Power, but No Post

[jordan3022]

Hello all,
Specs:
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe Mobo
AMD Athlon XP 2700+
768MB Samsung DDR DIMMs (3x256)
ASUS GeForce FX 5900 128MB
2 250GB WD 7200rpm HDDs
1 120GB WD 7200rpm HDD
Plextor DVD-R drive

Problem:
I came home from the Rose Bowl (Texas Nat'l Champs btw) and my friends tell me that my computer is messed up. My computer has been running fine for about 2 years since I put it together. The computer will power on, but there are no post beeps and a blank screen. I have taken it apart down to just the processor and tried every combination of devices including RAM in and out and I can't get any beeps from post. Is this my Mobo? and/or processor?
Please help me if anyone has any suggestions.
Thanks a bunch.
Jordan

[fellfrosch]

Soyo k7Dragon Mobo
AMD AthlonXP 2100+ Cpu
512Mb DDR Ram (2x256, Kingston and infineon brand)
ATI All-In-Wonder (7500 base) Video Card
1 160 WD HD
1 120 Seagate HD (primary)
SoundBlaster Audigy (1) Soundcard (Mobo onboard sound not working due to priviously shorted chip [unshorted long ago])
ADS USB 2.0 USB card (Mobo onboard USB not working)

I'm having the SAME problems. I came home from visiting my girlfriend for 2 days and my system was on, but not really doing anythign (there was power, the fans were spinning, ect..). I have my system set to turn off the monitor after 5 mins of being idle So I touched my mouse thinking the monitor ws just off. Well lets just say NOTHING happened. So I tried hitting keys on the keyboard, and eventually tried to power the system off by holding the power button on the front. It woudlnt even shut off so I had to use the switch in the back. After turnign it off I turned it back on (around 10 mins later to give it a small rest) and it again had power, all 5 fans were spinning, the DVD Drives lit up (although one of them the light stayed on continously). Again, my system did nothing (would not post, or even beep). I did notice a SLIGHT clicking though (VERY quietly, sounds like and old adding machine). I couldnt determine where it was comming from exactly though.. I do know it wasnt the HD's cause the first thing i did was look at all posts on here to figure out a process to determine whats wrong, and I removed EVERYTHING to barebones. This includes resetting the bios with the jumper. It still does the exact same thing. I even tried moving the Vid card to each of my PCI slots to make sure it wasnt the slot.

Now here is the thing. I do NOT have everything I need to dianose the problem furthar (including money to pay to have it done). I have 2 extra AMD Cpu's aroudn somewhere, but cant find them (moved recently), and my multimeter is missing (loaned it to someone I think), and I dont have any extra DDR ram to test that (although most of your posts suggest it shouldnt be the ram in this instance). Seriously, what shoudl I do? I'd LOVE to just buy a new Mobo, CPU and power supply, but i jsut had to shell out $1100 I didnt have to get my car fixed, as well as I jsut had to go on temp disability cause I hurt my back at work (so I'm getting 2/3 of my normal pay). Are there ANYTHING else you can suggest for me to do to determine what could be wrong?

BTW, about 1-2 weeks ago a power transformer for my block blew up (hail did something to it), and our power went out. Well I stupidly didnt think to unplug my system after... but about an hour later my roomate noticed his phone was getting power, and them wasnt, over and over again. so we turned on a light and saw there was power at about 1/10 the normal amount (dim, slightly flashing lights). I IMEADATLY ran to my computer and unplugged it.
the thing is, my computer has worked fine since then till now. could the power surges have damaged the system jsut enought to cause them to slowly fail?

Thanks for any feedback you guys can give. your knowledge and help is greatly appricated.

Daniel
Intermediate Computer User

[fellfrosch]

Update: I have borrowed a Multimeter and tested all the pins from my powersupply. They all work correctly. So that leaves either the CPU, RAM, MOBO, or Vid card (doubt vid card as nothign else seems to run correctly when power is applyed).

I know you guys get these all the time, but each situation is slightly different so I need personal help. PLEASE help...

I am buying a new power supply (just incase and to uprade), and am considering a new MOBO and CPU, but that makes it so I have to get new Ram since I've noticed most newer Mobo's require Dual channel Ram and I jsut have 2 chips of Reg 333 DDR...

If no help can be given, anyone know of a good, but cheap place to get a mobo/cpu combo with at least 4 pci slots, PCI-E video slot (prefurred, not NEEDED though), and 3 slots for ram with a AMD64, AMD64 Dual core, or Intel D cpu (might as well upgrade well while i have to) for... under 300? I only say that cheap cause i will have to save the rest of my money for new RAM (unless Dual channel mobo's will accept single channel DDR).

[JemB]

dual channel will accept ddr(double data rate). it just works better with two identical sticks. check the mobo manual to see what it supports. also might try swapping the ram about, try one at a time to see if one of them has failed. if there's no POST(or POST beep) it would point to Mobo, try disconnecting power and clearing the CMOS using the jumpers, don't forget to put them back, and re-do your BIOS settings if it works

[fellfrosch]

dual channel will accept ddr(double data rate). it just works better with two identical sticks. check the mobo manual to see what it supports. also might try swapping the ram about, try one at a time to see if one of them has failed. if there's no POST(or POST beep) it would point to Mobo, try disconnecting power and clearing the CMOS using the jumpers, don't forget to put them back, and re-do your BIOS settings if it works

yeah... I've tried all of those... =-( Still nothing (no post or post beeps). The mobo was on it's way out though (ever since it was given to me), but it was only one chip on it that I knew was bad (USB controller/sound controller cip had been shorted out by the ins being squished together. I unshorted it, but it used to crash my system till I disabled the sound in windows and installed a Sound Blaster Audigy card someone gave me). Maybe more went bad when i had all the power fluctuations in my neighborhood... *sighs* I had been meaning to buy a battery backup, guess I should asap....

(thanks for the info on the Dual channel ram ^_^).

[dyeaton1]

I hjave a Sony Vaio. One day it just stopped posting at the beginning, and has a blank screen. I replaced the power supply, Hard drive, and even gave it to a tech person, who seemd to only look at chip memory, and said it must be the motherboard. Help? I replaced the harddrive as it was giving me some messages that it could be corrupted, but why the non-posts now? Don

[fellfrosch]

I hjave a Sony Vaio. One day it just stopped posting at the beginning, and has a blank screen. I replaced the power supply, Hard drive, and even gave it to a tech person, who seemd to only look at chip memory, and said it must be the motherboard. Help? I replaced the harddrive as it was giving me some messages that it could be corrupted, but why the non-posts now? Don

I thought I had posted what happened to me on here, but i guess it was just on the AMD website. Sorry peeps.

It turns out i had a bad chip of ram. Somehow that one chip was screwing everything up so bad that my system wasnt even posting or beeping at me. Of course i found this out AFTER I bought a whole new mobo, cpu, and power supply. Oh well. at least now my system is a new one ^_^

My suggestion, borrow someones ram and test just that chip in your system. Couldnt hurt.

[dyeaton1]

Thanks. That's a great suggestion. Don