Narrow down mainboard problems by isolation and swapping known-good components.
Mainboard failures are often expensive to repair because the cause of the problem is not easily determined by the symptoms, which are difficult to isolate. Don't spend time and money changing the RAM, video card or CPU when the motherboard is to blame. Perform standard troubleshooting techniques to narrow down the cause of a problem to the specific component that is causing it, even on a computer that refuses to boot and only beeps when the power is turned on.
Instructions
Prepare for Testing
1. Back up all important files on the computer prior to attempting to troubleshoot or test a mainboard.
2. Click "Start" and "All Programs" and then click "Windows Update" to navigate to the Microsoft Windows Update site. Click "Check for Updates" to scan the computer for available operating system patches, security updates and drivers and download all available updates. Restart the computer and check for updates again until no updates are available.
3. Click "Start" and "Control Panel" and then click "Device Manager." Double-click any hardware items in the list that are marked with an exclamation point or a question mark and choose "Update Driver" from the "Driver" tab. Follow the prompts to reinstall the current driver or consult the hardware manual or website of the device manufacturer to obtain updated drivers.
Hardware Isolation and Component Swapping for a Dead PC
4. Power on the computer and listen for any beep codes given off when the system first comes on. Count the number of beeps and cross reference the code with the motherboard manual or a BIOS beep code reference site on the web (See Resources).
5. Attach the anti-static wrist strap to the case and place the other end on one wrist to ground any static charges.
6. Power down the computer and disconnect the power cord from the back of the power supply. Remove the cover and disconnect the data cables for all hard drives, optical drives and floppy drives that are present. Reconnect the power cord and power up the system to see if it will boot to the point where it reports that there is no boot device available or allows entry into the system BIOS.
7. Power down the computer and disconnect the power cord from the back of the power supply. Remove any expansion cards other than the video card by detaching any connected cable from the outside of the case and then removing the single screw holding the card in place and pulling the card straight out. Reconnect the power cord and power up the system to see if it will boot to the point where it reports that there is no boot device available or allows entry into the system BIOS.
8. Power down the computer and disconnect the power cord from the back of the power supply. Disconnect the monitor cable and remove the screw that holds the video card in place and pull the video card straight up from the socket. Replace the card and the screw and reconnect the monitor. Reconnect the power cord and power up the system to see if it will boot to the point where it reports that there is no boot device available or allows entry into the system BIOS.
9. Power down the computer and disconnect the power cord from the back of the power supply. Remove the RAM from the motherboard by pushing out on the two plastic clips that hold the module in place and pulling it straight up. Replace the module by pushing it straight back down into the socket until the plastic clips snap into place, being sure to align the key notch in the module with the key tab in the socket. Reconnect the power cord and power up the system to see if it will boot to the point where it reports that there is no boot device available or allows entry into the system BIOS.
10. Power down the computer and disconnect the power cord from the back of the power supply. Replace the RAM, CPU and video card with known working components. Reconnect the power cord and power up the system to see if it will boot to the point where it reports that there is no boot device available or allows entry into the system BIOS.
11. Obtain a diagnostic POST card and install it into an available slot on the motherboard. Power on the system with the POST card installed and read the output from the card to determine the source of the problem (See Resources).
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