Everything is breaking at the same time, opinions please

[Zetti]

Hi all,

I have an AMD XP processor with ASUS A7N8X MB.

In october I bought a SATA HD, after 3 months it started doing a LOUD click and Windows failed to detect it, it was an intermitent defect and so I could save my data to another disc. It still worked for some weeks, doingthe LOUD click occasionally and disapearing from Windows, upon machine reboot it should work again...or not. At some point it stopped working definitely, only LOUD clicks, went to the bin. Unlucky on me, I thought.

One month later, the machine refused booting, no monitor signal, no noises, nothing, just a black off monitor in front of me. MB lights on, but apart from that, nothing, no BIOS available for me. A technician I had asked for help replaced the Video card (ATI AiW 9000 PRO) and it worked again, strange though is that, as it was a broken Video card, the MB hasn't done the usual beep to advise me....he said he tried the video card in another machine and it didn't work too.

One week (!!) later, the same HD problem happened again, but now with the boot regulat ATA disc, so of course no boot at all, same LOUD click ocasionally, that turned to be definitive after some days. I uninstalled the disc from this PC and instaled it as slave on another PC just to retrieve my data, no noises, no problems, working perfectly....

Now...what ? Any insight ?

Voltage problems....I don't think so...the HD's haven't just broken suddenly, they continued working and one of them is still working, but as slave on another (Pentium...) computer, someone told me it will break sooner or later as a physical problem has happened (loud clicks).

All I can think is a problem on the MB controller, maybe it is damaging, physically, the components ?
At this point I'm not likely to buy a new HD just to see it on the bin after a few months, I'm likely to trash the MB but would like people's opinion,

Thanks,

Zetti

[Abbadon]

Have you considered to update your bios ? getting the newest one from the manufacturer of your motherboard ??

Motherboards are cheap, you can experiment with what you have already or just replace the motherboard.

Saludos,

[ROF]

Could be two things and really two things only:

1) A bad power supply.

2) a problem motherboard.

My first suggestion since it's the easiest to replace is your power supply. If that does not do it you may want to replace your motherboard, but I really suspect the power supply in this situation.

Another question I'd have is the power grounded and surge protected? You would be surprised how many people have a three pronged outlet and they assume it is grounded.

[andydd]

Gremlins !

[budz]

Another question I'd have is the power grounded and surge protected? You would be surprised how many people have a three pronged outlet and they assume it is grounded.

I had the same situation where a pc I built for a relative told me after I installed new RAM the pc wouldn't bootup. As it turned out they told me the day after I installed the new RAM they had a power surge in their home. They realized the 3 prong outlet they were using with the APC battery backup unit wasn't grounded. Luckily it only took out their power supply and everything else was ok.

I also have the A7N8X mobo running with a AMD 2400+ mobile processor. As suggested replace the power supply. Get a good well known brand such as Antec.

[Nelson37]

Two hard drives, plus the videocard, plus the lack of beep. Interesting.

I would vote replace power supply immediately. Very likely cause of the problem, also cheap and easy to replace.

Does the MOBO ever beep, at all? Could simply be a broken or disconnected speaker. Try removing all the RAM and see if it beeps.

Are you using a good surge protector like APC, Minuteman, or Panamax? These are the only ones I recommend.

It is very rare for power problems to impact a video card. Possible the power supply is flaky and the video card just happened to die. Possible some voltage regulators on the MOBO are not working correctly.

I would not connect any new parts of any significant cost to that board. Replace the power supply, and all ribbon cables to the drives. Get a good surge protector. Be prepared for further parts replacement.

[Zetti]

Well, thank you very much to everybody that replied, much apreciated,

Following your and other people's opinion, it's definitely a power supply problem, although I have already bought a new PC - upgrading was in my plans already - I'll re use this PC too, but now with a No-Break,

Thanks again, I'm opening another thread regarding questions about my new MOBO, if you can help...

Thanks again,

Zetti

[ahhaa]

Well, I'm also wondering about what you have had connected to the All-in-Wonder... TV sets are great sources of static charges, AC riding in on audio grounds, etc.

I strongly agree with the UPS suggestion no matter what; my gear got a lot more stable after putting it on the clean power they supply.

On the clicking, I have a Promise TX2 card for my big HD (which is a sorts RAID card); I disconnected a burner, on another EIDE cable entirely, and the HD went nuts clicking & clacking, with the boot stalled out. Reinstalling the burner silenced the HD, there was nothing wrong with it- my point is that you may have something screwed up in your drive setup- look in Device Manager, if it shows no probs, perhaps inadequate sized or failing PS?

You do need to be ceratin what is going on. Many repair shops have PS testers if cost is important. I have a very similar mobo & cpu. If you start buying parts to test by substitution, make sure they would be what you'd want for your next computer too. (For example, you can usually get a case with PS for about the same cost as a replacement PS.)

If worst comes to worst- Your Asus mobo seems to be going for around $90 on ebay; one recent deal was $105 including a 2600 XP.

Good luck!

[Zetti]

Well, I'm also wondering about what you have had connected to the All-in-Wonder... TV sets are great sources of static charges, AC riding in on audio grounds, etc.

I strongly agree with the UPS suggestion no matter what; my gear got a lot more stable after putting it on the clean power they supply.

On the clicking, I have a Promise TX2 card for my big HD (which is a sorts RAID card); I disconnected a burner, on another EIDE cable entirely, and the HD went nuts clicking & clacking, with the boot stalled out. Reinstalling the burner silenced the HD, there was nothing wrong with it- my point is that you may have something screwed up in your drive setup- look in Device Manager, if it shows no probs, perhaps inadequate sized or failing PS?

You do need to be ceratin what is going on. Many repair shops have PS testers if cost is important. I have a very similar mobo & cpu. If you start buying parts to test by substitution, make sure they would be what you'd want for your next computer too. (For example, you can usually get a case with PS for about the same cost as a replacement PS.)

If worst comes to worst- Your Asus mobo seems to be going for around $90 on ebay; one recent deal was $105 including a 2600 XP.

Good luck!

Thank you, I live in Brazil and I can't buy electronics from Ebay

I'm now concentrated on building a new machine I just bought the parts (new MOBO, etc), but in some months I'll rebuild this problematic system through a no-break,

Thanks,

Zetti

[lacywest]

If worst comes to worst- Your Asus mobo seems to be going for around $90 on ebay; one recent deal was $105 including a 2600 XP.

Good luck!

I saw that Ebay auction ... I did bid on it but I didn't win.

Quite a few times ... I'm at work when these Ebay auction bids are ending.

[AngusMacGyver]

Thank you, I live in Brazil and I can't buy electronics from Ebay
Zetti

Actually, you can!
I'm from Brazil too and I buy from Ebay very often.
If you have a intenational credit card, you can buy from Ebay and pay through Paypal. If the declared value of items is below $50, you won't pay import taxes.

Good luck.

[Zetti]

I'm from Brazil too and I buy from Ebay very often.
If you have a intenational credit card, you can buy from Ebay and pay through Paypal. If the declared value of items is below $50, you won't pay import taxes.

Good luck.

Thanks, but I have already had enough trouble with Customs guys...indeed with lower than $50 stuff...

Thanks,

Cheers,

Zetti