I just killed my PC by cleaning it

Yes, after a long time I decided it was time to clean all the dust accumulating inside my CPU Case
and now I find myself distraugt by the posiblility that I just broke it for good.

As I've done many times before, I disconnected everything and started disassembling parts, RAM, HDDs, the PSU, cleaning fans, blowing the dust with the canned air, then I assembled everything back,
so finally I connect everything and turn it On and immediately I know something is wrong, very wrong.
The machine starts, and seems to go through the routine motions (I'll add the normaly the MOBO letters appear almost immediately, and windows loads in one minute), all the fans work, I can see the DVD drives working, the HDDs red light keeps working, except that nothing happens on the screen, there is nothing, just the black screen, as if the PC was not turned On.
The monitor tries to find the source (analog / digital) a few times the goes idle.

So my first though is maybe I moved the Graphics Card (ATI Radeon 2400HD) wich I didn't even took out when cleaning, but after close inspection the card is well into it's slot.
I tried then my TV that is also connected to the card via HDMI, nothing, no signal on my TV either.
So I get the graphics card out and plug my monitor into the boards VGA port, the same result, then I plug my TV to this same VGA port, and still nothing. In short, there is no signal either using the Graphics Card nor using the Onboard Graphic Adaptor.
Oh I also tried my monitor, with same cables, on the other PC and laptop availables here at home, it worked like charm, so I guess the monitor is ok, wich is a good thing cos it cost me more that $200.

At that point I am very stressed, but things only get worst.
I decided to unplug everything, only leave the display and the main hard drive (WD Sata). It didn't work, same as before, nothing happens on the display, but I noticed something else, the hard drive red light never blinks, yes my main drive doesn't seem to work at all, I can't feel working or anything.
Then later I also find that one of my DVD drives also doesn't do nothing.

Did I burned my PC?, maybe I short-circuited it somehow.
Anyway I post this more as an anecdotal tale or maybe just to vent out some of my stress.
I've been quite a wile doing trial and error and nothing worked.
I feel bad cos I can't afford to buy a PC like that at the moment.
:cry:

Calm down, you could be fine.
Then again, you could be fucked...you'll have that from time to time.

Didn't lose any screws behind the motherboard, did we?
Is everything plugged in (auxiliary power to the motherboard, maybe)?
Does your vid card have a power connector?

It could be just some silly little thing...the problem is that you missed it the first time and you need fresh eyes to catch it now.
Sleep on it and recheck her tomorrow.
If it's still acting up, shoot the treacherous little bastard.

Good one Clock. Yeah check behind your motherboard for a screw. Clocker knows a thing or two about having a screw loose :P. Also did you remove your CPU?

Check your ram. Pull it out inspect the slots for some dust and reseat it. Same goes for the CPU.

Next check your SATA connections to your HDD sometimes the plug feels like it's in but it isn't.

Maybe even reset your bios by "bridging the two pins with a screwdriver or something. If you don't know what I mean post the model of your mobo.

From your post it looks like... :unsure: It might happen due to connection problem with ram. Just to be sure, pull out the ram(s) from its/their slot & place them again on their slot correctly.
I faced same type of problem that you have stated here many times. Al the times, it is just the ram.
But, in worst case, what you have said here,

Quote:

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Did I burned my PC?, maybe I short-circuited it somehow.

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might be true. But keep your fingers crossed.
And if nothing happens, throw that away. :P

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Originally Posted by clocker

Calm down, you could be fine. Then again, you could be fucked...you'll have that from time to time.

Is everything plugged in (auxiliary power to the motherboard, maybe)?
Does your vid card have a power connector?

It could be just some silly little thing...the problem is that you missed it the first time and you need fresh eyes to catch it now.
Sleep on it and recheck her tomorrow.
If it's still acting up, shoot the treacherous little bastard.

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:lol: made me laugh man, I appreciate that.
And yeah I believe the same about being stressed and working on a Pc, so I just forgot about it, watched some Tv and went to sleep.
I will try again today, I'm not optimistic but at least now I feel better.
And I also thought of the connections you mention but nothing seems to be missing, and the graphics card never had any connections besides the slot.

