problem with computer

scottishf

A friend of mine just gave me his computer to tinker around with as its not working.....he just bought a new motherboard and cpu..motherboard is pm8m3-v Cpu is intel pentium 4...when you boot up the system passes the post and starts booting into windows and then just shuts down...when you boot up again straight away it doesnt even get to windows.

I thought that the problem may be the CPU overheating, but ive only ever taken one other out b 4 and before i take this one out was wondeering if anyone had any ideas

Thanks

Dammam

Is the CPU fan seated properly, and is there a good thin layer of thermal paste? Also, is the PSU up to the job?
Could be a multitude of things, so I'd check these out and then consider taking it apart and putting it back together.

T4i

Will the system let you into BIOS?

It should give you an idea of CPU temps in there, let it try boot, restart itself then try look at the BIOS temps quickly.

If POST is successful which it sounds like it is then I'd be looking at the PSU. Can you try change the PSU for a test?

Try take all the components out that you dont need to boot, modems, soundcards, NIC's, slave devices, USB devices, Take all RAM out apart from one stick closest to CPU socket.

Trial and error.

scottishf

yup he said he put the thrmal paste on and the fan is on ok.........do you agee it sounds like the Cpu though?

scottishf

A different Psu was tried...it is currently a 300W thats in it but a 400W was also tried, i forgot to say...although the post passes there is an error message about an 80- pin connector in the hard drive....but it still boots

bingo_bango

It definitely sounds like it could be the CPU overheating. I'd suggest you use T4i's method of trial and error though.
I've had something similar when overclocking. PC goes through post, but then shuts down almost immediately (depending on how high you've set the clock speed), or after 5-10 mins with a lower speed. Took trial and error to sort that out after panicking and thinking I'd fried everything.

edit: On reflection of the new info about the error message, I'd be checking also that the SATA/IDE cable has been seated properly, and that no pins have been bent (I've also done this :rolleyes: ).

T4i

Is the computer a home built one?

Was it working ok until now? Has the FSB been setup correctly? Does the CPU speed show correctly during POST or is it above/below the speed it should be?

Do you have a spare 80-pin IDE connector you can try?

chunter

Have you tried booting to Safe Mode the first time?
f8

espresso

Surely if it is a new mobo just fitted, the correct drivers for it will need to be loaded.

scottishf

it is a home built one.....new mother board and cpu...graphics card hard drive etc are from his previous computer.....cant see how to change the fsb speed

espresso

scottishf wrote:

it is a home built one.....new mother board and cpu...graphics card hard drive etc are from his previous computer.....cant see how to change the fsb speed

So windows was installed on the old hard drive and you are now expecting it to load with a totally different mobo?

:eek: