Well i built my PC about 3 weeks ago, and a few nights ago I had some problem booting up. at the windows XP screen, it would randomely freeze and little white rectangles would be appearing at the top of my screen. after a few reboots thinking 'WT.F' It just wouldnt do anything anymore. I turn it on, I hear and see all of the fans kick in, the LED on the front of my case says solid, and my monitor doesnt display a thing, not even the slightest sound. THe only thing I can think of that would be the problem is the processor, basically a brand new phenom 9500. Its still under warrenty (3 year) So I hope they will replace it (If this is the problem). Can anyone tell me whats goin on? If so, I can give more PC specs (mobo, ram, etc.)

Thanks to everyone who responds, I wanna play crisis snd COD !!

More info would be nice. At the moment it could be the psu, a short, etc. Is the video on board or a separate card? Remove everthing from the case and place on a non conductive table. Install only one stick of ram, video card if not built in, cpu with thermal paste, heat sink and fan. Plug in the psu to the mobo, cpu fan, video card, etc. Plug in the monitor and make sure it is turned on (does happen). Use a small screwdriver to connect the power pins and see if the unit posts. If it does then you can put it all back in the case making sure there is no shorts between the mobo and the case.

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Intel 6320
4 gigs ddr2 ram
160 gig sata
evga 8800 gts video card
vista home premium sp1 - 64 bit

the PSU is enermax liberty 620W. The video card is an 8800GTS. For ram I've got kingston 4gb dual channel. The motherboard is the Asus m3a32-mvp deluxe. I may try taking everything out of the case, but I dont know when i'll have the time.

- I see you're in niagara falls, im in welland. Not to far!

Okay, we have the same Mobo / processor (mine is delux wi-fi edition)
But I want to start there.
1) Have you changed the bios from default?
2) Have you updated the bios to 1002?
3) Have you reseated the RAM?
4) Did you overtighten the coolmem pipe on the Ram?? (I admit I did and ruined a stick)

I also have questions about the video card.
5) Have you reseated it?
6) Have you updated the drivers?

7) Are you able to test a different monitor on the system?

Instead of going into windows normally, have you tried Safe Mode??? (right after the BIOS screen (and beep), but JUST before the windows logo screen (or up to 1 second into it), press F8. Then select Safe Mode with or without networking

Safe Mode installs the low res drivers (just what's needed to run the system) for video, as well as minimal drivers for other stuff. It also performs some corrective actions.

I do not believe it's an overheat problem, but I've been wrong before.

Basically, what other tests have you performed?

__________________
I'm here, you may now make your next two wishes.

Beat Me, Whip Me, Make Me Use Windows!!

Every Piece of Electronic Equipment runs on a finite amount of smoke. The systems are normally very efficient at reclaiming the smoke and recycling it, however, should you do something to let the smoke out, your system will become useless.

SAVE THE SMOKE !!

New PC :
New: Phenom 9500 Quad 2.2, 4gb ram XP Pro 64-bit (Sata 0), XP Pro 32 bit (sata 1), 40 eide HDD (music), Pioneer Blu-Ray Burner, HP Multidisk CD-RW/DVD-Rom, 2x250 Seagate HDD's, ATI Radeon 3870, Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe WiFi-AP

Old PC:
P4 1.5GHz, 768 Ram, hda-80Gb (80Ubuntu), DVD R/RW

I also have the wifi edition. My problem is, I cant even get anything to display, and i've tried a different monitor. like the PC just doesnt do anything when I turn it on. I hear the HDD and the cd drives, but nothing else. the red LED just stays solid.

Which CPU power cable did you connect? The 4-pin is not enough for the quad-core you have, you should be using the other connector (you would have to have pulled the plastic cover to connect it properly)


Since you can hear the HDD's spin up, It is not as likely that the psu is totally bad. But then, it could be. We need some other tests.

Do you have the LED on the motherboard lit up when there is power on at the PSU?
Did you use the q-connectors?
Have you disconnected the main power cable from the mobo and reseated it?
Did you reseat your video card?

