no_spam_paquette
Wed Jul 16 03:57:22 PDT 2008
On Jul 16, 12:53 am, "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeB...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> paque...@uwo.ca wrote:
> > Thanks very much for the thoughtful reply, Paul!
>
> > On Jul 15, 9:47 pm, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> >> no_spam_paque...@uwo.ca wrote:
> >>> Last week I purchased a replacement motherboard (Intel D845GEBV2=97ne=
w
> >>> in original factory box factory sealed static bag from an eBay
> >>> reseller) for a spare machine in a guest room upstairs. The machine
> >>> was used mainly for Internet connection and I wasn't interested in
> >>> spending a lot of money to upgrade it. Prior to replacement the
> >>> onboard ethernet card had stopped working and I could no longer get
> >>> the machine to boot up with the floppy disk first in boot order in
> >>> BIOS. What prompted me to replace the board, however, was that it
> >>> stopped booting up XP (except from the Ultimate Boot CD for XP) and
> >>> I noticed one of the capacitors was starting to ooze.
>
> >>> After installing the new motherboard, however, I found that the
> >>> machine would not boot at all=97in fact it would stop working before
> >>> it even got to the POST beeps. I tried a different power supply
> >>> but that didn't make any difference. I then tried pulling the
> >>> memory and that got me through to three POST beeps (memory fault)
> >>> on the new board. I tried one memory stick at a time but no luck
> >>> on that either. I removed the three cards including the video
> >>> board from the machine but that too proved to be a dead end. I
> >>> also tried unplugging the hard drives to see if I could boot from a
> >>> floppy=97no luck on that either or on disconnecting the two optical
> >>> drives!
>
> >>> My whole purpose was to avoid spending a lot of money on this old
> >>> machine so I'm not keen on buying either memory or a CPU simply to
> >>> rule them out as possible causes for this behavior. So I'm hoping
> >>> someone will unlock the secret of what is going on here for me.
> >>> I've built many machines and changed many motherboards but never
> >>> run into anything quite as obstinate or mysterious as this.
>
> >>> One thing that strikes me as quite peculiar is that the machine will
> >>> not start up at all=97not even for a few seconds=97from the regular
> >>> start switch. It will only start from the master on-off switch on
> >>> the power supply.
>
> >>> Thanks in advance for any help!
>
> >> To start with, if a product has been "in the bag" since 2002, the
> >> CMOS battery could be flat. That is the first thing I'd check,
> >> before even assembling the thing. (I say that, because I'm averaging
> >> a 3 year life on CR2032 batteries, on stored computers here. They
> >> don't last long
> >> at all. They last longer when the computer remains powered and +5VSB
> >> is available, but that is a waste of electricity.)
>
> > Thanks but apparently the battery is still hanging in there!
>
> >> The 845GE provides onboard video, so you don't need a video card to
> >> test it. One less thing to worry about.
>
> > Right=97I removed it for testing=97and finally discovered (I'm a bit
> > embarrassed to admit ita bit embarrassed to) a jammed reset button!
>
> >> If the motherboard will beep the speaker, when all RAM is removed,
> >> that is also a good sign. As far as I know, on the modern
> >> motherboards
> >> I know about, the beep is generated under program control, meaning
> >> the firmware plays a part in the repetitive beep pattern. It also
> >> means a significant part of the chipset is testing good, in order
> >> to emit the beeps. So I wouldn't be shopping for a new processor
> >> just yet.
>
> >> A machine which starts as soon as the rear switch is turned on,
> >> indicates the Southbridge is under stress. I've seen this happen,
> >> when an IDE cable was half inserted (not all pins making contact).
> >> The Southbridge has multiple voltage islands inside, and upsetting
> >> the relationship between them, can cause PS_ON# to come on.
>
> >> So to start, change the battery, and see what happens. If
> >> you have a multimeter, 3.0V or more would be a decent voltage for
> >> a good battery. Below 2.4V on the battery isn't good. The battery
> >> path normally has a diode in it, so there isn't a good reason
> >> for a flat battery to hold the computer hostage, but you
> >> never know (I've read reports that it can).
>
> >> Also, as part of the stress theory, disconnect both IDE
> >> cables, and see if that makes any difference to the
> >> symptoms.
>
> >> Paul
>
> > I'm still not out of the woods yet with this machine, however! It
> > will now boot just to the point immediately before XP wants username
> > and password authentication and then it hangs but I guess that will
> > have to be a problem for another day. At least the mystery of the
> > elusive reset-button jam is solved!
>
> > Again, many thanks for the thoughtful diagnostic ideas, Paul!
>
> Unless the MB you bought is identical to the old one you will need to do =
a
> repair install and load the various MD, video, sound card and so forth
> drivers from the CD that came with the MB.
>
> How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows
http://supp=
ort.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=3Dkb;en-us;315341
>
> How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://michaelstevenstech.com/X=
Prepairinstall.htm
>
> Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www=
.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html
Exactly same model and version as old MB!