Computer wont boot up

[Renee_RR]

Last night i was playing games and my computer would shut off after 40 minuets. After a few times, i installed speed fan. It was overheating! Yikes! So i set up a box fan to blow on my computer. This helped but it still turned off. I remembered from my old computer that i would take off the the fans and heat sink(sync?)to clean the dust out of them. So i did this with the new(to me) computer.

Now when i turn on the computer, the fans start but it wont boot or anything. No lights nothing. I triple checked all the wires and they are connected. The cd/dvd does power up and i can open it so i dont think its the power supply. I also swapped the wires from the cd/dvd to the hard drive still nothing and the cd/dvd still can open and close. Also, when i try to turn it off, i cant from the button. I have to flip the switch in the back or unplug it.

Im out of ideas! Oh...I cleaned everything with a dry q-tip. No chemicals or solvents! Im not sure what other information you may need so just let me know. : )

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

[Renee_RR]

Here is the information on my computer...

Manufacturer:     
Unknow
Processor:    
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5000+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Memory:    
2048MB RAM
Hard Drive:    
41 GB
Video Card:    
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS
Monitor:    
Plug and Play Monitor
Sound Card:    
Realtek HD Audio output
Speakers/Headphones:    
Logitech g51
Keyboard:    
USB Root Hub
Mouse:    
USB Root Hub
Mouse Surface:    
Operating System:    
Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234)
Motherboard:    
Computer Case:    

[patio]

Is there a 4 pin ATX power connector not hooked up to the MBoard ? ?

[Renee_RR]

Hmm i cant find anything like that. I tried looking that up on the net and all the pictures they show is the whole power unit. Would it help if i took pictures of the inside of my computer? Then i could also show what i took apart since im not clear on the names.

[patio]

Sure...

[Renee_RR]

[Renee_RR]

Ive heard that if i dont line up the heat sink(sync) right i wont be able to power it up. I dont think its possible to do that with this set up. I think the latch wouldnt close if i had it wrong. Is this true?

[Aegis]

That is correct.  The "notch" at the top right corner of the processor matches the "notch" in the top right corner of the pin array, so it's doubtful you've installed it incorrectly.  You would not have been able to lock the processor in place easily.

Did you apply thermal paste to the top surface of the processor before you reinstalled the heat sink and fan?

[Renee_RR]

No i didnt. There seemed to be plenty on there. However, ive never seen gray paste before. Does that mean i should apply more or new stuff to it?

[Aegis]

I had that, earlier this year.  It's something most people (including me) never think about.  The paste has dried, and should be cleaned off and replaced.  You might find a small about of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) helpful in removing the old paste.

(You might find the other type of alcohol -- the drinkable/methyl variety -- helpful in removing frustration over this.)  Both in moderation, of course! 
(Thank you -- I'll be here all week!   )

You'll want to get some new paste to apply.

(Avoid the temptation to try restarting the system until the paste is removed and reapplied.  Each time you restart, however well-intentioned, risks heat damage which may become irreparable.  I lost a processor to this, earlier this year.  It's still hard to talk about it...   )

Good job with the photos, by the way...

[Renee_RR]

Now, will the new paste help keep it cool? Thats the least of my worries right now, since i cant even get it to work, but i would love to know for future reference

[Aegis]

The paste helps fill in the microscopic gaps between the surface of the processor and the bottom of the heatsink.  It looks smooth to the naked eye, but the paste, by filling in gaps, actually keeps air from being trapped between the two.  The air heats up, and makes matters even worse.

There are enthusiasts who will actually use fine-grained sandpaper to smooth the top of the processor.  It's a process (no pun intended) called "lapping" and is used by overclockers and folks who are trying to get maximum performances from their systems.

It's something of a dice roll, at this point.  You may find that once the paste is reapplied, the system will come on line just fine.  You may find, though, that it still won't turn on.

We'll have to take it a step at a time.  (You're probably thinking, Who's 'we'?)

Keep us posted.

(Patio's really good at this.  I do his "light work."   )

[Renee_RR]

Im starting to wonder if i fried the chip thats on the other side of the heat sink. Is there a way to test that? I SWEAR i had everything unplugged but i know i have made that mistake before when hooking up my cd/dvd players to my computer. Also, if you need different or better pictures of the computer let me know

[Aegis]

You could have a shop test it, I suppose.  (They might well do the same thing -- mount the CPU on a board to see what happens.)  From my experience, you can't really tell by visual inspection.

[Renee_RR]

Do you know what the test is called? How much (ballpark) do you think this test would cost? How would i go about finding a good place to take it in at that wont rip me of? Since this is a home made computer, i have no idea where to go.