urgent

Hello all - I would greatly appreciate any help at all, as soon as possible!

As I was using my computer as usual today, it suddenly died - very suddenly. At first I thought the power went out but then realized the speakers etc. were still up and running. This made me believe it was my PSU or cable, so I checked those to no avail.
For several months I've heard this really high-pitched sound whenever the powercable is plugged in, and even when the computer is shut down it still doesn't stop until I cut the power completely. This noise was still there, which confused me (as that means the PSU was ok? Lights etc were still functional inside the computer). The computer would not start by pressing the start button.
My main case-fan has stopped working too (earlier than today), which has made the inside "somewhat" dusty.

Now, the main issue - I had the computer laying down, and just randomly tried to start it (the only attached cable was the powercable), and the CPU-fan started up only for a second. I then tried once more and the fan went crazy, going much faster than usual. It started to smell burnt, and I panicked, pulling the power cable out and unplugging my harddrives out of instinct to save whatever's on them - from a fire that never started

Obviously, I didn't try anything else after that. There's no visual harm done to the cpu, fan or motherboard - but I can't tell for sure as I've never experienced something like this.

So, long story short:
CPU smelled burnt after trying to get it back up running after computer suddenly shut down instantly. The thing was dusty (after removing the cpu it was even dusty "beneath" it, on the CPU-slot on the mobo.)

1. What or which parts are actually messed up?
2. I'm in urgent need of this particular computer, especially the contents of the harddrives, would buying a new CPU, motherboard and perhaps a PSU guarantee that I get it back up running? (And on a sidenote, would plugging these new components in force me to reinstall windows, since I currently have certain motherboard-drivers installed?) Is it possible my harddrives were damaged?


System specs (doubt it matters):
450W Antec PSU (Came with the chassis)
Asus A8N-E Mobo
AMD 3500 CPU
2 HDD's
1 DVD-Drive
ATI X800

If damage is done to the cpu I will have to buy both a new CPU and motherboard as cpu's this old arent available where I'm from (I can only find dualcores and such, is this odd?) - can anyone give me a short answer to wether a AMD Athlon64 X2 Dual-Core 4200+ 2.2 ghz would have better or worse performance than a single-core 3500+ in general? (Stupid question?)

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I need to get access to both the harddrives and at least the same performance as earlier within just a few days, as I have important work that needs to be done this month.

dai

blow the dust out of everything with a can of air
redo the paste on the cpu with some arctic silver
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_s...structions.htm
see if you can borrow a larger wattge psu to try in it
it supports these cpu's
Athlon 64 X2 / Athlon 64 FX / Athlon 64
eneles will be able to tell you where you can pick up single core if any one can

__________________

eneles

Hej

Yes, an Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core will be much better than the CPU you have now.

The best CPU you can use with your current motherboard is an Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4800+.
A8N-E CPU support: http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/c...us&model=A8N-E

But, that CPU is VERY expensive in Sweden.
The Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4200+ costs about SEK 1500-1600 (expensive, IMHO - but maybe you can find it cheaper).
http://www.prisjakt.nu/kategori.php?k=s18318550

PSU: http://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=109370

__________________

Click the banner for links

urgent

I have access to a random 425W PSU compared to my original 450, which also seems to use different kinds of cables(?), so I'm not able to investigate if the problem was a shortage of wattage - if that's what you were getting at?

I don't mean to question you or anything but is it actually safe to remount the cpu and try again? When the whole thing happened there was this electric-like noise (like I imagine small electric sparks, or like a low grinding noise on gravel - hard to explain) as the smell (which is still in the air, hours later) appeared.

About the cooling-paste. The cpu is still attached to the cooling-unit (the original "fan-thing"), it came right up along with it as I removed the cooler. Am I supposed to just tear the cpu off of it? Also, I do not have any coolingpaste... I guess that's a problem.

Part of me is wide open for the idea of buying new components for some reason, and seeing that some dualcores are exceptionally cheap (cheaper than my 3500 was at the time of purchase) is tempting, despite having to change motherboard.

dai

twist it back and forth until you break the seal
the paste is cheap

__________________

urgent

AMD Dual-Cores at that speed are around SEK4-700 for other Mobo's

That, together with your mentioned PSU and a cheap (cheap!) supported Mobo would practically go for almost the same price, somewhat more, in the end. Is this a bad idea (decrease in mobo(?) for a gain in cpu)?

