BleepingComputer.com: fixing a dead computer

Alright I have an "old" computer laying around, it's probably about a year and a half old or so. It used to be my girlfriends computer but after it died she got a new one and we have just kept this one laying around.

HP Pavilion a6244n PC
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E4500
3072MB system memory
Nvidia Geforce 8300 GS graphics card

One day it just didn't want to turn on. So my first assumption was the hdd kicked the bucket. So I took it out put it in an external case and hooked it up to my computer. Worked fine. So my only other assumption was the mother board crapped out. I don't have much information on it dieing, it just worked one night, turned it off, woke up in the morning and it wouldn't turn on. Power was sent but nothing ever loaded, just a blank screen but the power button was lit blue like usual and you could hear the sounds of fans running. I don't know a lot about computers but this seems like a motherboard issue to me.

I was wondering if any of you think it's a motherboard issue also? If so where can I get a new mb for this? I'd like to get this computer up and running because it's better than my current PC (Intel 4, 3.2ghz, 32-bit).
I will be putting in my NVidia Quadro FX 3450 graphics card, and possibly my sound card also. But not knowing a lot of what I'm doing I thought I'd come here and ask about the motherboard and hopefully be guided towards something good.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Oh I forgot to say what I use my machine for. I use it to run Autodesk Maya and Adobe (Photoshop, after effects) for creating 3d models/animation. Also do a little bit of video editing with adobe software.

This post has been edited by RhetoricCamel: 10 January 2010 - 04:55 PM

IMO...the best thing to do would to switch various components from system to system...starting with the PSU.

If you've switched or otherwise tested everything else by the time you get down to the motherboard...you have the basis for a good guess.

Louis

hamluis, on Jan 10 2010, 05:27 PM, said:

Can you guide me to the mother boards? Do I have to get one made for this specific computer since I'll be using the tower it's in? I will be switching the PSU also, forgot to mention that.

IMO...the motherboard should always be the last suspect for hardware problems.

It is the most difficult component to check (by substitution) and every other component has an easier way of either testing or cheking the functionality of the component.

Since it seems that you are getting power but no video...I think I would start with checking out the video function...the monitor and the system video chip or card.

I would move on to RAM, hard drive and PSU. RAM and hard drive have specific tests which can be conducted, while the PSU can be checked by various techniques. I favor substitution of parts because I have parts lying around from previous systems I have owned.

A PSU can deliver enough juice to run lights, fans, etc. but be unable to power the system properly.

PSU Testing Procedures - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic149441-15.html

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool - http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

FWIW: A dead hard drive should not prevent the system from going through POST, IMO.

Hard Drive Installation and Diagnostic Tools - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic28744.html

Louis

Google "Asus P5LP-LE"
You should find your motherboard for sale on there for about $50-$65

HP/Compaq usually have a "rebranded"Bestec power supply.
Destec PSU's are best known for going bad with no warmimg & [usually] frying the motherboard in the process
The bad part is the power supply will still appear to work & promptly fry any motherboard hooked to it.
I just used a fairly new Compaq case to do a "custom" build because of the same problem.

This motherboard should suffice: ASRock G41M-GS !

But first, get that PSU checked and replaced if necessary.

This post has been edited by ReviverSoft: 11 January 2010 - 08:09 PM