Maybe a MOBO issue??

[SE14man]

Hi there people.

Got a slight problem with a PC.

When i turn it on the PSU fans amonst all other fans go round and run for about 10 seconds then cut out and start again and run for 10 seconds and so on.......... but during this there is no beeps or anything along with no screen (video) any ideas people?

thank you.

[jman98]

I've seen weird problems happen that were only related to PSUs and once they were replaced the problems vanished. If you have a spare good PSU handy (I always have at least one on hand) you could try replacing it. But if it really is your motherboard then replacing the PSU won't help. If you don't have a spare then you'll have to decide if it's worth buying one when it may not solve the problem.

I don't suggest this as being likely, but if your motherboard physically touches the metal parts of your case it can cause fans to behave oddly. If this is a new build then I suggest that you check to be sure that spacers were installed between the motherboard and the case.

[redwudz]

Sounds like maybe overheating of the CPU. I had a CPU heatsink come loose and that's about what it did. Second could be a failing power supply, but I'm just guessing. Standard procedure for me is to open up the PC and check all connectors and boards, RAM and reseat them and make sure the CPU heatsink hasn't come loose.

If no improvement, try a substitute power supply.

If still no, then maybe the motherboard or possibly a dead CPU. It's hard to tell with no BIOS beeps and a quick shutdown. You could unplug all boards, drives, and RAM and try it again. You should get BIOS beeps if the MB is still alive and the PS is working.

[SE14man]

Hi there thnaks for the replies.

I have actually tried 3 other PSU's to which i still get the same result.

A slight concern though... the CPU has a heatsink i have never seen before. A great big finned aluminium block instead of a fan.
took off the block and noticed that the blue glue has turned to a powder and it does look like its got incredibly hot.

Ive done all those isloation tests such as removing ram hard disks, video card, etc etc and still its the same issue.

I think it could be a fried CPU. Looking at the mess on the block protecting the CPU it does look like at some stage its got very hot.

Are those finned aluminium blocks known to be terrible?

cheers.

[jman98]

I've heard of fanless heatsinks, but only ones made of copper. I wouldn't use one but if you are insanely sensitive to noise and you don't have a really powerful CPU I guess you could consider it. Sounds like you don't know anything about this PC since you didn't put it together, so it could just be some numbskull's project that went horribly wrong because he didn't know what he was doing.

[SE14man]

Aah i got ya maybe it is copper actually then and not aluminium! It's huge though!
I have never seen a MOBO quite like this one infact it has a board going form the video card with a scard connector and tv out on it etc along with a load of other internal boards which ive never seen before.
The PC is a Medion and was bought on special offer from a store we have here in australia called 'ALDI' which i think there are chains of all around the world.
What i find bizarre is the fact im getting no beeps but just that all the fans spin hwnei turn the PC on the they all cut out after 10 secs then start again and so on and so on and so on....

It's the first motherboard ive see with a metal heatsink im used to seeing fans on the CPU's.

Do oyu think i could buy a fan for it or would that MOBO only be made for those emtal heatsinks plus if it is the CPU id probably need to buy a new one of those too but i wonder if the motherboard could handle a core 5 CPU as i htink the one in there is something like an intel core 2 duo or something....

Thanks for your help guys

[magillagorilla]

Not trying to br rude but you may be in over you head of you cannot tell the difference between a socket 775 and socket 1155 CPU. If it is a socket 775 (for core 2) then it wont take a Core i3-5-7. Was the unit used? Do you have the option of returning it?

It also seems unlikely that a socket 775 CPU could run fanless, not impossible but strange. Almost all full sized CPUs have a metal heat sink with a fan on top of the heat sink. Are you sure there isn't supposed to be a fan on top of the heat sink you have? Some MBs can detect the working state of the CPU fan and shut the machine down to avoid CPU damage if the fan is not working or not present.

If there is no boot up "beep" then the system is not running the power on self test. So perhaps your CPU isn't registering, your MB is bad, or your BIOS is missing or the system does not have an internal speaker to convey beep codes.

If there were a beep code you would have a chance to identify the offending component, if you also knew the make of the BIOS and MB for which the POST beep codes may be unique.

The first step for you is to identify exactly what type, make, model components are in the box.

Sounds like the thermal compound between your CPU and heat sink dried up. That's pretty common but now you have to make sure you replace the thermal compound before replacing the heat sink and turning the computer back on.

[usually_quiet]

If it is like most pre-built PCs there should be a sticker somewhere on the case with the model number printed on it. With that information you may be able to find out more about the CPU and motherboard.

Was there originally a hood/shroud with an attached fan located above the CPU and heat sink? I have seen some older pre-built machines which had that kind of cooling system.

Anyway, as was already stated you will need to clean the old thermal paste off of the CPU and heat sink and apply new thermal paste to the CPU before re-assembling them. There are some video guides available on YouTube and some retail websites specializing in computer parts that will demonstrate how to do that.