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Originally Posted by Detale

Yeah check behind your motherboard for a screw.

Check your ram. Pull it out inspect the slots for some dust and reseat it. Same goes for the CPU.
Next check your SATA connections to your HDD sometimes the plug feels like it's in but it isn't.

Maybe even reset your bios by "bridging the two pins with a screwdriver or something. If you don't know what I mean post the model of your mobo

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I didn't think someting could have gone behind the board but I will add it to the list.
I did check the RAM, re-placed them, switch the sticks and even removed them and used a spare I have, but I will check more closely today.
The CPU I didn't do cos I never touched it in the first place.
I did check the SATA connection, inverted the cable, switch slot, tried various power connectors, as I mention that hard drive seems dead (as does one of the DVD drives)
Finally, by reseting the bios, do you mead switching the jumper back and forth?, cos I've done that a few times now.

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Originally Posted by bijoy

It might happen due to connection problem with ram. Just to be sure, pull out the ram(s) from its/their slot & place them again on their slot correctly.
I faced same type of problem that you have stated here many times. Al the times, it is just the ram.

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That seemed to be the trend when I googled my problem, and it makes sence.


Ok now I guess I'll go and give it a try again,
as I said, I'm not getting my hopes up, but what the heck, right? :D
Thanks guys I appreciate it!. ;)

I wonder if maybe the PSU is fritzing out.
It's weird that the hard drive and optical went along with the video.

If you can, try a power supply from another computer.
Just barebones: Motherboard, cpu, ram, and vid card, with just your monitor and keyboard plugged in.

That was my next guess as well. Do you have a spare PSU on hand?

Yes I did find a spare PSU earlier today and I'm told it's in working condition,
will try it tomorow.

I am thinking I might get a cheap PC, just the case, to keep up to date
until I save a bit to get a new Beast!

Are you sure you hooked up all the power connects for that mainboard? Like the CPU power? Mine has a 8pin CPU connection besides the 24pin main power for everything else(ATX).

Post the model of your motherboard too.

See if you can pick up a cheap piezoelectric PC speaker at a Radio Shack or similar store near you. Hook it up to your motherboard and then see if it signals some sort of error. However some motherboards, like mine, have some sort of on-board display of the post codes. If you do have something similar, post the code. It should give a clue to what is wrong.

The problems you describe only point me in these directions

- Try running on just one stick of RAM, any more than that won't let anything boot (MB-RAM compatibility issue)
- PSU no longer good. If you have a digital multimeter, you can test voltages on the 5 V and 12 V from the molex (4-pin connector for old EIDE drives, fans, etc.). Black or chassis for ground, yellow for 12 V, red for 5 V. (edit: even if they are good, doesn't necessarily mean you don't have a good PSU, but it's still one way to track down and identify problems).

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Originally Posted by sandman_1

Are you sure you hooked up all the power connects for that mainboard?...

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Yeah, CPU power is connected, it is also appart from the other power conections, it's a 4 pin connector on mine.
I know what was connected and what wasn't before I screwed it all, but still I've verified just in case I missed something and I don't think so, of the few free cables there is none that matches any of the free slots on the board.
And also, now that you mention it, my machine does have a system speaker that beeps three times everytime I turn it on, but it has done that for years, literaly.
Finally, my board has no display, I don't think it is that expensive; the case has a frontal display but it's basic, you know, HDD activity, fans, tem, etc. and there is no more useful data on it, lol.

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Originally Posted by mjmacky

PSU no longer good. If you have a digital multimeter, you can test voltages on the 5 V and 12 V from the molex (4-pin connector for old EIDE drives, fans, etc.)

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Hey that is a good idea, I mean I don't plan on putting more effort on this but still I do have a multimeter, thanks for pionting me in that direction.


Anyway I think I am done with it, I won't trow her away, will keep it for parts and stuff,
it could come in handy later.

