Computer Repair Experts...I need your help

[mwgiii]

A couple of days ago, a neighborhood power transformer shorted out. This caused about 4 or 5 brownouts in the span of about 15 seconds in my house.

My old desktop (Velocity Micro Edge E2250) is connected to a surge protector but not a UPS backup. It is left running 24/7 helping World Community Grid. I noticed that it was powered off instead of rebooting like the other computers and DVRs in the house.

When I tried to turn it on, it hangs on the initial BIOS screen and won't go any further. It will also not let me enter BIOS and just sits at that screen.

I have tried the following things, but the result is always the same freeze on the BIOS screen:

* Left computer unplugged.
* Pulled battery and left unplugged
* Pulled all memory sticks and tried them 1 at a time
* Swapped hard drives
* Swapped video cards
* Swapped power supply

I am out of things to try. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Velocity Micro Edge E2250
Intel Quad Q9450
OCZ PC2 6400 8GB Ram
Nvidia 9800 GTX
Hitachi 750GB HD
Windows 8.1

 

[mike123abc]

I would suggest that the motherboard (or CPU) is fried. But, I would try to put the jumper in to use the backup/recovery BIOS image to see if that one will boot. If it does, try reflashing the BIOS.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

First off good to see you back, I was actually thinking about you the other day.

Honestly it sounds like the motherboard may have gotten fried. Can you get into the BIOS settings at all? If you can I would try reflashing the bios.

 

[Magic Static]

Is there a speaker on the MB? are you getting BIOS alarms? My gut feeling is the CRAP OCZ ram, which they don't make any more.

 

[waylew]

Did you check the battery to see if it's still good/try another battery?

 

[mwgiii]

I would suggest that the motherboard (or CPU) is fried. But, I would try to put the jumper in to use the backup/recovery BIOS image to see if that one will boot. If it does, try reflashing the BIOS.

I will give that a shot.

First off good to see you back, I was actually thinking about you the other day.

Honestly it sounds like the motherboard may have gotten fried. Can you get into the BIOS settings at all? If you can I would try reflashing the bios.

Thanks Scott! I lurk from time to time but don't post very often. I'm afraid that you are correct about the motherboard. I cannot get into BIOS at all. It locks up on the screen where you hit "Delete" to enter BIOS but freezes there.

Is there a speaker on the MB? are you getting BIOS alarms? My gut feeling is the CRAP OCZ ram, which they don't make any more.

There is a speaker but I get zero beeps. It came with 4 sticks of RAM, that would be weird that all 4 went at the same time.

Did you check the battery to see if it's still good/try another battery?

Nope. I will try that.

 

[harshness]

There should be a jumper (or a momentary switch) on the mainboard that will reset the CMOS. Pulling the clock battery will eventually accomplish the same thing, but it could take days.

This is an EVGA mainboard?

 

[mwgiii]

There should be a jumper (or a momentary switch) on the mainboard that will reset the CMOS. Pulling the clock battery will eventually accomplish the same thing, but it could take days.

This is an EVGA mainboard?

No. It is an Asus P5N-D.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Check out http://support.asus.com/Troubleshoo...&s=22&hashedid=yQYfAtkxxZMjR79G&os=30&no=1723 and see if that helps.

 

[mwgiii]

There should be a jumper (or a momentary switch) on the mainboard that will reset the CMOS.

Check out http://support.asus.com/Troubleshoo...&s=22&hashedid=yQYfAtkxxZMjR79G&os=30&no=1723 and see if that helps.

I just tried the jumper. Same result. Computer locks up on the BIOS screen but won't allow me to enter BIOS.

Grr!!!!! It looks like the motherboard is dead. I guess that is not too bad since it has run near 100% CPU utilization 24/7/365 since '08 or so with only a video card and PSU upgrade.

 

[harshness]

Without a P.O.S.T. test card it is very difficult to diagnose any further.

Maybe you can find a used board online.

 

[Foxbat]

The fact you're getting video is a good thing. Have you tried a different keyboard? Maybe it fried and that's why you can't interrupt BIOS.

If you've reset CMOS and still no joy, I'd see if the P/S is okay. Your description sounds like you built it yourself, so hopefully you have another P/S you can swap in.

D'oh! I re-read your post about trying a different P/S. Never mind...

 

[Ilya]

I just tried the jumper. Same result. Computer locks up on the BIOS screen but won't allow me to enter BIOS.

Grr!!!!! It looks like the motherboard is dead. I guess that is not too bad since it has run near 100% CPU utilization 24/7/365 since '08 or so with only a video card and PSU upgrade.

Sounds like it's time to replace it anyway.
Hopefully the hard drive is still good.

 

[harshness]

The fact you're getting video is a good thing. Have you tried a different keyboard? Maybe it fried and that's why you can't interrupt BIOS.

I hadn't thought of this.

Some of the Asus desktop mainboards that are outfitted with PS/2 ports (as this one does) complain of a missing keyboard but if the keyboard or port are hinky, maybe it wouldn't cough.

 

[mwgiii]

Have you tried a different keyboard? Maybe it fried and that's why you can't interrupt BIOS.

I hadn't thought of this.

Some of the Asus desktop mainboards that are outfitted with PS/2 ports (as this one does) complain of a missing keyboard but if the keyboard or port are hinky, maybe it wouldn't cough.

I haven't thought of trying a different keyboard. But alas, no joy. Same freeze.

 

[. Raine]

Try putting new heat sink compound on the chip. If it's been running at 100% CPU for a long time, the compound is probably baked. Even though it's a LGA socket, try re-seating the chip too and when you have the chip out look for discolored contacts on it, I've seen corroded contacts on LGA chips a few times before and cause the computer to freeze while booting. What processor is it?