My computers cannot boot 2

[Dreamz]

I realize lots of people with same problems as me, but I tried everything and nothing works ;(.

My computer spec is:
1. ABIT SE6 motherboard
2. old memory stick
3. 600 mhz pentium
4. s3 trio 3d/2x video card
5. cd-rom, hd
6. Power supply 400 watt.
7. new AMD fan.

The problems are plenty:
1. I have to tried several times before getting the computer to boot. On fail state, the fan will spin for 1 second and it died. I need to diconnect the power before trying to turn it on again.
2. It hang intermittently in win2k

I tried lots of things:
1. flash the bios, clear the CMOS (by jumper and removing the battery).
2. checking mb ground effect (pulling out the mb to make sure no grounding happends).
3. Change memory stick
4. Change video card
5. Change power supply

I heard that fan can be a problem, but the system sometimes works .. and the fan temperature is < 40 degree celcius.

When I was lucky, the computer will boot and no problem if i did not touch it. If i started to play with it, it can crash.

I am desperate ... please help me !

 

[wolluf]

If you remove everything but the cpu, memory, video card & keyboard, will the machine boot every time (ie, to a POST screen - forget windows for the moment). If it will, try putting the other components back one at a time - should hopefully spot the culprit.
If it won't - you say you've swapped memory & video card - I'd try doing that again (eg, try the originals). Am presuming the motherboard is set up properly (jumpers, switches, bios settings) for the cpu & memory. If still no good, then cpu & motherboard have to be prime suspects (but you'll probably have trouble swapping them out too).

 

[edfair]

Power supply switch set correctly? Symptoms are similar to the switch set wrong.
The fan dying after 1 second indicates power problems also.

Wolluf has given you the troubleshooting path. I would also pull the offboard connectors and use a screwdriver blade as the power on switch. Short across the power on connectors to get it to power up. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[pentode]

Get a flashlight and take a close look at the capacitors (little metal cylinders) on your motherboard. If the tops are bulging and/or you see black gunk leaking out the bottom onto the motherboard, you need a new motherboard, or at least new capacitors.

There is an ongoing epidemic of defective electrolytic capacitors manufactured in Taiwan. The electrolyte was improperly formulated and causes Hydrogen gas to build up in the caps and blow out the seals.

Abit has had a major problem with this. I just replace my Abit mobo because of this. My symptoms were similar to yours. Abit is doing nothing to address the problem, unless your board is still under warranty.

If you do a Google search on &quot;electrolytic capacitors Taiwan&quot;, I think you will find some additional info.

It's probably cheaper to replace the mobo than bother with trying to replace the capacitors, although there is a guy in Utah that specializes in doing this repair. My board had about 40 capacitors and 20 were visibly leaking.

Good luck.

 

[sharper]

Sounds to me like a faulty CPU. Swap that bad boy out if you can.

 

[Dreamz]

First I would like to thank you for the kindly reply. But the thing is the computer sometimes works.

Sometimes it works like charm, but again the freezing problem occurs.

I checked on the capacitor. And I found 2 capacitors are buldging at the top, but I can't find the article in google under &quot;electrolytic capacitors Taiwan&quot;.

I tried to baselining (only use cpu, memory, video card & keyboard), but it did not work still. I still have to play with the power supply connection to get it works.

any more suggestions ???

Thank u in advance

 

[gargouille]

Hi pentode,
Star for the excellent suggestion...
Would you mind if muddskipper used your tip in an FAQ he's written?
(think he'd give you credit, long as you don't charge him anything) LOL
I'll ask him or he may read this and reply.

 

[jonhiker]

&quot;. I still have to play with the power supply connection to get it works.&quot;

This points to 2 things. A faulty power supply, or, i'm suspecting, a faulty connection on the motherboard.

Try the power supply in a different box, if it works, then it's a connection on the MOBO.

 

[Dreamz]

I tried 2 different power supply. And both give the same result.

I changed the motherboard to p3c2000, but some results happends.

Any other advices ??

I started to think about the capacitor may probably not working, coz I found a good article about it. But if it is very risky. I don't want to buy new motherboard and end up with same result ;(.

Thanks you

 

[pentode]

If you have &quot;bulging&quot; capacitors, you may as well plan on replacing the motherboard anyway, or getting caps replaced. If the caps aren't causing problems right now, they will be soon.

Check out this page for information on repair costs:

http://home.att.net/~garyheadlee/services.htm

The intermittent nature is typical of this problem, although it could certainly be something else. But with an Abit mobo, I'd be suspicious of those pesky capacitors.

 

[Dreamz]

Thank you everyone for the kindly reply.

I solved the problem, what I did was chagne the motherboard and the CPU. And everything works like magic now, all the gizmos are cranking.

I believe it is the capacitors problem, and I owe 1 big applause for &quot;pentode&quot;. Thanks you pentode.

 

[Wassup393]

I think definitely it was the CPU. Mine has the same problem and sometime if I wiggle it right it'll work for months, and sometimes it'll NOT work for months, exhibiting your exact symptoms.