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A friend of mine has a HP pavillion 700 that just won't boot. When I turn it on, it won't post and the monitor isn't getting any type of signal. The system is an Athlon XP, ASUS A7N8X-LA MB with 256 MB PC2700 RAM, built in audio, video & LAN. When I power it up there is no beeping from the MB, but I am able to hear the fans & hard drive.

I've tried the following (in no particular order):

1.) Replacing the motherboard.
2.) Replacing the power supply.
3.) Replacing the RAM.
4.) Replacing the hard drive
5.) Resetting the CMOS & replacing the battery.
6.) Using an AGP video card that I know is good.

The only thing I can think of that I haven't tried yet is replacing the CPU. If that isn't the problem, is there something I haven't thought of doing that could be causing the problem?

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As later reported, the fault turned out to be the CPU. For others who see a machine that powers up but gives no POST or display, this short checklist helps narrow down whether the CPU is truly dead or something else is masking it.

Start with a focused visual and minimal-hardware check: inspect the CPU area and voltage-regulator circuitry for popped or bulging capacitors, scorch marks, or swollen components (these can prevent the CPU from getting stable power). Make sure the CPU/heatsink mounting is intact and the fan is connected to the proper header. Use a motherboard speaker or a POST diagnostic card to capture any early POST codes; those codes are the fastest way to tell whether the system is progressing past CPU initialization (Power-on self-test).

To confirm the CPU itself, the most reliable method is substitution: test the suspect CPU in a known-good, compatible board, or test a known-good CPU in the suspect board. Before swapping, check the board’s CPU support list and BIOS version so a supported CPU is used. If substitution isn’t possible, strip the system to a true minimum (CPU, one known-good RAM stick, power, and video) and try to get any POST/beep; no POST plus diagnostic LEDs or codes that stop at early CPU init usually points at the CPU or its power delivery.

When replacing a CPU, follow handling and installation precautions: avoid ESD, clean old thermal paste and apply new paste, seat the CPU and cooler correctly, and verify BIOS compatibility. For older systems, used CPUs can work fine, but buy from sellers with returns and test the part promptly. For background reading on the era and sockets involved, see Athlon XP.

Member Avatar for SkipN

The CPU was the problem. Got one off E-bay, installed it today and all is well.

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