: A computer with a broken motherboard can make other computers crash too. Is there any help or advice here?
: A computer with a broken motherboard can make other computers crash too. Is there any help or advice here?
Hello, glad you can make it. So here is what we're dealing with. Your little brother's computer is not booting! MB: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 CPU: AMD (I'll have to edit this part when I find out the type) GPU: GTX 770 HD: Western Digital 6TB OS: It was windows 10 So you start the computer... and nothing, okay... Lets try mashing del, F2, F1, all the keys. Nothing... Okay... lets start removing ram sticks and changing orientation Nothing... Graphics Card? Removed... Nothing... All the connections firmly connected... yep. Any visible signs of soot, or shortage... not a sign Okay... off to Amazon to buy an AM3+ motherboard, a cheap ASRock 970M Pro3 will do. Changing the parts, booting the computer, and we have BIOS great! Enter the computer, backup data, all is well. Return computer to little brother. Little brother texts... computer is not booting! Strange... it was working a day ago Repeat process again, and nothing... Time to reset CMOS, and that does bring you back into boot. But when the computer shutdown and turned back on again, no boot... Maybe somethings wrong with Windows, lets install a random flavor of linux Deb12 will do for no particular reason. Deb12 installed, restarted, no boot. New motherboard so old component failing? Motherboard needs update? Flash the bios? Maybe it the memory? In the meantime little brother is getting impatient and decides to buy new computer... cool now a new toy for us to fix and convert to a home lab. While I try different things, I'll document here.
When posting a thread about nature problems, it's normal to share all your system details. Please list them like this: CPU, cooler, motherboard, RAM, SSD or HDD, GPU, power supply unit, case, OS, and monitor. Also tell us how old the PSU is besides its make and model. If you used an old PSU from a previous build, that could be what's causing your issues.
I've realized I used the wrong words. It looks like this system will turn on, but it won't start up properly after power comes back. Lutfij, here are all the details about what you have: CPU is an AMD FX-8350 with eight cores. Speed is 4000MHz. Cooling is from a Cooler Master with a fan. The motherboard is ASRock 970M Pro3 UEFI P1.60. Memory has two sticks of Crucial Ballistix Sport at 1600MHz, 9-9-9-24 timing, 1.5 volts power each, 4GB total. Storage includes a Western Digital 6TB drive and an HDD. Graphics card is Nvidia GTX 770. Power supply is Seasonic Focus (but I don't know the exact model). Case is Fractal. Operating system is Debian 12. Monitor comes from MSI. You should check how old the power supply is, besides its make and model: it's about six to seven years old.
Take out your RAM sticks and listen for those three loud beeps. That means one stick is dead or missing. I'm going to try a quick memory wipe (CMOS reset) so we can put in a brand new BIOS.
Checked my BIOS info; hoping the restart will fix things. Turned off everything completely, let it wake up fresh, and checked that it starts again... Running more tests while staying unplugged for three minutes. I have a multimeter waiting to check battery voltage right away in case it doesn't start properly.
Removed battery reset CMOS Got to POST, went to BIOS and loaded UEFI defaults (just hoping it does something) Powering Off Disconnecting from power Reconnecting to power Powering On Result: No post Shutting down via power button Resetting CMOS Observation: Takes about 15 seconds to get to UEFI setup utility after CMOS reset Saving Changes and exiting Boots up GRUB First Restart (seeing if its the d/c from power causing the issue or rebooting) Restart successful Boots up GRUB Second Restart Boots up GRUB Five beeps from MB speaker - this is new Third Restart to try to get the five beeps again 1 Long Beep - Also new Boots up GRUB No Five beeps from MB Speaker... Fourth Restart No 1 long beep Boots up GRUB No Five Beeps from MB Speaker... System Power Down - Not disconnecting from Power 30 seconds passing Power on Boots up GRUB System Power Down - Not disconnecting from Power 60 seconds passing Power On 60 seconds passing No POST, no BIOS/UEFI Absolutely bizarre... Back to back restarts have issues with getting back to Debian's Login page after GRUB boots. A shutdown for 30 seconds is fine, but after 60 seconds it causes the system to not want to POST. Curious to see some thoughts CMOS Battery has been removed for all of these tests, will let the computer run in this dead state for 10-30 minutes while I make dinner and come back to see if still 'dead'