Solved computer wont turn on, no lights, no life

[alphanumeric]

Kerry, I don't have a monitor or keyboard attached because they are not easily accessible, since I just borrowed the computer to test it. This shouldn't pose a problem... right? Also reseated the RAM. Forgot to mention this in my last post.

Jack, Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to ensure the salvaged parts work before recommending any new purchases of parts^^

No keyboard or monitor shouldn't be a problem. The motherboard will still post without them. It just helps to see the BIOS screen while the PC is booting up. Not all motherboards have the little PC speaker/buzzer attached and if the case doesn't have one or its not plugged into the motherboard, you won't here the beep code.

 

[DustSailor]

Decided removing the cover was too much work; just going to give it back and say the motherboard is bad. There is like a 95% chance that it is the problem anyway (or so lol). Thanks for all the help! Learned some new things as well

 

[DustSailor]

No keyboard or monitor shouldn't be a problem. The motherboard will still post without them. It just helps to see the BIOS screen while the PC is booting up. Not all motherboards have the little PC speaker/buzzer attached and if the case doesn't have one or its not plugged into the motherboard, you won't here the beep code.

Didn't see this post. The CPU fan wouldn't turn on as a big basis for my assumptions. It also has a built-in buzzer that did not sound, I just found it right now lol.

 

[alphanumeric]

If I was a betting man my money would be on the motherboard having failed. If you have the cover off look for bulging or leaking capacitors. At one time years ago it was a big problem. I haven't heard of it being an issue recently though so it depends on how old the motherboard is.

 

[DustSailor]

^ Nothing leaking that I can tell. It is one of those cases that has the motherboard view side that you can remove, and you can remove the front panel (which doesn't show anything but the cage), but the top and other side are connected as one piece to the lip in the front. I couldn't figure that part out in order to get to the wiring, and decided not to spend any more time on it.

The motherboard isn't that old, with an i3 core intel CPU. But yea, I'm sticking with the motherboard theory. Just hope nothing else failed. Giving it back to the owners soon, they'll tell me what they want to do. They'll probably end up putting the whole thing in storage lol. Thanks for everyone's help on this!

 

[alphanumeric]

Trouble shooting an issue like that is a real pain if you don't have spares, and time consuming even if you do have spares. There is only so much you can do, that's the way it goes some times.

 

[Ztruker]

We need a cheap, reliable motherboard tester (pick one!).

 

[alphanumeric]

We need a cheap, reliable motherboard tester (pick one!).

Something like this? https://www.google.ca/#q=pc+post+card+tester I didn't look at the prices, I don't know how cheap they are, but they are out there. It's not something you would buy unless you were a computer repair shop or a real tech enthusiast.

 

[Ztruker]

Hmmm, Amazon has some from $3 to $10. Think I will get one to see how good they are. Could really be a big help.

PC POSTcard Testers

Thanks for the pointer.

Edit: I like this one: 4 Digit PCI & ISA PC Computer Motherboard Analyzer Tester Diagnostic Debug POST Card

Has both PCI and ISA connector.

Edit#2: Just ordered for $5.18 with no shipping.

 

[alphanumeric]

I haven't seen an ISA slot in a long time, that must be an older card. That's likely why its so inexpensive. Still, a lot of motherboards still have at least 1 PCI slot on them.

 

[caperjack]

We need a cheap, reliable motherboard tester (pick one!).

Something like this? https://www.google.ca/#q=pc+post+card+tester I didn't look at the prices, I don't know how cheap they are, but they are out there. It's not something you would buy unless you were a computer repair shop or a real tech enthusiast.

those are cheap and I have 2 them here somewhere ,one plugs into a pci /isa slot ,and one into the wifi slot on older laptops ,never did work all that great ,and the books with both of mine are poorly translated to English. they work on the same principal as the 4 red light you find on some board and see on the front case of some Dell towers.my older \dell workstation has the light on front of the case and flashes red yellow as the computer boots up
what they do or are suppose to do is tell you where the bootup stopped ,therefor what stopped it

 

[alphanumeric]

Also, if the PC won't post at all, they aren't going to tell you anything.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

If I may add. Capacitors are usually the component that fries due to a power surge. Usually won't explode and sometimes won't show signs of burning. They will swell up though. This is fairly common in older automobile boards.

I also would give it great odds it's the MB. What a shame on a fairly new computer.

 

[caperjack]

Also, if the PC won't post at all, they aren't going to tell you anything.

exactly!

 

[DEDon]

I've attempted to read all of the posts on this thread because my DX4870-UR3D has just died- same symptoms and I'm looking for a solution. A local computer repair shop returned it to me (with no charge) and said that it was either the motherboard or the PSU. This thread was marked with a solution but, I didn't read it anywhere. Could someone please enlighten me? Thanks

 

[alphanumeric]

Sometimes a thread will get marked as solved because the original person that started it gave up and moved on. The solution in this case may have been a replacement motherboard. If no solution was posted, then its likely no solution was found.

 

[caperjack]

A local computer repair shop returned it to me (with no charge) and said that it was either the motherboard or the PSU.

couldn't have been much of a repair shop if they couldn't have just plugged In a new PSU to rule out the old on as the cause

 

[iknownuffin70]

When I 1st read the problem I thought the same as Edwin, if you do this take off the side panel that reveals the component side of the PCB. Make sure you have disconnected the power cord 1st. Look for the battery Its flat and round, nearly always near CPU (About the size of a quarter) remove it for 30 seconds then replace re attach the power cord, turn on the computer it should boot into the system and start afresh. regards iknownuffin70