Question Have tried everything and can't get mobo to POST

Jul 29, 2019
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The PC is an HP Pavilion 6140f ( I know, HP's suck but I can't afford a whole new rig). It is 10 years old but full of new parts, excluding the CPU and hard drive.

I have tried the following:
  1. Three different copies of the same motherboard (original and two replacements from eBay). The mobo is an IPIBL Rev 1.01. I bought the same one rather than an upgrade because it was cheap to replace and besides, this way I knew it was compatible with my CPU.
  2. Three different power sources, including one brand new that I just got yesterday.
  3. Three different PS power cables
  4. Two different sets of SATA cables
  5. Three different electrical outlets, including one outside my home just in case it was a wiring issue there.
All POST attempts were performed sans video card and RAM sticks, with both 24pin and 4 pin power cables attached to the mobo. I have tested all three power sources on different PCs and they check out.

Not only can I not get the PC to POST, I cannot even get the fans to do their little start up whirl that they're supposed to do when the cable is plugged into the power source and the PS light is green.

Is there any chance that it could be a CPU issue? Lots of people have told me that the PC should still POST even if the CPU is malfunctioning.
 
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Jul 29, 2019
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The new parts would be the replacement SATA cables (don't know brand: cheap Chinese stuff from eBay), replacement motherboard ( IPIBL-LB 492774-001 Rev A03), and new power supply (400W Bestec AT0300D5W C Rev 300 watt power supply.

I appreciate the attempt to help but have not gleaned enything particularly useful from the link above.
 
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Jul 29, 2019
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To clarify, because I realize my opening post was basically a novel, my main question is can a burnt out CPU prevent a good motherboard from POSTing?
 
Jul 29, 2019
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I realize no one cares but I am updating this thread anyway because I have nowhere else to go.

I bought a new CPU and then a spare CPU, just to be sure it is not the CPU. Neither got my PC to POST. Then I bought yet another motherboard, which came with another CPU. This did not work, either.

So now I have tried four different motherboards, four different CPUs, three different power sources, two sets of SATA cables, and testing without RAM sticks. And I can't even get the fans to spin in response to the PSU getting plugged in.

I am fine with buying a new PC. I am not fine living with the unsolved mystery.
 
Jul 29, 2019
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I am not. I just removed the RAM to see if it would make a difference because all of the mobo tutorials on YouTube say try turning on the power sans RAM to see if a bad RAM stick is really the problem.

To clarify, with or without RAM I cannot seem to get any of the boards to show any signs of life (LED light, fan whirl, etc.)
 

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
What CPU are you using? Is it one of these?

  • AMD Phenom II X6 10xxT Six-Core (Thuban core)
  • AMD Phenom II X4 9xx/9xxe/8xx Quad-Core (Deneb core)
  • AMD Phenom II X3 7xx/7xxe Triple-Core (Heka core)
  • AMD Phenom II X2 5xx (Callisto core)
  • AMD Athlon X4 6xx/6xxe (Propus)
  • AMD Athlon X3 4xx/4xxe (Rana)
  • AMD Athlon X2 2xx/2xxe (Regor)
  • AMD Sempron Single Core 1xx (Sargas core)
 
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Jul 29, 2019
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What CPU are you using? Is it one of these?

  • AMD Phenom II X6 10xxT Six-Core (Thuban core)
  • AMD Phenom II X4 9xx/9xxe/8xx Quad-Core (Deneb core)
  • AMD Phenom II X3 7xx/7xxe Triple-Core (Heka core)
  • AMD Phenom II X2 5xx (Callisto core)
  • AMD Athlon X4 6xx/6xxe (Propus)
  • AMD Athlon X3 4xx/4xxe (Rana)
  • AMD Athlon X2 2xx/2xxe (Regor)
  • AMD Sempron Single Core 1xx (Sargas core)

good question. I am using an Intel core 2 quad Q8200. Not sure if that falls under the 8xx header.
 
Jul 29, 2019
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Yes, that is it. I have bought three of them so far; I can't tell if I am wiring them incorrectly or if eBay really is full of dead motherboards.
 
Jul 29, 2019
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Interesting. I am wondering if I accidentally ordered a Q8200 instead of an E8200.

I guess I'll just order a new CPU and see how it goes. The only question I have in the mean time is would the wrong CPU prevent any power from coursing through the board, e.g. an LED light?
 
Jul 29, 2019
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I tried an E2200 2 core that I found on eBay as a spare just to make sure it wasn't the CPU. Now I am realizing I misread that as well. I think I meant to get the E4400.
 

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
Interesting. I am wondering if I accidentally ordered a Q8200 instead of an E8200.

I guess I'll just order a new CPU and see how it goes. The only question I have in the mean time is would the wrong CPU prevent any power from coursing through the board, e.g. an LED light?
Yes. An incompatible CPU would prevent the system from starting.
 
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The Core 2 Quad 8200 is not listed as a compatible CPU. That is likely the issue. Do you have access to one of the ones listed above to verify that the mobo works?
I just realized why I ordered a Q8200--that is what is listed on the label on the side of the tower. It is also what is listed on Amazon's model description when I check my purchase history. Now I am totally confused.

In any case, my Q9300 should arrive in a week. Hopefully that works.
 
Jul 29, 2019
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Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.
Sadly, the new CPU didn't work. I guess I should have been able to predict as much from the failure of the Q8200, which I now realize was in fact compatible with my motherboard model. I guess it wasn't listed as an upgrade since it was the default.

I can't shake the sinking feeling I have simply been sold three motherboards from eBay that were dead out of the box. It seems unlikely given all three vendors had a reputation of 99%. Two boards were described as "tested and functional" and the third was never used. Still, I don't know. Why can't I even get the fans to do their little start up whirl indicating life?
 
Jul 29, 2019
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How cathartic it is to finally solve this perplexing riddle. If I had simply bought a new PC, I would have been forever haunted by the unsolved mystery of what was thwarting my POST attempts.

I lament the brevity of my initial PSU inspection. Observing the glow from the green LED light, I incorrectly assumed my original PSU was drawing sufficient power from the outlet. My misplaced faith in this PSU was only strengthened by the paper clip test, which produced a satisfactorily spinning fan. Worse than that, my myriad attempts to breadboard my replacement CPU/mobo combinations were unsuccessful despite using a brand new PSU.

And then it hit me.

Two days ago I finally realized I was manually jumping the wrong two front panel pins. Boy, do I feel like an idiot. But a relieved idiot given that I finally got my most recent mobo/CPU combo to start. When I couldn't do the same with my originals (still in the case), I eventually realized that the PSU there was the limiting factor. So I replaced it with the new one and lo, my PC is up and running.

I hope someone with a similar problem sees this thread one day and gleans what I learned the hard way--sometimes the PSU is malfunctioning despite showing superficial forms of life. A glowing power light means nothing and a fan wired to spin with a paper clip doesn't mean the PSU is going to power the full system. I had already been told by several people that PSUs are almost always the weak link in an HP but I ignored them since I thought my new PSU also didn't work. In the end, I purchased three motherboards and five CPUs because I kept thinking I would finally get a combo that worked as advertised.

Oh well. Live and learn. Thanks again to those who tried to help. It meant a lot and I really appreciate it.
 
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