Computer won’t start, BIOS won’t even load

[Jerry_03]

Some of you might have seen my other post just a few days ago. I was having trouble with my secondary rig (that issue is pretty much fixed now), but now
I’m having some trouble with my main rig (*censored* computer problems like to happen one after another):

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Rev 2.0
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe @ 2.66Ghz (Stock Clock) w/ Stock Heatsink & Fan
RAM: OCZ SLI-Ready 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800mhz 4-4-4-15 1T timings (Stock timings)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 260 896MB (575MHz/2000MHz Factory OC, 192 Processor Cores)
Sound Card: Creative SB Audigy 2
Hard Drive 1: Samsung Spinpoint F1 750GB 7200RPM (OS Installed)
Hard Drive 2: Seagate 320GB SATA 7200RPM
Hard Drive 3: WD Raptor 150GB 10000rpm SATA
PSU: OCZ GameXStream 600W
OS: Windows XP Home SP2 32-bit

It all started yesterday when I was playing BF2. After playing for about an hour, my computer just crashed, then restarted itself. However it just hung at the mobo splashscreen, before POST or loading Windows, so I turned it off. Later it booted up fine and got to the desktop. However within about 10 minutes, same thing happened: it crashed, restarted itself and hung at the mobo splashscreen.

Thinking it might be an overheating problem, I opened the case and cleaned out some dust using a can of compressed air. I then booted it up with the case side open and noticed a screeching sound that I’ve never heard before coming from the lower front end of the case. It didn’t load Windows at all and just hung at the mobo splashscreen. I then tried to determined what the screeching sound was. At first I thought it was my front intake fan (which also has a blue LED light on it that was kind of flashing, which it never did before). I disconnected the fan, rebooted and it still made the screeching noise, so it wasn’t the fan. Also now it wouldn’t even get to the mobo splash screen or load BIOS, I’m just getting a blank screen.

That was yesterday, today I tried booting it up again and still the blank screen. The PSU LED light is on, the PSU,CPU and fans are all running so I’m guessing it has something to do with BIOS or maybe the mobo.

I was still getting the screeching noise so I removed devices one at a time to determined what piece of hardware was making noise. The floppy drive ended up being the culprit. I took it out and now there’s no more screeching noise, however my computer still is not booting and I’m just getting a blank screen.

I’m not sure if the floppy drive malfunctioning had anything to do with Windows crashing and not booting or if it was just a coincidence.
Later I’m going to remove some devices one at a time until it boots, like removing the video and soundcard and using the integrated ones to get it to boot.

This is just a guess but would maybe flashing BIOS or clearing CMOS fix this problem?

If anyone has any other suggestions or advice on how to fix this problem, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Allan]

There's no harm in clearing the cmos & resetting the bios, though I don't think it will matter (unplug the computer from AC, remove the internal battery, wait 20 seconds or so and then replace the battery, close the cover and plug it in).

Do you have an XP CD? If so, can you boot to the recovery console? If so, try running chkdsk /r. Again, I don't really think this will fix your problem but there's no harm in trying.

And no, I don't see any correlation between a bad floppy drive and your current problem. Just make sure that when you removed it you didn't dislodge any other connections and the hd's are still plugged into the mobo.

[Jerry_03]

i tried clearing CMOS still no go. i do have the XP disc but computer wont even get to BIOS or POST, so i cant boot it using the disc.

i tried with just 1 RAM stick in all 4 RAM slots, still no go. I've removed all devices except for CPU,Vid Card,RAM and PSU, still no go.

i think i have a dead mobo.

[lectrocrew]

computer wont even get to BIOS

Will it allow you to enter BIOS when hard drive 1 (Samsung) is physically disconnected?

[Jerry_03]

nope.

[Karnac]

Swap in a known good power supply of equal or greater wattage.....

[Jerry_03]

i tried a different PSU, Video Card, RAM stick and CMOS battery from my other rig and the same thing. i think this pretty much confirms its the mobo.

now i gotta decide if im gonna buy a new mobo or send in this one to gigabyte to get a replacement as i think the warranty is still good.

thanks for all of your help.

[Computer_Commando]

Can't be anything but the mobo.  They still are selling for around $100.  Unless you like to flush money down the toilet, contact Gigabyte for an RMA.

[leejaedong]

It would be the mobo then. You've singled each and every point of failure. It wouldnt be a bad time to get a new mobo.