computer wont POST

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GSRCRXsi

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ok i tore my computer down to clean out some dust and re-route some cables for a cleaner look and better air flow. i also cut out some grates over the fans on the case for better air flow. i tore everything apart down to the bare chassis. kept everything organized and handled everything carefully. this isnt my first time inside a computer case. so i put everything back together fired it up and nothing. nothing on the screen, no post, nothing.

system:
asus p4g8x delux MB
p4 2.4 GHz
PATA 320 GB
SATA 500GB
PATA dvd r/rw
1 GB ram

symptoms upon power up:

all fans come on (case, cpu, psu)
green light on MB is on
DVD drive works (tray opens and spins a disc if its in there)
HDD light is on all the time
both HDDs spin up
no display
no beeps

things ive tried unsuccessfully:

different video card
no video card
no HDD or DVD drive hooked up
no front panel connectors connected hooked up (besides power switch)
12V cpu connector removed and EZ-connector hooked up (and vice cersa)
combinations of the above

the system worked beautifully before. i dont see any reason why it shouldnt boot now. anyone have any ideas?
 
Is the RAM in right or seated properly? Also check any jumpers that are on the board. Did you remove the CPU? If so check that it is seated properly.
 
neither the cpu/heatsink or ram was removed. no jumpers were touched. ive even pulled it all apart and redid it again to make sure everything is how its supposed to be
 
i work at best buy and i know they probably couldnt fix it, lol. i know just as much as all the guys that work there. besides its vastly overpriced, even for me. i just hope that the MB isnt toast. i mean im in the process of building a computer anyway, i just dont want to be out of my desktop until i have all the pieces.
 
Strip it down to just the CPU, motherboard and RAM (and video card if none on board)- then try to fire it up. Make sure your CMOS has been cleared.
 
yes! i was just about to suggest clear the CMOS.
 
clearing CMOS did nothing, and i tore it down to just CPU(w/ fan/heatsink), RAM, and video card. im thinking th MB is toast somehow. i noticed that my wireless keyboard was not connecting (has an LED on it) so it looks like its not getting power to it. so it has to be something with the MB im thinking. i even tried a wired KB and still nothing. not too much of an issue, just looks like ill be out of a computer for a week, til i get my new processor.
 
did you de-static yourself before you started playing with it? you might have shocked it
 
i grounded myself on the table i was working on and touched the case itself as well lots of other things. but i didnt wear destatic gloves or anything. and i certainly didnt notice any kind of static shocks while working with anything.

the MB is quite old. its been running nearly everyday for the past 5 years. do they have a shelf life? or do they just go bad at all? i didnt notice any shocks or shorts when removing the MB or anything so i dont know if any of the solder points on the board could have maybe shorted on the case.
 
but i think the MB is toast. im not getting any power to the USB ports (my keyboard is usb wireless) and it usually has a light flash when i plug it in and nothing happens when i plug it in.
 
yeah so no joke; friend of mine had the same sitch on his PC (i've emailed him a link to this thread). he gave up on his PC and has been using his laptop - but then the other night it just turned itself on, been running ever since w/no probs. he still doesn't know wtf. i'll get you more details (MB specs, etc). just let it sit there a week, off. that's what he did :shrug2:
 
my computer has done weird things before this so maybe it was on its way out. i switched all the internals over to a new case and it didnt post. but fired right up the second time. then like last week i added some new case fans and removed some things i dont need (rear firewire, internal wireless card, etc) and when it booted up it said there was a hardware config error, but bios showed nothing. so i dont know.
 
yea im gonna try to reseat the ram and replace the PSU and see if that helps.
 
Try booting it with just the cpu and video card. If the board isnt dead, it should make a long beep that says its not detecting RAM. If it does, you can try running a different stick of RAM in slot 1. Some boards dont like two sticks until you boot into BIOS and change timing/voltage. Or as other suggested, a different PSU.
 
u made sure all plugs are in? if i remember P4s had 20 or 24pin with another 4 or 6 pin near the cpu socket. also, did u try with no ram to see if it even beeps?
 
yes all plugs are plugged in. my board uses a 20 pin main connector with the 4 pin cpu connector. tried pulling all the ram out, still nothing, no beeps, nada.
 
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