Dead Motherboard replacement advice needed

[Helcaraxe]

Hi folks, first post here so bear with me. I am in the process of trying to fix my parents old pc which is a Packard Bell Imedia 1502 (i did say old). Basically the original mobo died and with them not wanting to buy a new PC i said i would try and sort it with my limited knowledge of computers. I have sourced a identical mobo on Ebay ( same type and same revision number). My question is as the computer would of been sold with a preloaded operating system and as they are second owners of the PC and have no rescue discs, if i straight swap the mobo's over should the system work? Or will i have to get another copy of XP.

 

Systems spec if needed:

Imedia 1502

Celeron D 2.93ghz

2gb Ram

 

Motherboard Giagabyte(colombia?) GA-8SIMLNF Version 3.1

 

Thanks in advance if you can clear this for me, i will have 2 very grateful elderly parents also.

 

Andy

[KenB]

Hi Andy and welcome to ExTS

 

If the m/board is exactly the same then there should be no problem swapping them over.

 

How do you know that the m/board is at fault ?

[Helcaraxe]

Thanks for the welcome Ken. I have come to my conclusion about the motherboard being dead from searching the net for a week or so for same fault being asked about. The existing motherboard will not boot at all not even first post and i have swapped out memory/cpu and psu for working ones but the same fault continues, which is an amber flashing light on the front switch and a constant beep(more like a click) and an amber flashing light on the motherboard and the cpu fan sounds like it is reving(?) in time with the beep. I tried searching for the beep code but the one i am getting isn't list for my bios.

[KenB]

The test is to do the following:

 

Switch off at the wall but leave the plug in to maintain the earth ( ground ) connection.

 

Disconnect all external hardware ( printer / monitor etc )

 

Strip all cards ( RAM / Video etc ) off the m/board.

Disconnect the power connections to the hard drive and DVD drive

Disconnect the data cables for these drives from the m/board end.

 

Leave only the 20 ( 4 ) way connection from the PSU connected to the m/board

 

Switch on.

 

You should get POST beeps.

 

If you don't get POST at this stage it is either the PSU or m/board at fault.

 

This may help:

http://kenspchelp.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=172

 

There is a voltage check for the PSU that I can give you a link to if you wish.

[Helcaraxe]

I have tried that test using my own OCZ power supply which is only a month old and runs as sweet as a nut. I believe that means my initial diagnosis must be correct. Unfortunately we don't have a manual for this motherboard and believe me i have tried sourcing one but with the computer being is old as it is its a bit of a mare trying to get anything close not even from Gigabyte themselves as it is one of their cheapo boards made for multiple company's manufactured by Colombia i believe. I did notice an orange led on the board labeled as 'DIMM LED' so could be a front bus fault maybe? or a DIMM slot itself?

 

Anyway the new motherboard should be with me in a day or two. I will get the old girl assembled again then hopefully fingers crossed all be be good again........else i'll be back. I'll post back here whether its good news or bad.

[KenB]

Look forward to hearing the good news :)

[Helcaraxe]

Well what can i say. My emotions have ran from elation to full out frustration today. Started great new(second hand but tested and working with 30 day guarantee) motherboard arrived less than 24hrs after ordering,great so far. Build the PC back up switch it all on and hey presto 'beep' bios screen-------windows boots up. Simples eh!! Power down, double check all connections etc..... Power up...............Nothing!!!! No first post just a gentle click from the hard drive. Take it all apart and follow your instructions above again. Nothing! Try another power supply nothing!

 

Right now i'm scratching my head getting very irritated with this rotten PC. What i thought was going to be a simple swap of motherboards has led me on a merry goose chase.

 

Where do you think i should look now as i have run out of ideas.:confused:

[Plastic Nev]

Considering it worked first time, but died after checking stuff, maybe there is a poor connection somewhere on one of the many connectors, but the first to check is the power supply connections to the motherboard, any signs of burning on pins or sockets? Same for the hard drive as well, that sort of thing needs to be carefully gone over and double checked.

 

Nev.

