3rd thread on this ongoing problem...

Recently I moved house and I'm thinking that the PC took a couple knocks in the process. When I first set it up, it didn't boot at all. The power light came on, as did the HDD light, and all the fans etc started up inside (so as per normal), only the monitor stayed on standby (didn't recieve a signal) and the PC didn't reach the POST screen and 'beep' like normal.

Every time it fails to POST, it will continue failing until I un-plug it and check the cables inside. However, whatever I check inside always changes, the only thing that stays constant is the unplugging and plugging back in. But alas, if I just plug and un-plug it without checking the cables, it fails as well...

With the side off, every time it fails, the PC makes a click noise - like the tick of a clock, almost - or sometimes several quick clicking noises, as it fails. The click comes from the "bottom" of the motherboard, towards the front - which would exempt the PCI cards (I have removed these anyway but the problem persists), the CPU, and the graphics card. I have isolated the Hard drives and these do not 'click', and the problem persists without them and the other IDE drives, so I know these are not the problem.

The clicking noise seems to come from the area where the buttons (power, reset) are at the front of the case, and where these buttons plug into the motherboard. I thought perhaps the reset button was tripping, so I unplugged the reset button cable and enjoyed 3 days solid, intensive use of the PC without any issue - even rocking the PC from side to side (which was a way of recreating the problem before) didn't cause a reboot, so I thought I was fine. Until this afternoon, when the PC suddenly reset itself and the problem sprang back out of nowhere.

So what on earth could it be??

Any help, much appreciated, thanks.

I thought it states not to start new threads?

http://www.computing.net/forums/rules.html

But old threads don't get bumped on a new post...

OK hiho, here's what I think you're referring to:

* If you forgot a piece of information when you posted your question, post a reply on your original thread. Do not post a whole new thread containing the additional information. These threads with additional information will be removed, hence damaging your ability to receive help.

* Do not post the same question more than one time on the same forum unless your original post was not adequately answered and has moved a considerable distance down the list of messages.

--

OK, in regards to the first rule, this is not a case of forgotten information. It is an entire progression from the earlier thread with significantly more knowledge into the problem than before.

The second rule states not to post a question again "unless your original post was not adequately answered and has moved a considerable distance down the list of messages" - last thread was, as mentioned in the original post, 3 days before this one. That is considerably far down the list of messages to the extent where it doesn't even show on the first page. Not to mention that neither threads were "adequately answered" either.

So when we've finished being pedantic, can you or anyone else help me? This is a genuine problem after all, not a time waster!

It sure appears that you have a poor connection somewhere on the motherboard. If you haven't removed and re-inserted the motherboard power connection, I would suggest doing that.

Unfortunately that poor connection could be just about anywhere, even inside one of the integrated circuits.

Dude, it sounds like you bounced your PC around like a basketball when you moved & now you want us to figure what got knocked loose. All we can tell you is to open the case & reseat every single card, plug, wire, etc & see what happens.

And hiho is right about the rules...you yourself said this is the 3rd thread about the same problem

Asus A7N8X-X
1800+ @ 8.5 x 200MHz
768MB PC3200 2.5-3-3-7
Asus A9550GE/TD 128MB
WinME/WinXP Pro

Time to either replace the motherboard or take it to a tech for benchtesting to find where your broken circuit is happening.

I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.

OK jam, I didn't bounce my PC "around like a basketball" when I moved, it was handled in a delicate fashion - the fact that the problems occured after moving suggests that moving was the cause. If you had taken the time to read my post, you would know that I had re-seated everything, all PCI cards and had tried booting without them, all IDE cables and isolating the HDDs hence knowing they weren't the cause, same with the CPU, disconnecting the disc drives as to test whether they were the cause, and re-seated the power cables onto the motherboard. Hence leaving only the PSU, RAM, and the motherboard to be the issue. Not anything and everything like you try to suggest - I'd done a LOT of narrowing down before posting. As for the rules, I highlighted the rules hiho referred to and how I was not at fault of these rules in a later post, I'd be grateful if you would read this to.

Thanks ham30 and Richard59, I'll look into getting the motherboard testing, cheers!

who cares about the rules about only one thread? i dont think anyone actually pays attention to what we say or how many times we say it. not to get on your bad side jam, you seem like an okay dude. anyway, perhaps the mobo is touching the case metal in some way it shouldn't be. i have had that same exact problem and it turned out the mobo was shorting out, touching the case where it should not

I would try, if not already done, disconnecting the leads going to the front of the case. ie the RESET, PWR ON, SPEAKER etc.

I've seen a situation where the RESET was "made" intermittently, causing much pulling of hair.

If no joy, I would next pull the mobo and set it on a non-conducting surface and try there.

HTH

M2

If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.