Nice to see a fellow scandinavian by the way, I was expecting someone to lead me to a US website.

urgent

Ok, so with that done the question is wether I should assume things will work out and just buy the paste (takes pretty much as long time as ordering hardware does, I earlier today learned that both computer-stores downtown have shut down - am I lucky or what?), or be more pessimistic and assume things have screwed up and buy new hardware.
I still don't feel any smarter about what has actually happened, are there any common causes for "sudden death" of a computer followed by that burn-issue?

eneles

Yes, the AM2 socket CPUs are a lot cheaper - but you have a socket 939 motherboard.
Maybe it's better to upgrade mobo + CPU.
Look for a board that supports the RAM you have.

(I'm from Sweden, but have moved to Denmark )

__________________

Click the banner for links

cp_ent

To get your OS and programs up and running ...to check your hard drives ...install them in another machine and access them ....use a friend or family member ...slave the units or just change the jumpers from theirs to yours and boot up with out doing a complete re-build / install.

Case open hard drives resting on open case/ cardboard /

urgent

I'm back. Bought new cpu/mobo, connected everything, plugged in the powercable. CPU-fan and 120mm fan starts spinning (as soon as the power is plugged in), they slow down and then they stop. The smell is back (electric burn or whatever). I never pressed the actual powerbutton on the computer, it all just started as the cable plugged in (and the startbutton made no difference).

May be a dumb question but it just has to be the PSU that's dead, correct? It's the standard 450W PSU that comes with the Antec Sonata 1, and it's maybe 2-3 years old.

I certainly hope this odd change in electricity-"flow"(???) doesn't damage the installed hardware (the short moment it went on).

Appreciate all the help so far, and will equally appreciate any further assistance as well.
Recommend suitable PSU's? What'll fit? Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance, again!

eneles

Yes, it sounds like the PSU is gone.

The Antec TP Trio 550W will run your system: http://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=109370

__________________

Click the banner for links

urgent

I hurried downtown and got a cheap PSU, they said I could return it. Plugged it in. Guess what happens?

My harddrive started burning. New experience to me, can't say it was fun. Pulled out the cable, the fire died out on it's own. It's obviously unusable, but is the problem at hand my installation, or was something up with the HDD or anything like that?

I'm almost able to laugh at my own misery because I keep buying components and now they start burning on me..

May one try again without it, without having to worry about another inferno?

I've lost 200GB of precious work and programs

eneles

What PSU did you get? Return it immediately.

I know the Antec TP is a little expensive, but you won't regret it.
Those cheap PSUs can zap everything in a computer.
Let's hope the other parts survived.

__________________

Click the banner for links

urgent

HKC (TM) - Best Quality for Your System! "C" is for Crap.
The thing is I handed them my old PSU. He looked around on it for a moment and gave me the replacement.. *Dun dun duuuun*

I'm going to return it tomorrow (let's see how they handle unhappy customers), and I've ordered the Antec TP.

I'll get back to you when I have it installed, then I'll broadcast a live video of me plugging the cable in/starting it for the 3rd time bwahaha, you never know what might happen. If it doesn't work I'll just write a book about my misfortunes, or perhaps pick up carpenting. No kidding.

Thanks again! :)

eneles

OK. Good luck - but, I guess you don't need that. You must be running out of bad luck.

__________________

Click the banner for links

urgent

Ok! Got the new PSU, everything's fine (computer managed to run for a few minutes back and forth without exploding in my face hah).

However, I believe my 2nd harddrive might have died during the previous "experiment", but I thought I'd check it here first.

The drive is not detected in bios, and I've tried changing the sata-cable with no luck.
Booting from the CD does nothing, it only gives me "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or insert Boot Media in selected Boot device", even if the CD-drive is the only device in the bootorder (disabled floppy and as mentioned the HDD isn't detected).

Is there any way to confirm wether the drive is actually dead or not, or if the problem is anywhere else?
I might be able to aquire a new drive for free, but if not I'd like to know wether it's actually neccessary to buy a new one or not.

Also read that resetting the bios may get it to detect previously undetected drives, but I didnt see that option in bios (never done it), nor do I know if that'd make any difference - considering the other drive that was plugged in along with this one burned up.
The memory etc seems fine by the way, so I believe I'm only a harddrive away now..

Big thanks to Eneles - and the other contributors - for "holding my hand" this far, much appreciated !

dai

turn the computer off
remove the power lead from the back
take the side off
remove the cmos battery
move the cmos jumper from pins 1 and 2 to pin 2 and 3 and the back to pins 1 and 2
replace the battery
put the side on
replug in the power lead
boot the computer
if it was on the same cable as the one you lost there is a good chance it went as well
disconnect it and see if it will boot from cd
is cd set as first boot

__________________