Posted: 5/28/2014 5:59:44 AM EDT
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OK, I have a CRAZY computer problem:
A raccoon ate through some power lines nearby and the surge took out a PC. It’s an HP WX4400 workstation. On boot you get 5 beeps indicating a “pre-video memory error”. Here’s what I’ve done so far: Remove all cards: Still 5 beeps Remove all RAM chips: Still 5 beeps. Unhook everything from motherboard except P-Supply: 5 beeps. Installed new power supply: 5 beeps. NOW…. Advanced troubleshooting: Replaced the CPU (Intel E6600) with brand new Intel E7400. Attached HDD, new power supply, and installed different RAM. So essentially it’s a new PC with the original case and HDD: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video. Install new video card (no onboard video): No change. Hmmmmm… Screw it. Ordered used/known good identical MOBO from Ebay. New MOBO/original CPU, original RAM: 5 beeps. New MOBO/original CPU, different RAM: 5 beeps New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, new video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, OLD video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. Reset CMOS: No change. What in blue Hell am I missing here?!?!? This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Here is a link to the manual Here is a link to the PC specs Here is a link to the E6600 specs Here is a link to the E7400 Specs |
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New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, new video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, OLD video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. Did you try a new cable or monitor? I'm guessing by "looks like it's booting" means you're seeing the CPU light flashing and hearing the HDD spin and stuff, so if you're trying multiple video cards with nothing ever popping up on-screen (even during the boot sequence), then maybe it's the cable/monitor. |
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Did you try a new cable or monitor? I'm guessing by "looks like it's booting" means you're seeing the CPU light flashing and hearing the HDD spin and stuff, so if you're trying multiple video cards with nothing ever popping up on-screen (even during the boot sequence), then maybe it's the cable/monitor. Quoted:
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New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, new video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, OLD video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. Did you try a new cable or monitor? I'm guessing by "looks like it's booting" means you're seeing the CPU light flashing and hearing the HDD spin and stuff, so if you're trying multiple video cards with nothing ever popping up on-screen (even during the boot sequence), then maybe it's the cable/monitor. Monitor and cable are good. I've been using them to test other PCs all day. As to "looks like its booting"... yes, all the fans spin up, fron LED lights, and you can hear the HDD spin up. |
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Monitor and cable are good. I've been using them to test other PCs all day. As to "looks like its booting"... yes, all the fans spin up, fron LED lights, and you can hear the HDD spin up. Quoted:
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New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, new video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, OLD video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. Did you try a new cable or monitor? I'm guessing by "looks like it's booting" means you're seeing the CPU light flashing and hearing the HDD spin and stuff, so if you're trying multiple video cards with nothing ever popping up on-screen (even during the boot sequence), then maybe it's the cable/monitor. Monitor and cable are good. I've been using them to test other PCs all day. As to "looks like its booting"... yes, all the fans spin up, fron LED lights, and you can hear the HDD spin up. I'm guessing you left the new (known good) power supply in when you switched out the mobo, etc.? If so, I'm at a loss as well, sounds like you've replaced everything or are using known good parts, my only other thought is that it's now possessed by a electrical space demon and the whole thing should be blown up with the largest amount of explosives you can get your hands on. |
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I'm guessing you left the new (known good) power supply in when you switched out the mobo, etc.? If so, I'm at a loss as well, sounds like you've replaced everything or are using known good parts, my only other thought is that it's now possessed by a electrical space demon and the whole thing should be blown up with the largest amount of explosives you can get your hands on. Quoted:
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New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, new video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. New MOBO/new CPU, same different RAM, OLD video card: NO BEEPS, looks like its booting….but, no video AGAIN. Did you try a new cable or monitor? I'm guessing by "looks like it's booting" means you're seeing the CPU light flashing and hearing the HDD spin and stuff, so if you're trying multiple video cards with nothing ever popping up on-screen (even during the boot sequence), then maybe it's the cable/monitor. Monitor and cable are good. I've been using them to test other PCs all day. As to "looks like its booting"... yes, all the fans spin up, fron LED lights, and you can hear the HDD spin up. I'm guessing you left the new (known good) power supply in when you switched out the mobo, etc.? If so, I'm at a loss as well, sounds like you've replaced everything or are using known good parts, my only other thought is that it's now possessed by a electrical space demon and the whole thing should be blown up with the largest amount of explosives you can get your hands on. Yup. Even swapped backed to old supply for a giggle and nothing. |
| Replace everything but the case and turn it into your insurance, often when this happens or lightning strike it will fry everything to some degree, best option is start over. Get a good UPS that filters the power to prevent this. My old UPS took a lightning strike and everything connected to it was fine |
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Last time I saw something like that, it was a grounding issue. The motherboard was touching something metal. Only thing that squashes that is that it happened without any physical changes, just a surge. AND, new MOBO was installed and nothing seemed out of sorts, but I suppose the possibility still exists. |
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Replace everything but the case and turn it into your insurance, often when this happens or lightning strike it will fry everything to some degree, best option is start over. Get a good UPS that filters the power to prevent this. My old UPS took a lightning strike and everything connected to it was fine This is for a MSP Forensic Lab. I don't think we have insurance for stuff like this... And here's the sweet part: The A-Hole manufacturer wants $8300 to replace the PC   
Hence my desire to try every last possible remedy. |
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Sounds like the power supply has lost a power rail or two and isn't supplying any/enough voltage to power up the video card. Nope. New supply is 3X more power than original supply. Also, (unrelated to your post) just tried new CPU fan for giggles: no change |
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Did you swap the HDD with one from another PC, or a new one with a fresh install of Windows?
