way round and turn it on to find out what would happen, that kinda disapointed me coz all it done was cook 1 small componant with a small poof of smoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaaay Posted October 9, 2010 Author Share Posted October 9, 2010 Nope, no other desktop I can use. I'm on an old laptop atm and need to get this sorted so I can do my college work. Dont really have the money for a new CPU Probably going to order a new motherboard tonight then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HATZY Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 have you tried puttin into google your problem and laptop? maybe some1 else had the same problem and put how they fixed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Cloud Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Seen that happen in the past and it was the motherboard. Not likely to be both board and cpu and I would choose replacing the board first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samari Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 (edited) There's no point just randomly replacing the motherboard. It's just as likely, if not more likely, that it's a RAM or CPU problem. People have just said "it's the motherboard" because they happen to have had that problem themselves but you've told them nothing which should make them think that it's a motherboard issue. Remove 1 RAM stick at a time and see what happens. If you're getting the same problem with each individual RAM stick go into the BIOS settings (press F10 or DEL at boot) and undervolt & declock the CPU slightly. If it works with now then the CPU is the problem. If you can get your PC to start then run a blend test on Prime95 to check if it's a CPU problem and Ramtest to check the RAM. Edited October 10, 2010 by Samari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger906 Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 id head my bet its a dodgy ram stick. I had that with my gaming pc, and i put it down do my graphics card as it kept causing graphical glitches when playing games, so i got a replacement card BFG kindly sent me there top card as a replacement and it still happend. So i tried removing ram sticks and bobs your uncle it worked still i prefer the way i did it as i got a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaaay Posted October 10, 2010 Author Share Posted October 10, 2010 I said in the first post I already tried each stick of RAM in turn. Made no difference. I cant get into BIOS to do anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny555 Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 It could also be the hard drive on it's way out. It's a common symptom of a dying drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitman Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 id head my bet its a dodgy ram stick. I had that with my gaming pc, and i put it down do my graphics card as it kept causing graphical glitches when playing games, so i got a replacement card BFG kindly sent me there top card as a replacement and it still happend. So i tried removing ram sticks and bobs your uncle it worked still i prefer the way i did it as i got a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HATZY Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 you sure its not the bios, i know they dont break often but they do break. ive seen machines do this from a bad bios Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger906 Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 you say youve swaped ram.. but maybe both are iffy? or maybe ones been a dud for a while. it could be a problem with the boot sequence. If you have a windows disk you can pop it in and it has a repair function that will check the boot. You could always download linux or something free, if that boots then its not a hardware issue. You can even install it to a usb device so theres no chance of lossing anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaaay Posted October 10, 2010 Author Share Posted October 10, 2010 Spent half an hour talking to Zakkieboy on chat. Been through everything, running the mobo on its own outside the case , reseating the cpu. Long story short, turns out the power switch on my case is faulty Cheers for all the replies though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage_Smithy Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Spent half an hour talking to Zakkieboy on chat. Been through everything, running the mobo on its own outside the case , reseating the cpu. Long story short, turns out the power switch on my case is faulty Cheers for all the replies though. LMAO all that trouble down to the cheapest component on the pc:rofl: ahwell atleast you know now:)probably a good thing you didnt order that new mobo then:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaaay Posted October 12, 2010 Author Share Posted October 12, 2010 (edited) Sods law Should have realised that was the problem, it never even occured to me until Zakkieboy mentioned it. And erm, I did order one. It's an improvement anyway. Edited October 12, 2010 by timaaay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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