----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Jones" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Hardware List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 12:53 AM
Subject: [H] Help troubleshooting - PC won't turn on
My kid's PC stopped working this past weekend. When the power button is
pushed there is a momentary flash of the power light on the case, then
To isolate the problem to either the CPU or motherboard (so far I have never
seen a bad CPU) I prefer to bench test the motherboard.
Removed from the case and on my bench I hook a known working power supply,
video card (even if there is onboard video as this may be the problem)
working RAM, keyboard, mouse and monitor to the motherboard. I have an
on/off power switch (use a jumper for the 2 power switch pins if you do not
have an external power switch).
You can run this same test in the case (using a different power supply, of
course) but it is too easy to forget to unhook something this way. The bench
test isolates the motherboard from any problem it could encounter while in
the case such as a short or ground.
Again, after isolating the problem to the motherboard or CPU, moving to a
working motherboard always solved the problem.
Just remember the bare bones rules (how far you have to go with a new build
to get video):
Power supply (represented by the case, but board can be powered from bench
in or out of its case.)
Motherboard
CPU
Memory
Video
Keyboard (optional?)
Mouse (optional)
Monitor
Anything not on this bare bones components list could be the cause of
failure to perform P.O.S.T. thus no video.
Chuck
