URGENT! My baby (computer) died :(

[Romulinx2]

Looking at the results, it's either power supply or CPU/motherboard faults.

 

[Bryce]

Well calling Best Buy didn't help at all. Tiger Direct wants freaken $129 to just test it and there's no other computer stores over here. I'm at a lost of what to do and I can't just run out and buy a new power supply, cpu, mobo. Is this someone's way of telling me I shouldn't be on the computer, it's ****en killing me.

On another note some good news: 2 of my front fans weren't working and I don't know how I missed em, but I hooked those up to and damn did it blow some dust every where.

 

[Dwarf]

Hi Bryce,

It could be possible that your PSU is failing. To temporarily reduce the load, and also as part of the system debugging procedure, you need to reduce your system to the bare minimum. As we are interested in whether or not your motherboard is still functioning, disconnect ALL drives from both PSU and motherboard. Remove all but 1 stick of RAM. Power up and reboot. If you get a display on your monitor, power off and add one component at a time, starting with the RAM. Gradually add the components in this way until it fails to show anything on your monitor. Verify this by removing the last component you added. Remember to physically unplug your system from the mains supply before disconnecting and reconnecting components.

Please let us know how you get on.

 

[rkseagle]

I have seen systems that shut down whenever the heat builds up too much on the processor. (My Dell will not run without a fan for more than 2 seconds)

Just a suggestion - try removing the CPU fan and replacing the contact paste with a better conductor paste (such as Arctic Silver 5). If the CPU is getting too hot with the overclocking it may have destroyed the original paste and is causing the system to hold during boot.

I highly doubt Windows 7 7077 has anything to do with the problem.

Hope it gets better... soon...

 

[Bryce]

I do vaguely remember it shutting off and rebooting in Vista x64 back in Feb. of this year I think it was. I was gaming (UT2004) and it just rebooted. But I think that was because the GFX card was at like 79C or something. That's also when I moved it to a cooler spot and ran sideless.

@Dwarf: I'll try that now. So, just the CPU, GPU, 1 stick of RAM first and then add from there.

Also, Best Buy said they do do a free test on it so I might run out there in a bit just to see what they think it is. I do hate going over there though and I almost always dog em about something

 

[Dwarf]

I have seen systems that shut down whenever the heat builds up too much on the processor. (My Dell will not run without a fan for more than 2 seconds)

Just a suggestion - try removing the CPU fan and replacing the contact paste with a better conductor paste (such as Arctic Silver 5). If the CPU is getting too hot with the overclocking it may have destroyed the original paste and is causing the system to hold during boot.

I highly doubt Windows 7 7077 has anything to do with the problem.

Hope it gets better... soon...

That suggestion is certainly worth a try. Just a word of caution, though. Make sure that you clean the top of the CPU and the bottom of the heatsink thoroughly to remove ALL traces of the old Thermal Interface Material (TIM). When replacing TIM, place a very small amount on to the CPU and spread it out over the top of the chip. Whilst you have got the heatsink removed, check and clean the fins of the heatsink itself, and also the fan to remove any dust that has built up. Reattach the heatsink, and don't forget to plug the fan in to the appropriate header on the motherboard.

 

[Bryce]

I did clean the heatsink and all the fans in the computer, but there's no thermal paste so yea. I kinda still got the stock heatsink and it's push pin type. It's been doing so well keeping cool to until now if it is overheating

 

[Generator]

It needs thermal paste on it before even trying anything further otherwise the CPU is probably as good as dead. DONT try running it without it!!! :shock:

Edit: did you wipe it off whilst cleaning or has it all just dried up due to the heat?

 

[Bryce]

See, I didn't know that when I built it, was kinda my first unassisted build lols. I thought the paste just held the heatsink on the CPU.

Well, I know now to use thermal paste if that was the cause.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!!

EDIT: If the CPU is dead I just go out and buy a new one right? Does the warranty cover me being stupid and forgetting the thermal paste on it? I'm already looking at CPUs now lol. I might get a quad-core if I can get one for ~$180 that's highly OC'able and get a good thermal paste tube and cooler for it. I vow never to let this happen again. I feel like an idiot

What's thermal paste do then? I thought it just held the heatsink ontop of the CPU.

 

[Orbital Shark]

Thermal paste helps conduct the heat, drawing it from the CPU and thru to the heatsync. Without it a heatsync will struggle too much to disperse of the heat on it's own.

 

[Bryce]

Thanks for the help everyone. I'll let you know what Best Buy says about it. I can't rep everyone on this thread can I?

