Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

[Alpinevpr]

So around 2-3 weeks ago my computer blew up. The drama goes as follows......my nephew woke up, went downstairs and hit space bar to wake up my computer from sleep. Fans started and then right away shut down, he then didn't tell me this. So I go to play on my computer and I click my mouse like normal to wake it up and nothing, that has happened before, so I tap the spacebar. Fans come on then shut off and then I get the electrical burning smell. I unplug my power supply and proceed to troubleshoot.

First things first I start taking out peripherals, I take out my 2nd video card and try and start it, no dice. I take out the other one and it powers up, but not to a bios screen. So I think it is my PCI express slots cause 1 card is fine, the other is toast. I call and get my motherboard RMA'ed. I get that back and in the process buy a brand new video card, test my RAM (all good) and test the PSU (sort of). I put the new motherboard in with the new video card, hit the power switch and it powers up, but no bios screen, no display whatsoever. So I think it is the processor, so I RMA that. I get the processor back, install, boot and nothing. So now I'm thinking it's the power supply because the local computer shop I took it to in order to test it were retarded/no good equipment. For instance, they are unable to test DDR3 RAM and also do not sell higher quality components.

So long story long, I'm thinking I should RMA my PSU. My question is my computer isn't that old but I'm tired of this whole fiasco. Should I try and repair the thing or say fuck it and buy a new i7? Specs to follow.....

Intel Q9550 2.85 gHz CPU
Asus P5n72t- Premium Motherboard
8 gigs OCZ PC 6400 Ram (4 sticks)
Was 2 Nvida 260GTX video cards in SLi, now just 1.
Antec Trupower 1000W PSU
2 WD Rapor 10k RPM drives
2 random SATA HDD's
1 Sata DVD-RW

Any help or ideas would be stellar.

[NID]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

I think it is your power supply mate. You should have checked that first. If you have another power supply handy try plugging that in and see if things are different.

[Simon Preston]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

Agree. Certainly wouldn't trash that system which is by no means a slouch due to some that could be easily fixed. Does your computer emit any beeps when you start it up?
I'd get a new PSU. Unplug absolutely everything from the PC - Graphics cards, Harddrives, DVD drives, the lot! (oh but leave the internal speaker plugged in) Take out all but one stick of RAM and then reset the BIOS with the jumper. Now plug in the new PSU to the motherboard and start it up. If you hear it start beeping then it's probably whinging that it has no keyboard, gfx card etc etc. Turn it all back off and plug in one gfx card and the keyboard. Then hook up the monitor, switch it on and see if it gets into the BIOS. If it does you should know what to do from there on in.

[Alpinevpr]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

Agree. Certainly wouldn't trash that system which is by no means a slouch due to some that could be easily fixed. Does your computer emit any beeps when you start it up?
I'd get a new PSU. Unplug absolutely everything from the PC - Graphics cards, Harddrives, DVD drives, the lot! (oh but leave the internal speaker plugged in) Take out all but one stick of RAM and then reset the BIOS with the jumper. Now plug in the new PSU to the motherboard and start it up. If you hear it start beeping then it's probably whinging that it has no keyboard, gfx card etc etc. Turn it all back off and plug in one gfx card and the keyboard. Then hook up the monitor, switch it on and see if it gets into the BIOS. If it does you should know what to do from there on in.

So I left a lot out. My case (Antec 900) doesn't have a speaker. So what I did is I got an old speaker plugged it in and with the new mobo, ram and processor in it the whole thing posted with beeps that there was no gfx. I plug in the video card and nothing. No POST beeps at all. In addition to that with the gfx plugged in the fan on the card doesn't spin at all. So I was thinking that for some reason the power supply is under powered when the gfx is plugged in or something gets screwy that way. I don't know. I started the rma with antec today. It's been 3 weeks w/o a computer what's another week or so right?

I don't want to trash the whole system cause it's been great till just recently, I'm just to the point where i want to club baby kittens with a baby seal due to frustration. Another reason i was thinking about doing it was I would really like a new i7. They are very sexy. Anyway, thanks for the advice, I might try and buy some shitty 1k watt psu at best buy tomorrow and give it a whirl. By all means if something comes to mind though feel free to let me know.

