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So, a funny thing happeded on way to the store

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srq2625
Posts: 188
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:40 am

So, a funny thing happeded on way to the store

#1 Post by srq2625 »

Yesterday, I discovered that I needed to replace the Otterbox Defender for my cell phone. The clip has a little catch projection as a part of the phone retention mechanism. This prong had, over time (about a year - I use my phone a lot), been worn down to a little nubbin'. This worn catch prong meant that my phone might fall out of the clip without warning - not a goodness.

So, time to find another (or replacement) solution. Amazon is a convenient way to shop. Sat down to my desktop computer (it has two screens, the rest of the computers in the house are all laptops - one screen). Powered it up and I get nothing but rotating fans and the normal, single beep at the end of the POST. The screens are active, but just not showing anything.

I figure the video card has gone. Replace it with a known good (but lesser) card - same result. Disconnect everything (except CPU) from the motherboard. Reconnect power supply, replace memory, and my better video card. Power up - same result.

Remove everything but the power supply and replace with a new MBO, memory, and the known good video card (the lesser one referenced above). Apply power - NOTHING!!?? Not even a spinning fan. I figure that MBO is going back!

Re-install the original MBO, memory, better video card, and SSD. On a lark, apply power and the computer comes back to life! WHAT!!!

Re-install all the other disconnected components and power it up again. Still working. Clean up the wire-routing (as best I can, I'm not too OCD about that sort of thing) and re-apply power. Yep, still working but the internal CD/DVD reader/writer is not registering disk. Replace the SATA cable and power - same thing. Oh, well, it's been going down-hill for a while and it is some 8 or 10 years old. I'll just replace it with an external USB device - I don't use them very often any more - mostly just to rip audio books to MP3 for the DW to listen to while driving on her longer trips.

So, after some 2 hours of trouble-shooting, I still don't know what was causing the problem! But the computer is working like a champ again.

How's your Saturday going for you?
AsusTek PRIME B450-Plus
AMD Ryzen 7 2700 (8-Core, 16 threads)
Radeon HD 6570/7570/8550 / R5 230
Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 - driver: r8169
Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB
DDR4 3200MHz CL16 2x8GB

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JayM
Qualified MX Guide
Posts: 6793
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:47 am

Re: So, a funny thing happeded on way to the store

#2 Post by JayM »

Sometimes all it takes is reseating all of the cable connections, expansion cards,memory modules and everything. Things expand due to heat and contract as they cool again, and over time this can lead to a poor electrical connection someplace.
Please read the Forum Rules, How To Ask For Help, How to Break Your System and Don't Break Debian. Always include your full Quick System Info (QSI) with each and every new help request.

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srq2625
Posts: 188
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:40 am

Re: So, a funny thing happeded on way to the store

#3 Post by srq2625 »

JayM wrote: Thu Feb 21, 2019 8:58 pm Sometimes all it takes is reseating all of the cable connections, expansion cards,memory modules and everything. Things expand due to heat and contract as they cool again, and over time this can lead to a poor electrical connection someplace.
Yep - know this (and nice to have confirmation of this). Which is why I did all that (see my 3rd paragraph). Obviously, I missed something in that process that I got when I put all the components back into the case. At this point, I'm not concerned about the "whys and wherefores" - I'm just very happy the computer came back to life without me having to invest in a new M/B.
AsusTek PRIME B450-Plus
AMD Ryzen 7 2700 (8-Core, 16 threads)
Radeon HD 6570/7570/8550 / R5 230
Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 - driver: r8169
Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB
DDR4 3200MHz CL16 2x8GB

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MAYBL8
MX Packager
Posts: 599
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:48 pm

Re: So, a funny thing happeded on way to the store

#4 Post by MAYBL8 »

I had a similar issue once. It could be a number of factors already listed here but for me it was the screws that connect the motherboard to the case.
They have a little insulated washer that goes between the screw and the case. One wasn't there and it was shorting out the motherboard.
Not saying that could have been your problem. It sounds like a short of some kind though.
Glad you got it working.

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