>Hello to all listers
>
>I have the most confusing problem I have ever encountered, and I am
hoping
>some one of you may be able to help.
>
>I have a custom built machine.  It originally was built with AOpen AZ33
>motherboard, duron 900 mhz processor [assembled in Malasia], 256 mb
ram, 20
>gb hdd.
>

>The machine worked fine for about a month.  It absolutely will not
boot.
>The case and CPU fans run, but there is not post performed.
>
>To date I have done the following:
>
>Replaced the power supply.  Replaced the motherboard [twice], replaced
the
>processor, replaced the ram, replaced the video card.  I have tested
the
>memory and chip in other machines.  They work well.  I have put other
CPUs
>in this case, it won't boot.
>
>I have carefully checked the mounting on the board.  There are 9 holes
in
>the board with metal backing indicating they are mounting holes.  Each
of
>them has a screw installed into a brass stand off.
>
>I sure would like to hear some suggestions as to what to do with this
>machine.
>
>TIA
>
>Mike Buraczewski
>[log in to unmask]


I just recently (June) updated my computer to a GA-7DX Gigabyte Athlon
Socket A motherboard.  It worked great for the last 4 months but last
week I had the same problem, the computer would not post :-(  Luckily, I
liked the Gigabyte board so much, I had purchased a 2nd one last month
and updated my other computer.  It was relatively easy to trouble shoot
if you  have a 2nd system.  These are the steps that I took,

1) First thing, I removed all plugin cards (except for VGA card) to make
sure that none of them were causing a bus failure or power supply
failure which would result in failure to post.

Results: After removing all (except VGA card) the bad system would not
post :-(

2) I then removed the VGA card from the bad system and tried installing
it in my good system to verify that this plugin card was not causing the
problem.

Results: The good system posted fine with the VGA card from the bad
system :-(

3) I removed the DDR Ram module from the bad system and tried running it
in my working system.  I made sure that I did NOT try taking the DDR RAM
from the good system and run it in the bad system because there could be
a Power Supply problem which might be trashing everything!

Results: DDR Ram worked on the good system :-(

4) I then put the DDR Ram back in the bad system and removed the Power
Supply from the bad system and tried running the bad system with the
Power Supply from the Good System.  I did not try running the possible
bad Power Supply on the Good System because if the Power Supply was bad
it could have trashed the Good System hardware.

Results: Power Supply from Good System was not able to resolve the
problem on the bad System :-(

5) After returning the Good Power Supply to the Good System and
verifying that everything on the Good System was still functioning, I
removed the the Athlon Socket A CPU from the bad System and put it in my
Good System.

Results: CPU from the bad system was able to post on the Good System.

6) After returning the CPU back to the bad System, I tried reseting the
Bios to default setting using a hardware jumper.

Results: No luck, system still would not post.

Conclusion:  The GA-7DX motherboard had failed :-(  The good news is
that there was a 1 year warranty on the motherboard and I am awaiting an
equivilent replacement from where I purchased it.

Suggestion:  It is very difficult to trouble shoot a single system, I
would suggest that you purchase a 2nd case and identical motherboard and
follow the steps above.  Worst case is that it is the motherboard and
you will have a system up and running relatively quickly.  Otherwise,
you need to purchase the parts (RAM, Power Supply, Motherboard) one at a
time and if it does end up being the motherboard you will be waiting
quite some time as you go through each part?

                         PCBUILD's List Owners:
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                       Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>