Bad motherboard or Bad Cpu????

[CT2]

How can I tell the difference between a fried cpu and a fried motherboard? My computer has been working until tonite. It totally went black on me while I was using it. I re booted and only get the cpu fan spinning and the lights on the HDD, I removed the RAM and the hard drives and turned it on... same result. CPU fan spinning but black screen. No bios, no beeps, no nothing! How can I tell if it is the CPU shot or the Motherboard which is fried? It went out on me right while I was using it. I hate to buy another motherboard just to find out it is the CPU and vice versa. Please help.

[rallynavvie]

What kind of board/CPUs/PSU were you running?

[CT2]

I have an AMD Athlon 2100+. Forgot the motherboard info... bougt it as a barebone system and put everything else in it. It just went black on me. I think I need a new motherboard, but not sure how to tell if it is the motherboard or the cpu.

[redwudz]

Generally, if you are getting no beeps, (And you at least got the startup beep before) you may have a bad motherboard or bad power supply. Even if you remove the CPU, you should get beeps. (Though I've never tried this.)

Power supplies are hard to diagnose without the proper tools. With no BIOS readouts, it's hard to tell if it died.

If your existing PS is less than 300 Watts, I would replace it anyway. Usually if the fans are running and the HD lights are on, part of the MB is still alive.

There is no easy way to check either PS, Motherboard, or CPU without substituting components.

I would start by checking all internal connections, then replace the PS because they are cheap. Finally, the MB and then the CPU.

[rallynavvie]

Check your ATX power connector for any signs of wear. Are your fans powered off motherboard headers or directly from the power supply? You could have a dead rail on the power supply to the motherboard. Hard to discern between CPU and motherboard without testing it with known good hardware.

[SquirrelDip]

Do you have a spare video card? - they've been known to blow also...

[DVD_Ripper]

Do you have a spare video card? - they've been known to blow also...

But should you still get past the post with a blow vid card....

[gitreel]

Look for burn marks on both the cpu and the motherboard.

That is an easy way of telling.

If it was an burned cpu, the system would shut off within a few seconds.

[LSchafroth]

I've seen this before and the cure was to unplug the power connector from the motherboard for a few seconds then plug it back in.

when I did that,. it powered right up.

Hope it's the same for you....

LS

[808smokey]

There is no easy way to check either PS...

They have PS tester for under $20. Not for the everyday person of course. More for system builders/techs

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