Since you replaced pretty much all of the hardware I'm thinking that it might be some kind of driver issue... on second thought, try disconnecting any Peripheral drives/devices and see what happens. |
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How do you know the Ebay MB is good? I would pull everything out of the case and only hook up (Outside of the case) the new MB, new CPU, different ram, new PSU, new video card and then plug it into the monitor and boot it up. See if that gets you at least the BIOS screen showing up on the monitor |
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Did you swap the HDD with one from another PC, or a new one with a fresh install of Windows? Since you replaced pretty much all of the hardware I'm thinking that it might be some kind of driver issue... on second thought, try disconnecting any Peripheral drives/devices and see what happens. Fresh XP install from another PC. Already tried disconnecting everything, see OP. |
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How do you know the Ebay MB is good? I would pull everything out of the case and only hook up (Outside of the case) the new MB, new CPU, different ram, new PSU, new video card and then plug it into the monitor and boot it up. See if that gets you at least the BIOS screen showing up on the monitor Ebay supplier said it was good and had like 20 of them for sale. It was packaged extremely well and they have good feedback, so other than that there's no way to be sure it's good. I'm agreeing with you on the "outside the case" test. unfortunately I have to hit the road in a few for a priority outage and will likely be gone for the rest of the day. I might be able to have a colleague hit that test for me, though. It would at least rule out some sort of case short. |
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If your original CPU is fried and the MB doesn't support the e7400 you would need another e6600 to test it. If you can get it to boot and install the latest BIOS it might work with the new CPU if it is a compatability problem. BIOS download |
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Fresh XP install from another PC. Already tried disconnecting everything, see OP. Quoted:
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Did you swap the HDD with one from another PC, or a new one with a fresh install of Windows? Since you replaced pretty much all of the hardware I'm thinking that it might be some kind of driver issue... on second thought, try disconnecting any Peripheral drives/devices and see what happens. Fresh XP install from another PC. Already tried disconnecting everything, see OP. In the OP you said that you removed cards, I was thinking more along the lines of disc drives that plug into the MOBO. You know, CD-ROM/3.5" and things like that. Basically unplug anything from the MB that does not need to be plugged in in order for the PC to run, and go from there. It may be a long shot, but it has worked for me in the past. 
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In the OP you said that you removed cards, I was thinking more along the lines of disc drives that plug into the MOBO. You know, CD-ROM/3.5" and things like that. Basically unplug anything from the MB that does not need to be plugged in in order for the PC to run, and go from there. It may be a long shot, but it has worked for me in the past. Quoted:
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Did you swap the HDD with one from another PC, or a new one with a fresh install of Windows? Since you replaced pretty much all of the hardware I'm thinking that it might be some kind of driver issue... on second thought, try disconnecting any Peripheral drives/devices and see what happens. Fresh XP install from another PC. Already tried disconnecting everything, see OP. In the OP you said that you removed cards, I was thinking more along the lines of disc drives that plug into the MOBO. You know, CD-ROM/3.5" and things like that. Basically unplug anything from the MB that does not need to be plugged in in order for the PC to run, and go from there. It may be a long shot, but it has worked for me in the past. Already tried. |
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In the OP you said that you removed cards, I was thinking more along the lines of disc drives that plug into the MOBO. You know, CD-ROM/3.5" and things like that. Basically unplug anything from the MB that does not need to be plugged in in order for the PC to run, and go from there. It may be a long shot, but it has worked for me in the past. Quoted:
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Did you swap the HDD with one from another PC, or a new one with a fresh install of Windows? Since you replaced pretty much all of the hardware I'm thinking that it might be some kind of driver issue... on second thought, try disconnecting any Peripheral drives/devices and see what happens. Fresh XP install from another PC. Already tried disconnecting everything, see OP. In the OP you said that you removed cards, I was thinking more along the lines of disc drives that plug into the MOBO. You know, CD-ROM/3.5" and things like that. Basically unplug anything from the MB that does not need to be plugged in in order for the PC to run, and go from there. It may be a long shot, but it has worked for me in the past. solid advice. |
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OP:
Throw that computer in the trash. Your situation is a time suck at this point. Here's what's happening. You had a mobo that got seriously fucked. AND some components too. Then you replaced some components into the fuxored MOBO and you fucked those components. Now you replaced the mobo, but then fuxored it with the damaged components. Tell the powers that be to spring for a good double conversion UPS and move on. That machine and ALL the components you're fucking about with are toast. TOAST. Go on eBay and pay $450 for a 2010 era Dell T5400 or T7400 with the dual X5460 processors and the pitiful maximum of memory that XP can use. 8 cores of Xeon, even a generation prior, will do whatever you need the system to do and these systems are a lot of bang for the buck and plentiful. The deal is that their hayday was the era of VISTA. And for that reason there's a lot of them on retirement now. Better still, come on into the 64 bit world and grab one of the systems on there with at least 12GB of ram and put Windows 7 or Windows 8 on it. Hell, even the 2.3ghz Xeons will blow that box of yours out of the water. I got one (with just the 2.6gz dual Xeons) and its been a tank with Windows 7 64 bit. I only paid like $150 for mine, but that was bare bones without hard discs and OS. |