Do I need a new motherboard?

[andoochau]

Hi guys, I am new to this site so I hope you guys can help me fix my computer!
anyways, lately I have been having troubles having my computer bootup and have a startup screen or windows pop up, but it doesn't. I sometimes have to boot it 1 out of 10 times for it to work, and eventually it does. One day it froze, so I have to hold the power button to turn it off, but now, the power is on, fans running, videocard fan running, but nothing on display.

I'm assuming its the motherboard because i heard no beep when I turn on my computer, also I've tried taking my ram out and turning it on and there is no beep. I change my ram around, i took out my processer to check, my monitor should be fine. When I turn it on, the only sound i hear from it is my harddrive i think too, and also my cpu fan is the last fan that spins after awhile. I took out my videocard, and cleaned it and put it back, i did that to my sound card and my network card too. so please help me out! =( i don't wanna go buy a new computer!

my specs:
2x2gb DDR SD Crucial Ballistix 1066Mhz
Nvidia Geforce 8800
Gigabyte S-series GA-P35-DS3L Motherboard
450watt Corsair power supply
Intel duocore 2 2.66 or 2.8 Ghz (im really bad with computers) lol sorry guys

hope this helps!

[kiosk]

450watt Corsair power supply
Intel duocore 2 2.66 or 2.8 Ghz (im really bad with computers) lol sorry guys


I basically outlined your problem.

[123456]

An 8800 definitely needs more than a wimpy 450W PSU... aim for at least 550W or greater

[andoochau]

but isn't my power supply working because its like running my fans?
I had this computer for like 4-5 years though?
and does the beeping matter? if my motherboard isn't making the sound?

[123456]

Anyone else think it could be a thermal issue?

[andoochau]

well, ill go run and get a power supply and get back to you guys!
thanks!

[andoochau]

so if it doesn't beep if i take the ram out and turn it on, it means its the motherboard?

[Matt]

Well, if your power supply is 4 yrs old, and if you've been pushing it hard... it could have started to malfunction when your PC started acting weird up until it eventually failed.. As I understand it, over time a PSU's maximum operating wattage/amperage can decrease with age (and more quickly if it overheats ie. PSU fan dies). For an 8800, a 450 watt PSU is probably a minimum, so if you also had lots of hard drives, optical drives, expansion cards, etc. all drawing power from it, it *could* be the PSU.

Not sure about a thermal issue though unless there is damage to the CPU.. once the CPU cooled off, it should have booted fine, well, until it started to overheat again.. Same with the GPU though.. if either is damaged due to heat, there should have been some signs: corrupted color pallet/patterns (GPU) or odd text characters appearing in random locations on the screen.. both of which usually result in freezing and/or crashing...

[jlreich]

Well said Matt. :)

so if it doesn't beep if i take the ram out and turn it on, it means its the motherboard?
Bad board, CPU, PSU can all cause a no POST condition. Also a shorted video card or other component could cause this.

If you haven't already you should do a bare bones boot. Unhook everything except CPU and ram. If you get a POST beep, or a no video warning (assuming you don't have on-board video), you can feel pretty good the mother board and CPU is OK. If nothing, then remove the ram and if you still get nothing, then you have narrowed it down to CPU, board, or PSU.

If you do get a successful POST you can add in the video card and monitor first and then one component at a time until you no longer POST and you have likely found the issue.