Computer down, out for a couple days

[Cooney]

Hey guys (and gals). You might hardly notice, but I figure I'll mention anyway, I'm going to be relatively not-here for a couple days. My primary system has developed an issue that I believe is in it's motherboard, and I cannot presently use it. As far as I can tell, my AGP slot has gone bad, and the system is no longer generating an outbound monitor signal (I've tested multiple monitors, multiple graphics cards, and even multiple keyboards to try to and kick it awake). I'll be down and out for about 2 days, until I can find and install a suitable replacement that's compatible with the rest of my current hardware. My laptop here just isn't the best for surfing.

/cry! The video capabilities on this laptop aren't good enough for most of my Alizée vid collection! Looks like I'm stuck with DVD's!

Ok, enough whining from me. At least it was the mobo, rather than the graphics card. Saves me about $400 in replacement costs. See you all in a couple days!

[atra201]

i'm goona miss you and your stories and you're actually lucky the last time my mobo was damaged i spent 3 months changing it and the result was a bad kind of motherboard

[RMJ]

Umm... It's not very common AGP slot to get broken. (It happens of course...).

Are you sure it's not something else? Memory ? Powersupply ?

And well, even if it's the motherboard, it's usually it's powerunit that has gone bad. The most common cause it dried up capacitors that cause power up problems. Tho, this doesn't help you anyway cause I doubt you are gonna fix it. :p

But anyways, point was that try to change memory and/or PSU. And make sure you have tried to reset your BIOS.





i'm goona miss you and your stories and you're actually lucky the last time my mobo was damaged i spent 3 months changing it and the result was a bad kind of motherboard
3 months ? :blink:

I can change motherboard in 5 minutes... and in 20 minutes if I have to pick up new one from store !

[Cooney]

Thanks for the suggestions :-)

I'm pretty sure it is in fact an isolated portion of the mobo itself, such as the AGP slot, due to all the things that continue to work. The entire system powers up perfectly fine, all the internal lights come on, the fans are all working, etc. It makes all the normal noises, and seems to perform the normal checks. My talking BIOS doesn't give any indication, nor do I get any beep codes.

I've had power supplies die a couple times before, but that kills the whole system, and has a distinctive smell - isn't that. It could conceivably be a RAM issue, but I don't see how or why that would have no effect aside from killing the outbound graphic signal.

I'm not getting a failed VGA alarm indicating a bad AGP card, and the monitor can tell the difference between being plugged in and not, but it can not pick up any other signal. It is acting like the computer is in sleep mode (which it isn't... I've hard killed the power, unplugged it, and pulled some internals to ensure it is in normal 'off') and keeps telling me "Monitor is in power saving mode, activate using PC." That's the message it normally gives when I hibernate my system, but unlike in that case, nothing I do will wake it up. I have no doubt it's some tiny little glitch somewhere causing it, but it's a major pain in the neck, as it isn't enough of a glitch to cause any of the troubleshooting systems to activate and tell me.

I'm going to go reset my KBPWR jumper and see if that stimulates wakefulness. I hate when my computers don't follow orders!

[RMJ]

Thanks for the suggestions :-)

I'm pretty sure it is in fact an isolated portion of the mobo itself, such as the AGP slot, due to all the things that continue to work. The entire system powers up perfectly fine, all the internal lights come on, the fans are all working, etc. It makes all the normal noises, and seems to perform the normal checks. My talking BIOS doesn't give any indication, nor do I get any beep codes.
BIOS should give codes if AGP is broken. :p

But well, maybe it is that. Have you tried with PCI card ? (not PCIe...) Try to find one if you don't have. Lotsa old comps has them (10 years old).


I've had power supplies die a couple times before, but that kills the whole system, and has a distinctive smell - isn't that.
That's only if something goes really bad. :)

But simple voltage drop can cause the motherboard to malfuction. And you wouldn't notice it before trying working PSU.



It could conceivably be a RAM issue, but I don't see how or why that would have no effect aside from killing the outbound graphic signal.
Since you don't see what really is going on there you can't be sure about it. That's why it would be important to try PCI card.

[rwd716]

My mobo took a similar shit like that a couple of months ago. I had to dig through my boxes to find a four led plug-in that shot me a code. My comp would act like it was on (lights and fans) but no screen or sound. The led's told me it was a memory size error, but it was an error before it checked the ram so I think it had to do with the tid-bit of mobo mem. I didn't get into it further cause it was still under warranty. So I let MSI do fix their own sh**!

[atra201]

3 months ? :blink:

I can change motherboard in 5 minutes... and in 20 minutes if I have to pick up new one from store !

yeah I know but what can I do what has happened has happened

[aditya8617]

I can't live without a computer even for a day. Without it there's like nothing else to do.

[SupaKrupa]

I can't live without a computer even for a day. Without it there's like nothing else to do.

QFT haha. If not during the day, when I'm out, I MUST be on at night!