Ask the Doctor: Everything is Broken
Ask the Doctor: Everything is Broken
Posted 02/18/2009 at 10:45am
| by The Maximum PC Staff
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I built a computer for a friend a couple of years back, and it was working fine until a few weeks ago, when the computer started to lock up on boot and the screen would stay black. I tried to reinstall Windows XP, only to have it freeze halfway into the setup. Eventually I was able to reinstall XP. All case fans, the CPU fan, and drive lights work fine. I updated video drivers, replaced the videocard, the memory, and the power supply, and even switched out hard drives; the system still locks. I’m at a loss for what to do next. I suspect maybe the mobo is at fault. Can you help?
—Howard King
Well, there are an awful lot of possible culprits here. First, make sure the machine is not overheating. A heatsink fan that is clogged with dust or thermal paste that has dried up could be to blame. While you’re at it, make sure the heatsink is properly seated. Perhaps your buddy was in there one day and knocked the heatsink slightly off kilter.
Next, make sure the graphics card is firmly seated and see if anything is loose in there. Third, download the free memtest+ utility (www.memtest.org) and check out the machine’s RAM.
Finally, check the BIOS settings. Maybe the CMOS battery went bad or your friend was playing in the BIOS and set something improperly. Pay close attention to RAM timing and frequencies as well as the front-side-bus settings.
One esoteric possible problem: bad cables. Check the hard drive and optical drive cables for any nicks, cuts, or damage. The Doctor has seen bad cables cause all kinds of wacky behavior.
If all of the above check out, it’s time to consider the possibility of a bad motherboard or CPU. Get into the case with a good flashlight and take a close look at the capacitors on the board. If any of them are bulged out, you’re a victim of capacitor failure and a board replacement is in order.
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SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION Are flames shooting out of the back of your rig? First, grab a fire extinguisher and douse the flames. Once the pyrotechnic display has fizzled, email the doctor at doctor@maximumpc.com for advice on how to solve your technological woes. |
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Aviar
February 18, 2009 at 1:48pm
While I agree with memtest being a good place to start to test memory. I have found that you cannot rely on this 100%. I built a new pc last year, and had a bad memory chip right out of the box. Ran memtest for a couple of days and no failures. I then pulled the memory and put it back in one at a time and was able to isolate the bad chip. Most memory also has a lifetime warranty on it as well, so this could be a great place to start troubleshooting hang up issues like this.
Remember, don't take life too seriously. You won't make it out alive anyways.
majorsuave
February 18, 2009 at 12:42pm
Last time I had this type of problem I gave up.
Of course, an ASUS P2B dying in 2005 was pretty much fair to me. I still keep the Slot One PII as I believe it was quite a stylish package.
Drunken Hero
February 18, 2009 at 12:35pm
I had to deal with this on more than one occasion. Power surge from a storm lately? The problem I encountered was blown capacitors on the motherboard, you may want to give them a close look. If that's not the case, connect a known good power supply and give that a shot. Like the Doc said, always check for loose cables first. Hope this helps mate. Cheers!
Drunken Hero
thecliogeek
June 25, 2009 at 4:58am
I have seen more blown caps in the last couple months too. I get them all the time in my shop with freeze ups in Winodws, unexplainable corruption of data, and freeze ups OUTSIDE of windows (in Quickteck testing software, in the boot-up screens, etc..). Look at the capacitors all over the mainboard and check the way the metal is crossed on top. Look for brown or white crusty material leaking out of them or even "almost popped" ones too. I also had this problem with a "certain-brand board" which are in the forums of it's support pages that out of no where it starts to act up about 15 to 20 months after first use. We have since quit using that brand board. BTW, there is nothing bad showing on the board either. So go to your support pages of that board and check there too!!
dedgar
February 18, 2009 at 11:08am
There is also the possibility the the hard drive is starting to go. Most of the manufacturers have diagnostic software that can be downloaded from their website. Get a copy and run it. I've had drives fail the diagnostics that didn't set off S.M.A.R.T.
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