 

[Orbital Shark]

Hope it's not as bad as it sounds

You should be able to rep people, i can't see why not.

 

[Generator]

Some stock heatsinks do come with a very small layer of thermal paste on them though, my stock AMD fan did (usually covered by a bit of plastic film that has to be peeled off and/or a plastic square cover over the bottom of the heatsink). but if theres no trace at all it doesn't look to promising.

IF the cpu is dead, you need to buy one that is compatable with your motherboard, or if you want a better CPU you need to buy a motherboard capable of running that CPU (and then your memory may not be compatable with the new mobo).

you should also check you havn't melted your motherboard around the CPU area and see if there's any sign of heat damage. otherwise the mobo could be fried too due to over-clocking it so much.

 

[Barman58]

Thanks for the help everyone. I'll let you know what Best Buy says about it. I can't rep everyone on this thread can I?

Rep may be given to as many posts as you feel have helped you, or in some other way in your opinion merits it - you cannot however give rep twice to the same member until you have given rep to a number of other members.

Hope this clarifies things

 

[Elooder]

You should also know that applying too much paste is just as bad as not applying it at all or applying too little. You should google around for thermal paste application methods, but there are generaly 2 "schools" of thermal paste application - one advocates a thin line accross the center of the CPU heat-spreader (the CPU, basically is much smaller than what you see. The metal cover on top of the CPU core is what you see and is called the heat-spreader). If applying a thin line of thermal paste, the heatsink is supposed to press it down and spread it out over the CPU. Also the heat from the CPU should help the paste spread more evenly under the heatsink.

The other method is applying a small drop of paste to the center of the CPU and then spreading it with a flat object (like a credit card or such) into a thin layer over the entire CPU heatspreader. Both methods work fine even though the actual source of heat in a CPU is under the very center of the heat-spreader.

It's up to you to chose which method you like better, but it should also be noted that the full "capacity" of the thermal paste for transferring heat is never achieved instantly. On Zalman's heat paste (the one distributed in small bottles) it even states that you should allow the paste to "settle" for a full week under normal usage conditions before it will realise its full potential.

As for types of paste, this is also debatable, but the general rule is go for the well-known manufacturers. All in all, the subject should (like most other things concerning computer assembly, components, etc. - IMHO) be throroughly researched before taking action. (also IMHO). (just on a side-note, I've been building computers for about 10 years now. Never a single burned CPU though, although I did manage to kill a motherboard with a screwdriver when taking off one of those horrible old AMD coolers)

And one last thing: if at all possible, NEVER leave the heatsink manufacturer's pre-applied paste on a cooler unlesss you really, really, really don't want to bother with applying paste yourself or you don't have any. Those are usually really bad (I can't forget the intel's box coolers with that almost rubbery 3mm thick dark gray muck they put on them that doesn't really work well either)

 

[harmann]

Umm so you've been running an OC'ed CPU without any thermal paste? Hats off to your bravery, man. Just want to make sure that CPU is REALLY dead before you splurge on a new one :sarc:

Here's a recent thermal paste shootout [H] Enthusiast - Thermal Paste Shootout - Q209
It shows how to correctly apply the stuff too.

I got 2 tubes of Shin-Etsu G-751 from here Shin-Etsu G-751 Thermal Compound 1.0 gram . It's not the cheapest per gram, but has pretty good temps and it's on sale with free shipping now. Each tube is good for at least 5 applications, if you do it right.

 

[Bryce]

Got back from Best Buy. The guy is very positive it's a dead motherboard but then I'm wondering would the CPU and all still come on if the motherboard was dead?

I'm calling ASUS now to see what they can do for me.

 

[Beginning]

Edit: He said he's tried hard booting 3-4 times Beginning, wouldn't that 'wake' it?

Well it did sound that way... But I was thinkin the same about it may be stuck in hibernete mode... Bryce - Sorry to hear you got problems on an almost new comp...

 

[Bryce]

Just RMA'd it. And my new 22" monitor is ****ing awesome! To bad it's on my crappy laptop and I can't dual screen with my other monitor. I would pull out my 2nd best pc but its in the server rack and to hard to get to

 

[Bryce]

So, I've gotta tear my PC down to RMA the board...

I've gotta tear down my rig to RMA the board and all it's accessories. How should I go about removing the CPU and how should I store it? I don't really have the original packaging for it so kinda stumped on what to do and not screw it up.

Anyone know if mobo's come with an IDE cable or no? I think mine did but not sure lols.