Computer Down!

[bike5]

One of my computers like stopped working.. I am trying to figure out what died on me so I can replace it but I’m not a hardware guy or have any diagnostic tools. Maybe this is a simple question.

My computer will not get pass the bios while it tries to detect my hard drive SATA. If just freezes there and will not even let me into the bios config area once it gets to detecting the HD. Now, I can get into the bios if I hit delete before it gets to the HD detection, I am able to run the computer off a knoptics CD just fine. I ran my hard drive off of another computer just fine, using the same SATA cable in my computer. I tried all 4 of my SATA hookups and no luck.

So...far I figure my HD is good, my computer is good (can still run fine off a CD), the bios works if I enter it before it tries to detect the HD. The only thing "I" can think of is my motherboards whole SATA area is fried or something and I need a new motherboard which sucks because this one is only around 7 months old (maybe under warranty still). However, I have heard it "could" be something else. Does this sound like a simple problem/answer you can give me in your experience anyone? Is it the M.B., could it even be anything else? I stripped all none essential hardware out while doing all my tests.

Thanks for your input.
-Danny

[bradgrafelman]

Sounds like you did some good diagnostic troubleshooting for not being "a hardware guy".

If you can remove all extra peripherals and it still won't boot, yet the hard drive itself will boot on another computer, there's not much left to check other than the motherboard, hard drive controller (probably integrated, in which case this isn't really a concern), and the SATA cable.

* Does the drive actually get power? i.e. can you hear/feel it spin up when the computer is powered on?
* Is there a BIOS update available for your motherboard?
* What kind of computer is this? What brand of motherboard? Where did you purchase the computer?

[bike5]

The drive gets power, I forgot to mention it was wasking fine for the last 7 months then this happened out of the blue.

I used the same SATA drive while testing the HD on another comp so thats working.

Havn't checked on the bios update figuring since it was working for so long and just "died" it has to be something else.

ASUS A8R-MVP crossfire motherboard
AMD Socket 939CPU
WDRaptor 10k RPM SATA Drive

I build this computer from scratch (with aid of a friend since I had no idea what I was doing at first), all components came from Fry's electronics.. I got all the components on a road trip so returns will suck because its like a 4 hour+drive each way to get back to Fry's (no local one around here :(..neat store BTW )

So I take that I need a new motherboard (not holding you to that)?

Thanks for the input.

[bradgrafelman]

So I take that I need a new motherboard (not holding you to that)? If I had to guess (or if I was at work and sitting at the Dell Warranty Parts Direct screen), yeah, I'd say new mobo would be the cure.

[foid025]

components came from Fry's electronics

I know this won't help you much with your issue but hell yeah! that store is awesome. :p to say the least...


btw yeah I'd say motherboard but maybe you can try plugging in another one before going out and buying one? To make sure it's the thing messing around. Alternatively, could it not be a ram issue? With the memory overloading when the hard drive tries to boot and put the OS in memory? Might wanna check with another bar of ram if you have one lying around.

[bike5]

Wish I had an extra MB or ram twins to try but don't :( I need to find my paper work and hopefully it is under warrenty and I can just mail it in for another..Other wise there goes another $150-200 :/

I think I remember looking in knoptics at my computer stats and it read the correct amount of memory anyway, not sure if it would read write with bad ram or not?

[bradgrafelman]

If you can successfully boot into Knoppix, that really rules out CPU and RAM if you ask me. Otherwise I would have said swap the RAM as well.

Alternatively, you could try to do some RAM tests. I don't know if there's some built into Knoppix or not...

[foid025]

Any way you can borrow a bar from a friend or someone? Or alternatively you could bring it in to the store and ask them to try plugging one in. Chances are they'll charge you but it would be better than buying something and finding out its not what you needed!

[bike5]

I think I have a friend that might have ram he can test. He is pretty good with building and repairing computers too so if he can't figure it out I might try the store help or just go buy a new mb, not sure yet.

Do you know of any other cd bootable OS's with ram testings I could download->burn and try? I don't know if my cd has it, I will search for it and see.

[bradgrafelman]

Memory testing links:

* Memtest86 (http://www.memtest86.com/)
* Memtest86+ (http://www.memtest.org/)
* DocMemory (http://simmtester.com/page/products/doc/docinfo.asp)
* Ultimate Boot CD (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/) (Contains many utilities, including several memory testing ones)