Does your system even do the single beep anymore?

Okay, let's follow the system.
PSU, not much yet to tell *unless yours has a fan in it*
Mobo, check all connections to the mobo (power first, RAM, Video, HDD's/CD/DVD/Floppy data cables, front panel connections, any other PCI slots.
On the Video card, You do have external power going to the card? Is it plugged in well?
PSU - others (check the psu connections to the HDD's/cd/dvd/floppy drives and video as well as the processor itself.
RAM: Again, have you pulled it out and reseated it? I doubt chip creep would be a problem yet. But loose is possible.

__________________
I'm here, you may now make your next two wishes.

Beat Me, Whip Me, Make Me Use Windows!!

Every Piece of Electronic Equipment runs on a finite amount of smoke. The systems are normally very efficient at reclaiming the smoke and recycling it, however, should you do something to let the smoke out, your system will become useless.

SAVE THE SMOKE !!

New PC :
New: Phenom 9500 Quad 2.2, 4gb ram XP Pro 64-bit (Sata 0), XP Pro 32 bit (sata 1), 40 eide HDD (music), Pioneer Blu-Ray Burner, HP Multidisk CD-RW/DVD-Rom, 2x250 Seagate HDD's, ATI Radeon 3870, Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe WiFi-AP

Old PC:
P4 1.5GHz, 768 Ram, hda-80Gb (80Ubuntu), DVD R/RW

I've reseated the Ram, video card. the video card is plugged into the psu, and Yes I have both the 4 pins going to the processor. The LED on the Mobo is lit up, I used the Q connectors, I think the only thing I havent tried is the reseating the main mobo plug. I'll try that. I dont think I get the beep anymore, does it come out of the speakers or somewhere else? i dont have the speakers plugged in at the moment, thats why Im asking.

yes, the beep comes from the speakers on mine. usually I leave my speakers off in the a.m. when i start up, so i don't wake the kids.

you wouldn't have a spare video card or psu to try? it does not have to be the same video card for testing. And whichever Psu you use just needs to be compatible.

When it was running. Did you use PCProbe? and get an idea of the cpu temp? or ramtemp?

You could try dropping the ram to one stick at a time and see if that makes any difference, before trying a different psu.

I still wonder about the video card, getting the pixilated boxes on the screen pulls me back to that.

Can yo try this? disconnect all the hard drives, cd drives and floppies. Try to start it with just Mobo, RAM and video.


What is the wattage rating on your PSU? I did overkill (in a big way) and bought an 850 watt psu, for future growth.
But then, by disabling the hard drives and cd drives, you will not draw too much power off of the main rails for the main system.I'd disconnect any extra devices (besides kbd and maybe mouse) from the back/front too.

Basically, I'd suggest taking it down to the bare minimum needed, and then if it works, add one thing at a time till you find the breaking point.

You may need to try the different sticks in the main A1 slot, just in case one or two are bad. If you think one is bad, and can get the system to boot, somehow, look into Memtest (burn a bootable cd with the iso), to run some tests on the ram for you.

Memtest86.com - Memory Diagnostic use the Free Download link on the left, and pick an ISO for testing. It helped me find which stick I ruined when I overtightened the cool-mem pipe.

I would love to sit at the PC and diagnose it, Sounds like fun (sorry to take pleasure in your pain). There is a lot that can be garnered by having the box in front of you, however, which is why I tend to ask a lot of questions. (or even get hooked on the wrong avenue of diagnosis)

__________________
I'm here, you may now make your next two wishes.

Beat Me, Whip Me, Make Me Use Windows!!

Every Piece of Electronic Equipment runs on a finite amount of smoke. The systems are normally very efficient at reclaiming the smoke and recycling it, however, should you do something to let the smoke out, your system will become useless.

SAVE THE SMOKE !!