[Simon Preston]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

It does look to be that your PSU got overloaded somehow and that's what caused the trouble. Those GeForce's are hungry feckers, add to that you're 2 10k RPM drives and 2 other drives + Quad core and it's very likely it all got a bit much for it.
However, if you do decide to get a new setup, feel free to send me the parts. :P

[Alpinevpr]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

It does look to be that your PSU got overloaded somehow and that's what caused the trouble. Those GeForce's are hungry feckers, add to that you're 2 10k RPM drives and 2 other drives + Quad core and it's very likely it all got a bit much for it.
However, if you do decide to get a new setup, feel free to send me the parts. :P

I may just get a new setup regardless. If the power supply is the issue and the RMA works, then I'll roll with that PSU until I can piecemeal together a new i7 system. When that happens, if shipping isn't too much, you are welcome to the old parts. As I said the motherboard is brand new and so is the processor. Only thing that didn't get harmed at all was the 8 gigs of ram and my drives.

[F JOHN]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

always shut your pc down when your not using it...it will last a lot longer in the long run

[Simon Preston]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

if shipping isn't too much, you are welcome to the old parts.

My reply was slightly tongue in cheek. I'd happily take it off your hands but I have no money to do so. Think if anything, any money I do have will be spent on silencing my machine and getting some hot swappable drive bays. Thanks tho

[Alpinevpr]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

My reply was slightly tongue in cheek. I'd happily take it off your hands but I have no money to do so. Think if anything, any money I do have will be spent on silencing my machine and getting some hot swappable drive bays. Thanks tho

Tongue and cheek or not, I was serious. I won't do anything with the parts if I build a new i7. The only thing you'd need to get is a new PSU as my Antec apparently can run the 460 gtx's I'll be getting, when and if I do.

[Simon Preston]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

Check your PM's mate.

[Alpinevpr]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

So for anyone that replied to this. I got the brand new psu back today, put everything in and no dice. Im done with screwing around with it so I'm just going to build a new computer. If i had any faith at all in the local tech shop I'd take it there but they are retards. So I get to save my cash.

[mnbvcxz]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

It'll be your motherboard. Surprising from an Asus.

[Kamal]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

so you changed the CPU, MOBO, Video Card and PSU and it still doesn't boot? Are you having a grounding problem in your case? Try taking everything OUT of the case, put it on a cardboard box and try booting it up. Also, when you say no dice, do you not get ANY post screens? If this IS a new Mobo, instead of trying to plug the monitor into your video card, try plugging it into the video output of the motherboard and do a boot up test.

[Alpinevpr]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

so you changed the CPU, MOBO, Video Card and PSU and it still doesn't boot? Are you having a grounding problem in your case? Try taking everything OUT of the case, put it on a cardboard box and try booting it up. Also, when you say no dice, do you not get ANY post screens? If this IS a new Mobo, instead of trying to plug the monitor into your video card, try plugging it into the video output of the motherboard and do a boot up test.

Yes to your first question Kamal. Brand new components with what you named. I thought of a grounding problem, but didn't do anything to test it out of pure frustration.

As for your question about any POST screens, I get nothing. I didn't think about plugging into the video slot on the MOBO. I'll try all of that either today or this weekend. I've been slacking and in a terrible mood. Browsing the net isn't the same on an iphone and I really only check at work when I can.

I'll give that all a shot and let you know sometime.

[Alpinevpr]

Re: Computer Blew Up, need some tech advice

So I gave that all a shot Kamal, it didn't work so it isn't a short. Also, there isn't a video out on my motherboard so I couldn't try that. Here is the odd thing with the whole situation. The computer powers up, fans come on, CPU fan comes on, motherboard looks powered but, my mouse which is USB and keyboard don't have any power. Mouse lights don't light up and the numlock key doesn't come on with the keyboard. With my new video card also, the fan on the video card doesn't come on when plugged into any of the pci express slots. I'm thinking I got another shit motherboard from Asus, espcially after all the hell I went through to get this one. Any thoughts/ideas?