[Nelson37]

Lots of Dells used a heatsink like that. LOTS and LOTS of them. Some had some copper, but many were just plain aluminum. Usually with a shrouded fan on the back of the case. Got six or eight of those heatsinks in a drawer.

Almost certainly to old to upgrade to a modern CPU, however, rather than just guessing, how about getting a make and model off of the mobo? There is almost always some identifying marks on it.

BTW, the blue stuff is not glue, but heat-sink paste. Completely different.

[ranchhand]

I think it could be a fried CPU

I doubt it. If the CPU blew everything would fire up (mainboard power lamp, fans would spin up, power supply fan would spin up, etc.) except there would be no response from the hard drive so (obviously) the OS would not boot. The fact that it is in a reboot loop probably means the CPU is overheating and shutting down to prevent meltdown. There may be other problems also, strange you are not getting BIOS code beeps - unless the system beeper is not hooked up. Try resetting the CPU with thermal grease, if that doesn't help don't spend a lot of time or money on antiquated hardware. Clean the chip first, use a slightly moist edge of a paper towel with paint thinner. Dissolves old grease instantly.

[SE14man]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Have attached a number of images i have just taken with a camera.

It is a Medion PC MT 8

Thanks again for your replies.

Here are some specs on it:

http://www.aanbod.be/computers-en-software/desktop-pc/medion-pc-mt-8-core-duo-6300-320...gb-432970.html

[SE14man]

also managed to find the mobo manual here: http://217.110.237.70/Manuals/7204-engl%20-%20MS-7204%20-%20Medion%20MD8800.pdf

[usually_quiet]

Is there something you can check to make sure that you have a Core 2 Duo? Is there legible printing on the CPU under the thermal paste?

Going by the the specs listed in the motherboard manual you linked to, a Core 2 Duo might not work with that motherboard. The manual says it supports "Intel® Pentium 4/ Celeron D Prescott LGA775 processors (Prescott and Smithfield) in LGA775 package". While a Core 2 Duo CPU uses socket LGA775, the BIOS and other components on an OEM motherboard built for the other processors might not allow one to be installed.

Judging by what turned up in some of my searches, it seems like there may be more than one version of the Medion MT8. Are there any other numbers following "MT8".

[aedipuss]

old oem motherboard, msi doesn't support it. from the manual - "Supports Intel® Pentium 4/ Celeron D Prescott LGA775 processors (Prescott and Smithfield) in LGA775 package." the chipset should support any 775 dual or quad core, but the bios may not and you won't find any updates at msi.

shouldn't even have a c2d in it. may be why it won't boot.

and where is the hard drive? nothing in the h.d. cage. don't see any ram in the memory slots either? it certainly won't even attempt to boot with no working memory.

[aedipuss]

have you tried clearing the cmos? there is a jumper on the board. also how about hitting delete or f1 after the power button to see if it will go to the bios screen?


tried a different video card?

[redwudz]

I think I would wash off the CPU and heatsink, though I normally use 99% isopropyl or denatured alcohol and a couple of paper towels and some Q-tips. Then put on a thin layer of thermal compound and give it one more try. But even with worn out and powdery thermal compound, a CPU should run for a few minutes. I've only had rapid shutdown when the heatsink was so loose that it was just hanging there.

I have seen working CPUs with some blackening on the surface, but that's not good. Don't pull out the CPU unless you have to as they generally have many tiny pins that are easily bent and very difficult to straighten.

Unfortunately, there is no simple way to test a motherboard or a CPU except substitution with known good parts.

[ranchhand]

It's kind to hard to tell, but on the close-up of the CPU with old, gray thermal grease on it... looks like the grease overflowed and ran down onto the mounting wafer (?). I can see the central part outlined where the heatsink was mounted, and a ridge buildup of grease around the outside perimiter. It may just be the photo, but it looks like way too much grease was used and overflowed. If this is the case, that will cause what you are experiencing also.

[KBeee]

I had a very similar thing happen about a year ago with my main computer. Turn on - fans start up, before post screen or anything else happens the computer re-boots exactly as if I'd hit the reset button, and continues in a loop.
It turned out that time it was a badly seated e-sata cable connecting to an external HDD! Re-seating the cable fixed the problem. Perhaps unplugging and re-seating all your connections might help.
Having said that, 5 days ago my main computer again started doing the exact same thing, and there's no e-sata cables connected this time...

[magillagorilla]

That heat sink looks like it may have been part of a liquid cooling system. If it was liquid cooled you are missing many components. Also, if it was liquid cooled there is a good chance the BIOS has been tweaked to boost the clock speed and voltage of teh CPU.

I'd guess by just the look of the hardware you have a Socket LGA775 P4. The value of that hardware is very low. I would discard it. If you are determined to make it work you definately need a fan or the rest of the liquid system. There is no way a P4 is going to operate on a passive heat sink. You also need some new thermal paste. I would also reset the BIOS as it has likely been "tweaked".