Killed A Computer

Slaanesh · 10-07-2002 1:43pm #1

Ah friend of my Dad's asked me to fix his computer so I headed up today and looked at it. He wanted to be able to browse the internet. The computer was very slow booting up, it was a P2 xxxMhz, I looked in the settings and saw that the wrong modem was installed so I went through the rigmarole of installing the correct modem and tried dialling up. I got info back from the modem in diagnostics so it was working but I got a "No Dialtone message". The phone line from the modem was connected to a 2way adaptor and then going into the wall. I thought the adaptor might be faulty so I just took the line from the modem and went direct into the jack in the wall. When I went back to the computer it had frozen completely, mouse cursor would not move, CTRL-ALT-DEL wouldn't work ... NOTHING.

So I reset the computer ........ NOTHING...... heard fans and stuff and hard drives but that was it, no monitor, no booting, NOTHING. So I disconnected everything and reconnected and tried again, still nothing. Opened up the computer, took out every card except the gfx card, still nothing. Even took out the gfx card, still nothing. Only fans were going in the computer. Even disconnected the hard drive. The monitor never came out of standby mode. My thoughts is I managed to fry something by use of the phoneline. Is this possible ? I'm going to try all the cards in this comptuer to see if they work. I think the motherboard might be fried.

Slaan.

seamus · 10-07-2002 1:59pm

Uh-oh

What type of phoneline is it? Are you sure that was just a two-way adaptor - maybe it served some other purpose too.......

In our work we use a PABX, and some funky phonelines that give other stuff such as the time, and different functions, so there's an extra bit of whack running through the lines. In our desperate attempts to get some internet access, one of the night guys plugged his modem into one of the lines and quickly fried it. Maybe something similar has happened to you. Or it could be completely unrelated

Get some bits that you know work, say from your own comp, and try them in it.........

chernobyl · 10-07-2002 2:12pm

The modem is very likely fried and this is causing a short in the system.
Simply remove the modem and the computer should boot up as normally again.

Slaanesh · 10-07-2002 2:24pm

l The modem is very likely fried and this is causing a short in the system.

Did you even read my post ?

Seamus, totally normal phoneline, no extra bits.

Slaan.

EvilGeorge · 10-07-2002 3:35pm

I agree with Chyrnoble here - its a comon thing that happens if a modem gets fried (or any adapter) it will look like its dead.

seamus · 10-07-2002 3:41pm

Originally posted by EvilGeorge
I agree with Chyrnoble here - its a comon thing that happens if a modem gets fried (or any adapter) it will look like its dead.

Originally posted by Slaanesh
Did you even read my post ?

It still wouldn't work even after taking out the modem, so that couldn't be it

zAbbo · 10-07-2002 4:07pm

Get yourself some parts that you know verk and mix and match to you get stuff verking eg, try the components in a diff mobo, Change the PSu etc.

Simple process of elimination m8

Eurofficial · 11-07-2002 1:12pm

You're in big trouble buster!!

Felix Unger · 11-07-2002 1:24pm

Does it POST, any beeps coming from it, any LEDs around the back working? Doesn't sound like the PSU as the fans are working. If you can, check the monitor on another PC, or if you have OSD you might be able to check it using that. It sounds like the motherboard is gone, or less likely the graphics card.

EvilGeorge · 11-07-2002 1:25pm

OK bring it down to a basic system (if removing the modem hasn't done so already)
As in just motherboard, cpu, ram and psu - disconnect everthing else but leave in video if its not onboard.
See how this works, if you have post then stick in things one by one.

If nothing remove the vid, see if it powers on and if you get any beeps. (might want to check on the web for beep codes but if it dosent beep without the ram or vid in I'd say the mbd is dead) try and narrow it down as much as you can , bit of luck it might be somthing small.

Slaanesh · 12-07-2002 7:20am

I did all this straight away, took out all the cards and tested them in my own PC and they worked. It doesn't even POST. So I am thinking the motherboard has broked. Looks like he will be buying a new system !

Slaan.

Saruman · 12-07-2002 10:32am

I reckon its nothing to do with the phone line.. probably coincidence... Though saying that i was reseating my phone cord once for my modem... had been pulled out and i got a shock doing that.. usual static shock you can get... happened when i touched the metal things on the cable i guess.. nothing was fried or anything but its possible it could have and thats what happened to you.. but you did not mention a shock...

No probably just coincidence.

One thing i dont think you tried was reseating the cpu? Try it.. nothing to loose!

quozl · 14-07-2002 8:25pm

whats with all the goons telling him to do stuff he clearly said he did in his original post? Read the damn things before you spout off.
Sadly cant give any better advice than bazH's.
quozl

donaloconnor · 14-07-2002 9:53pm

I always come across this at work. 70% chance its a pci card. I would take out everycard and insert a NEW graphics card and see how thigns go. Also i would clear the CMOS.

Another thing would be the CPU voltage/frequency settings that would cause fans and all to start up except everything else. But as what i read they shouldn't be changed.

Good luck

and hey mate......Don't worry most of the computer is okay just one little thing gone..maybe the motherboard but com'on thats just 150 roughly

Tell us how u get on

Killed A Computer

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