Question Old Computer won't start

[scottyb1970]

HI,

I tried to get my computer going after it has been sitting for over a year. I had to change out the liquid coolant and fix all the rotted tubing. Of course, I have a hard time starting up the computer. I was getting the FF code. I reset the cmos, pulled out the battery, etc.
I did take the motherboard out of the case, still showed the FF code.

It was running once time, but I got a message stating it had to shut down. I did the paper clip test on the powersupply and the fans would only flicker on and off. I am assuming it is the power supply.

The power supply is a OCZ -520ADJ SLI. If it is the power supply what would you recommend to replace it.?

 

[scottyb1970]

It is an old EVGA motherboard, Here is a picture that I took of it. I can get more if needed The blue plug in the board was off and it showed error code FF and when I put the plug back in it still showed FF error code


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1u8a...ey=e3cpjjs4srmyy17al62sogh4h&st=960xjfu2&dl=0

 

[Eximo]

https://www.evga.com/support/manuals/files/133-K8-NF41.pdf

That is certainly an old one.

I would replace the PSU just as a matter of something you should do, though if the motherboard is giving proper codes, then it is likely it is at least outputting proper voltages. Not all PSUs will run the fan all the time, though this system is likely too old to have that feature.

FF is boot, so all good?

A complete list of the hardware would help, but you need to make sure the GPU is working as well to get a signal out.

Unless you have spare hardware around, this is going to be pretty tricky to troubleshoot.

 

[scottyb1970]

https://www.evga.com/support/manuals/files/133-K8-NF41.pdf

That is certainly an old one.

I would replace the PSU just as a matter of something you should do, though if the motherboard is giving proper codes, then it is likely it is at least outputting proper voltages. Not all PSUs will run the fan all the time, though this system is likely too old to have that feature.

FF is boot, so all good?

A complete list of the hardware would help, but you need to make sure the GPU is working as well to get a signal out.

Unless you have spare hardware around, this is going to be pretty tricky to troubleshoot.

The screen is still black and nothing shows on the screen even after I wait a couple of minutes.

 

[Eximo]

Did you do anything differently or change out any hardware?

Do you know if the screen works? The cable?

Have to go down to real basics when troubleshooting a system.

Only have in the computer what is necessary to run, unplug everything you don't need to get into the BIOS.

Single stick of memory, try all the slots, try the other memory in the all the slots to rule out a dead slot or dead memory stick. No drives.

Can you test the GPU in another system? It is PCIe, barely, so that should be possible on anything that isn't solely UEFI. (Unless for some odd reason you have a PCI GPU in there, then yeah, not sure what to do there)

Sounds like you bread boarded for a little bit, but you didn't go into any detail.

 

[scottyb1970]

Did you do anything differently or change out any hardware?

Do you know if the screen works? The cable?

Have to go down to real basics when troubleshooting a system.

Only have in the computer what is necessary to run, unplug everything you don't need to get into the BIOS.

Single stick of memory, try all the slots, try the other memory in the all the slots to rule out a dead slot or dead memory stick. No drives.

Can you test the GPU in another system? It is PCIe, barely, so that should be possible on anything that isn't solely UEFI. (Unless for some odd reason you have a PCI GPU in there, then yeah, not sure what to do there)

Sounds like you bread boarded for a little bit, but you didn't go into any detail.

Got back to the computer. I took out one ram , video card and hard hard drive still hooked up. Everytime I press the power button located on the front of the case and power button on board, it will go on for one second and shut off. It will not stay on. Does the same way when I use paperclip method.

The mini led on the board is red instead of blue?

 

[scottyb1970]

Hard to see what video card is but I think it's a evga p/n 256 p2 n518 ax 256mb pci e
Ram is Ballistix Tracer CL 1118N.n6 72896 , 2 sticks
OCZ -520ADJ SLI

I just bought a Thermaltake toughpower gx2 600w that I was going to replace the OCZ with, but haven't opened the box yet.

Hard to post pics because I can't directly upload.

 

[Eximo]

PSU could certainly be failing its POST. Not sure why you would leave the hard drive hooked up though, if it is shorted out it would prevent the PSU from running.

 

[scottyb1970]

PSU could certainly be failing its POST. Not sure why you would leave the hard drive hooked up though, if it is shorted out it would prevent the PSU from running.

Just unhooked hard drive did same thing , going to try new power supply