New PC :
New: Phenom 9500 Quad 2.2, 4gb ram XP Pro 64-bit (Sata 0), XP Pro 32 bit (sata 1), 40 eide HDD (music), Pioneer Blu-Ray Burner, HP Multidisk CD-RW/DVD-Rom, 2x250 Seagate HDD's, ATI Radeon 3870, Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe WiFi-AP

Old PC:
P4 1.5GHz, 768 Ram, hda-80Gb (80Ubuntu), DVD R/RW

The speaker for posting is built into the mother board and not the ones you plug into the sound card. Just a thought! Did you clear the cmos? If so did you put the cover back on pins 1 & 2?

__________________
Intel 6320
4 gigs ddr2 ram
160 gig sata
evga 8800 gts video card
vista home premium sp1 - 64 bit

Ok heres what I just tried:

Unplugging all the drives etc, a different video card (X600 from my old pc) swapping the Ram sticks (trying 1 at a time) and still nothing at all. Is there a way to see if you're processor is gone by looking at it? And for whoever aksed, I think it ran about 40C on average. Man this has got me confused!

Not on this one, it appears. Because I just booted and no beep (speakers were turned off).

Normally yes, this time. No

Coadster68.
40 is fine, even cool for the processor. I typically run 50. A lot of the newest processors can get as high as 70 without hurting the chips on the die.
It looks like a 33% chance as to what the problem. 33% PSU, 33% Mobo and 33% CPU. Without an extra PSU to try, I'd be grabbing my multi-meter and testing all the rails.
You may need to be in touch with the retailer soon to get some exchanges.

__________________
I'm here, you may now make your next two wishes.

Beat Me, Whip Me, Make Me Use Windows!!

Every Piece of Electronic Equipment runs on a finite amount of smoke. The systems are normally very efficient at reclaiming the smoke and recycling it, however, should you do something to let the smoke out, your system will become useless.

SAVE THE SMOKE !!

New PC :
New: Phenom 9500 Quad 2.2, 4gb ram XP Pro 64-bit (Sata 0), XP Pro 32 bit (sata 1), 40 eide HDD (music), Pioneer Blu-Ray Burner, HP Multidisk CD-RW/DVD-Rom, 2x250 Seagate HDD's, ATI Radeon 3870, Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe WiFi-AP

Old PC:
P4 1.5GHz, 768 Ram, hda-80Gb (80Ubuntu), DVD R/RW

Well I think I found the problem... Apparently my brother (Says he knows ALOT about computers) Went into my bios and set the processor to be overclocked 20%. I think this would explain my problems.

So is it working? If yes, then I guess that answers one of my early questions: Did you change anything in the bios.

Although overclocking may do this (I'm not an overclocker), I figured it would produce some instability in the OS first.

anyway, Hope you do have it saved. You will want to get it up to the 1002 bios, if you are having any other issues (the northbridge has had problems w/ some cd/dvd (blu-ray) drives).

__________________
I'm here, you may now make your next two wishes.

Beat Me, Whip Me, Make Me Use Windows!!

Every Piece of Electronic Equipment runs on a finite amount of smoke. The systems are normally very efficient at reclaiming the smoke and recycling it, however, should you do something to let the smoke out, your system will become useless.

SAVE THE SMOKE !!

New PC :
New: Phenom 9500 Quad 2.2, 4gb ram XP Pro 64-bit (Sata 0), XP Pro 32 bit (sata 1), 40 eide HDD (music), Pioneer Blu-Ray Burner, HP Multidisk CD-RW/DVD-Rom, 2x250 Seagate HDD's, ATI Radeon 3870, Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe WiFi-AP

Old PC:
P4 1.5GHz, 768 Ram, hda-80Gb (80Ubuntu), DVD R/RW

Nope, still nothing. Im just thinking thats what caused the processor to fry.

Anything new on your problem Coadster?

__________________
Intel 6320
4 gigs ddr2 ram
160 gig sata
evga 8800 gts video card
vista home premium sp1 - 64 bit