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I rebuilt my computer several months ago and the old non-reused parts went into storage. It's christmas time and my parents have been bugging me to help them buy a new computer, so I figured I'd buy a case and reassemble my old computer and give them to it. It's more than fast enough for them.

The only parts not from my most recent hardware refresh was the case and the PSU (I pulled a currently used hard drive out of my current system to use in theirs, it's too small for me).

I bought a new case, and recycled a PSU that hasn't been used in over two years and I believe it was working when I removed it.

However, the computer isn't POSTing. When I turn it on, I get to output to the screen and no beeps. I removed the hard drives, video card (MOBO has additional integrated), DVD-ROM and case fans (not CPU fan) but only to get the same result. Removing the RAM resulted in the appropriate beeps so I don't think the MOBO is bad.

Currently the only things plugged in is CPU (w/ fan), memory, PSU and PC-Speaker.

Any idea where the problem lie? Everything but the PSU was working a few months ago, could I still get the MOBO beeps if the PSU is bad?

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  • It could be the PSU. Try the PSU in ur computer. It could be that the voltages are off for some reason.
    – ctzdev
    Dec 18, 2011 at 22:48
  • I doubt the PSU could handle the wattage requirements of my new system. I upgraded the video card and got two of them.
    – Malfist
    Dec 19, 2011 at 0:44

3 Answers 3

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The symptoms do suggest most likely the CPU simply being slightly off it's connectors. You should try to remove it, check for any bent pins or dirt and put it back in and try one more time. If that doesn't do it then it is most likely a broken MOBO.

PSU is also a possible cause for the problem but highly unlikely as those will usually shut down in case of failure. Just make sure you have connected all necessery wires to the right places.

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  • I've not removed the CPU since I took the mobo out of the old case. The heatsink/fan is massive and really hard to put on/take off so the CPU, RAM and CPU Fan stayed connected while in storage.
    – Malfist
    Dec 19, 2011 at 0:47
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    The handling could've caused the connectors on the CPU to disconnect a pin or two even by just micrometers, so all the more reason to double-check it by taking it off and putting it back after blowing any possible dust away.
    – Xdmg
    Dec 19, 2011 at 1:01
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In very rare occasions will the MOBO beep without ram but really be broken. As in physically will not power on because something else is broken.

For me this sound more like a power supply problem- so try to use another one and see if the problem persist. IF it does then most likely there is a MOBO fault... some damage occurred during storage, temperature differences, static discharge, moisture causing corrosion.. it is difficult to trace.

Try to reset the BIOS, remove the battery and put back into normal mode (without battery) Then try to start it with the RAM, GFX card, and cycle the RAM sticks (sometimes the MOBO wont beep but the ram can be broke still)

You just have to try and cycle the parts you got until you get some send from the MOBO .. If you feel like bashing your head on the wall-- then it is most liekly the Mainboard is D-E-D :(

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    I think you misunderstood me, it beeps about missing ram when I remove the ram. Otherwise there are no beeps. Removing the ram was me testing the MOBO. I've also reset the CMOS, that was the first thing I did. Both with the jumper, and when that had no effect, I removed the battery and left it unpowered for a few minutes.
    – Malfist
    Dec 19, 2011 at 0:42
  • So with the ram in it POSTS? You can see text on screen? If not then no.. i did not misunderstand you.. Sometimes without ram it will beep, then you put it in and... nothing..
    – Piotr Kula
    Dec 19, 2011 at 10:21
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Moving one ram stick to another slot fixed the issue. No idea why this was required, original configuration had worked for nearly two years.

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  • did you put them in slots such as 0 & 1 or 2 & 3? You probably know this, but typically the banks are in pairs 0&2, 1&3 etc
    – horatio
    Dec 28, 2011 at 15:23
  • Actually the motherboard is a bit strange. Slots zero and two are seen as together and one and three are the same. I had the ram in 0 and 1, so it was dual channel. Moving them to 1 and 3 (no dual channel) worked, moving them later to 1 and 2 (dual channel) which shouldn't work, did.
    – Malfist
    Dec 28, 2011 at 21:51

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