[mythtv-users] Hardware death - CPU vs motherboard?

[Kawayanan]

Well, I just checked to see if I could test the PSU.  I have two others in
the house, but either my other computers are sufficiently old to be
different (very possible), or the PSU on this Asus Barebones is
non-standard.

I can't test the PSU in the way you describe because the BIOS screen never
comes up.  It never gets that far (fan spin, nothing else happens).  As for
RAM tests, again, I can't get to BIOS, let alone memtest86 (I also use
UBCD).  It had two sticks of RAM and neither one worked alone.  On top of
that, a brand new stick of RAM didn't work either.  I find it hard to
believe all are bad.

I think its PSU, motherboard, or CPU.  The problem is I have no way of
figuring out which one.  This may just be the final death of this machine...

Thanks again

On Sat, Oct 24, 2009 at 11:44 AM, Andy Colson <andy at squeakycode.net> wrote:

> George Mari wrote:
>
>> On 10/24/2009 07:35 AM, Kawayanan wrote:
>>  >
>> [deleted]
>>
>>>
>>> My question is whether there is a way to determine if this is a CPU or
>>> motherboard problem?  I don't have access to a different CPU to test, and
>>> I
>>> don't want to buy a CPU and have it turn out to be a motherboard problem.
>>> If its a motherboard problem, I guess that means starting over with a
>>> effectively new system (the Asus is a barebones with most everything
>>> onboard).
>>>
>>> Any suggestions?  My wife and kids are missing DVR. :(
>>>
>>> Thank for any help!
>>>
>>>  It may be a power supply problem.  If you have another system you can
>> temporarily spare, swap PSUs, or move the suspect motherboard into an empty
>> case, if you have one.
>>
>> Power spikes, in my experience, tend to kill PSUs first, then
>> motherboards, then CPUs, in that order.
>> _______________________________________________
>> mythtv-users mailing list
>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>
>
> Agreed.  I'v had more power supply's die than anything else. (but moving
> power supply is lots easer that moving motherboard)
>
> One way I have tested the power supply is by watching the bios screen that
> shows you the cpu fan speed and power line readings.  (Where it shows you
> 3.5V and 6V, and the fans at 1500 rpm or whatever... not sure what the
> screen is called)
>
> The voltage should remain steady.  If it jumps (it'll be very quick and
> hardly ever happen, so you have to stare at it for a while) then its a bad
> power supply.
>
> To test the cpu vs memory, take all but one of the memory chips out, and
> run memtest86 on it.  (I use UBCD)  If the pc crashes and dies its probably
> cpu/motherboard.  If the scan runs ok its probably memory.  Test each memory
> chip, one at a time by itself.
>
> Also if it smells hot, its probably overheating.  If its overheating you
> can smell it, and feel it... its really hot.
>
> -Andy
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/attachments/20091024/cb04fada/attachment.htm>