AboutRider Expertise With 20 years experience I can answer almost any question about Intel computers ror build, restore, backup, configure, OS problems, Hardware issures. Setup of hardware components, repair, remove and replace. Trouble shooting hardware/driver issues.
Qwner of DIY Computer Repair and autor of the DIY Computer Repair E-Book
Experience I have been a hardware/os tech for over 20 years, I also own a web site for the do it yourselfer with over 170 articles.
Education/Credentials AAS Electronics Engineering Technology, MCSE, A , HP/IBM/Compaq hardware repair ceritfications
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Expert: Rider Date: 1/15/2008 Subject: PC motherboard power concern
Question Hello Rider,
In my computer the motherboard receives power, the processor fan spins, the LED on motherboard is lit.
None of the drives, HD or CROM are powered up.
I replaced the power supply with one that I know works in another P4 system ... still the same issue.
Is there something on the motherboard that could be preventing the drives from getting power?
The drives themselves I have placed in the other working P4 computer and they receive power and boot up.
Regards.
Answer Troubleshooting power problems is not hard but it is a long and involved process.
Disconnect all the devices, remove all the cards in the system.
You will have to go to the manufacture's web site to get the beep codes, I don't know them all.
With only the processor and memory on the motherboard, power up the system. Did it beep?
If it did not beep, remove the memory, power up. Did it beep?
If it did not beep the motherboard or the processor is at fault.
If it did beep put one memory module in, power up, did it beep?
If it did not beep put in another memory module, did it beep?
If it did not beep when memory was installed then it is either the memory at fault or the motherboard has failed.
If it beeps with only the memory and processor, put the video card in, does it display on the video screen?
If it doesn't try a diffent video card, if it still doesn't display it is the motherboard.
If it displays then it was the old video card.
If the system had embedded video you need to try will a video card.
If it displays on the monitor, power down and add one card at a time until they are all back in the system or it fails to start, that will be the device that has failed and is stopping the system from starting.
If you put all the cards back into the system and it starts the you need to do the same thing with the drives, connect them one at a time until you find the failed device.