Rest In Peace my loyal friend, and thank you for all those large torrents and the late nights of online gamin; the music and the e-mails.
you will be remembered as the meanest beatch' I've ever had.
:D

Because you never posted anything about your motherboard, but if you have AMI BIOS, 3 beeps indicate a memory issue, specifically the first 64K. Even if you have Phoenix or Award, it appears that they essentially point to the same problem, memory. I suggest you start checking your memory like others have suggested.

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Originally Posted by sandman_1

Because you never posted anything about your motherboard, but if you have AMI BIOS, 3 beeps indicate a memory issue, specifically the first 64K. Even if you have Phoenix or Award, it appears that they essentially point to the same problem, memory. I suggest you start checking your memory like others have suggested.

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You are right, I never did post my board, it is a 'P4M890-M7 SE', Award Bios
and it does have a small table of Beep Codes in it's users manual:

-one long beep + two short beeps = video card not found or video card memory bad.
-high-low siren sound = CPU overheated, will shut down automatically
-long beeps every other second = no DRAM detected or install
-one short beep at boot-up = no error found during post.

as you see, the closest one is the first description,
although in my case is just three short beeps.

And I did mention I checked the memory, as I've seen first hand it can cause this kind of trubles
when it is inserted wrong or a stick fails or something like that.
I checked that both 1 Gig sticks where inserted correctly, that the small hooks (or whatever they are called)
where secured in the indentations on the side of the stick; I also switched sticks,
then removed those sticks and used a single spare 512M stick I have.
None of it seems to make any difference.

It's a wildcard but try changing RAM slots. I've seen some temperamental crap from many a PC due to RAM being in the "wrong" slot.

On page 17 of your manual, it tells you how to reset CMOS using the jumper. Try doing that and see if you get any results. [I forgot you mentioned that] Everywhere I have looked on the net in regards to Award beep codes say that anything not usually defined is usually a memory error.

I suspect that somehow during your cleaning the cmos got reset to factory default, if the battery is low and you leave it unpowered for any length of time, its a good idea to go thru your bios tab by tab and check things like which hard drive is first in the boot order and what video type is first etcetera. I'm willing to bet your problem is in there somewhere.

Reseting the cmos with the jumper will often change things you had set, especially if something was changed for the video. I have had PC's that changed the boot order on me and one that failed a bio's update which then resulted in a black screen for onboard and pci video, but pci-e worked and allowed me (after pulling a card from another pc) to then use a floppy to redo the bios update. Since then, I never depend on auto bios updates from the manufacturer since they screwed it up and then went into denial. Also be sure you didn't accidentally unplug anything or replug to the wrong place. For instance, if you plug the CPU fan into a regular fan header, the fan will turn, but the PC will see no fan on the correct header and refuse to start.

If ur monitor is ok then three things can happen with ur pc.

1. This is weird...but Format ur hdd I mean C: drive (now See if it works )then install a new windows....Face same prb 2 months ago and solved it myself.
**If your monitor comes(starts and shows your motherboard details) without your HDD, then your pc is alright.
2. Your RAM may be dead...Try to confirm it from another pc. Before u use it again....take a thin piece of cotton cloth and try to wash (without water/anything) the golden/silver connector...best way: warp the RAM's corner with the cloth and press the corner hardly(dont use too much force and only press in the connector) and move the RAM up and down.
3.Your motherboard may have a problem....To check it use another working RAM and start ur pc without the HDD...see if your monitor starts and shows shows. If it doesn't you have send it to the shop.

I once worked in a cyber cafe and faced this problem more 30 times.....
Try those and post the result. I think Power Supply is working all right.

After doing those, give me the report....

P.S. I think I posted this too late.....

Hey, this thread keep coming back, lol.
Well you see, as I mentioned back then, the monitor is Ok but still, no signal appears to get to it
it turns on and all, the puts the small window saying 'no signal detected' then goes idle.

And yeah I know what you mean, the HDD formatting always did the trick for me too.
Anyways, that PC is now stored as spare parts,
I bought a new one since then (discussed here)
Thank you.