[Helcaraxe]

I think i will wait for the cold light of day and my frustration to simmer down before i start looking over it again. Thanks for the pointer Nev i shall have a look at the connectors tomorrow and take it from there.

[Plastic Nev]

Good thinking Andy, relax with a drink for tonight. Frustration can lead to silly mistakes making the situation worse. At 64 years old, I have been there, written the book, and starred in the film ha ha.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Hi

 

just a gentle click from the hard drive.

I don't like the sound of this ( if you will pardon the pun :) )

 

Disconnect the power and data connections from the hard drive and switch on.

Is the system stable ?

Do you get POST beeps ?

[Helcaraxe]

Hi

 

 

I don't like the sound of this ( if you will pardon the pun :) )

 

Disconnect the power and data connections from the hard drive and switch on.

Is the system stable ?

Do you get POST beeps ?

 

Okay i have checked over the PSU connections and their terminals on the motherboard and they all look clean also tried another PSU and still nothing.

 

Unplugged the hard drive which obviously stopped it from clicking but no POST beeps.

[KenB]

A clicking hard drive is an indication that the drive is dying.

 

With all cards and connections off the m/board and the 20 ( 4 ) way connection from the PSU providing power

if you are still not getting POST then it looks as if your initial diagnosis is correct.

 

I am still suspicious re. the hard drive clicking.

If it is then this is not good - it will not last too much longer ......if it boots up at all.

 

[Helcaraxe]

The clicking i was getting from the hard drive was more of a gentle tick about every 7 seconds. This is a replacement motherboard now Ken, supplied fully tested and working. What i don't get is that when it was first put together it booted first time. I corrected the time in the bios screen saved it and windows booted successfully, second switch on and now its like the original board no post with everything disconnected, i'm flummoxed by it all to be honest.

[KenB]

When you moved the CPU and heatsink over to the new board -

did you clean off the old thermal paste with rubbing alcohol and replace with new thermal paste ?

[Helcaraxe]

The CPU was attached to the heatsink by one of those thermal pads that some companies use, i carefully removed the CPU by warming the pad just enough to soften it so i could release it from the heatsink then cleaned off the traces of the pad and applied some Arctic thermal compound before re-installing.

 

I'm starting to think that a fault with the original system has knocked out the new board also!!

[KenB]

You are going to have to go back to basics with this one and strip off everything as in post #4

 

Unscrew the m/board and sit it on a piece of card or newspaper to insulate it from the case.

 

Switch on.

 

Do you get any POST beeps?

( This is assuming that you have an internal speaker )

[Helcaraxe]

I've now tried this on 3 different motherboards with 3 different PSU's, 2 different CPU's and 4 different sticks of RAM. Out of the case, in the case, hardware removed and installed. The only thing that hasn't been changed is the hard drive but as that shouldn't cause the board not to POST i'm not going to bother with it.

 

My parents have now gone a bought a nice shiny HP Pavilion desktop so my ineffective PC repair skills are no longer required :rolleyes:

 

I still have all the various boards and stuff so if anyone has any more suggestions i'm still up for trying something before i tip the whole lot in the bin:

[KenB]

I can understand if you have no hair left :)

 

Start with the PSU - select the "best".

 

Run this check on the voltages ( this is the only way to confirm that it is OK ...........and this isn't under load ! )

http://kenspchelp.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10

 

 

Once you have the PSU checked over check the CMOS battery on the chosen m/board.

It should read 3.0v If it is down below 2.8v replace it.

 

Now you know that the PSU and CMOS battery are OK connect the 20 (4) way connector.

 

Check for POST beeps. ( without any cards or other connections )

You should get some - IF the internal speaker is working.

 

Note:

If the tested voltages are down by more than 5% ( 12v reading 11.4v for instance ) then the PSU is not functioning correctly.

[Helcaraxe]

I think this thread can be put to rest now.

 

All three PSU units are functioning correctly as are the CMOS batteries, which leaves me with a pile of dead motherboards.

 

Well i am happy now just to have got to the bottom of the problem(i hate not knowing). I thank you for your guidance Ken its a shame that the end result was not a working PC again. But i'm content at having given it a go.

 

Andy