When pin 8 has 5Vdc and I press reset, that V does not drop. When I short the reset pins on the mobo that V does not drop. It is supposed to go to 0V and then return to around 5Vdc when reset is released (not shorted), correct? It does not.
Although that is what should happen, the fact that it didn't suggests the mobo manufacturer has likely used a different method to trigger Reset-it's not that uncommon. It means we just can't verify the CPU Reset signal using Pin 8 to know the CPU is actually being signaled to reset.
We do know the CPU is active because Pin 14 went low and Pin 8 high, (but that doesn't prove it's fully functional). Also, there is no short circuit, otherwise the PSU would shut down.
Have you tried the usual checks?
-verified all PCI/AGP cards, ram and bios chip are properly seated.
-hold down bios setup key (** Del, F1, F2, Ctrl-Home, etc...) while starting computer.
-put a floppy diskette in drive to see if computer tries to load bios flash utility. Repeat while pressing bios flash keys (** Ctrl-Home, F12, Ins, etc...) **Re: check motherboard manufacturer for details.
-removed video and ram to check for beep errors-no beeps suggest a bios or board fault.
-removed mobo from case to visually inspect it for cracks, leaky/deformed capacitors, burnt or melted spots.
-set mobo on cardboard with ram and video installed, connect video and power up to check if posts when not stressed by chasis mountings-some heatsink designs cause the mobo to deform. Note: Can repeat this with setting up beside your Win98 pc and use it's PSU and monitor to check if mobo starts-eliminates the XP's PSU as a suspect.
Also, as mentioned previously, whenever I switch on the PSU AC switch, all the fans start up for a second or so and then stop. That should not be happening! They should spin when the CASE power button is pressed on,NOT in the situation just described. That , too, is a big part of the problem!
Your previous post implied the fans were running when powered on. Are you now saying that they only come on momentarily when power applied
but don't run when CASE power button is pressed?
You cleared the CMOS, assuming it's functional it may be the default setting.
Do a power supply reset by unplugging the power cord, and pressing the CASE power button for 15 seconds.
PSU's require a minimum load to function properly, for a low wattage PSU the mobo and video card are usually sufficient. For PSU's larger than 400W leave a CDrom drive's power cable connected.
A couple questions and I am going to let this go. First, is there a way to check for SHORTS on the mobo, or would that be beyond the scope of this forum?
There's no bolted short (direct circuit to GND) in the mobo/peripheral devices, that would cause the PSU to automatically shut down. It would more likely be an open circuit caused by a failed component or trace breach in the board. You would need an identical board to make comparative readings.
Secondly, as previously mentioned, I am going to install a new mobo and processor shortly anyway. Based on the data in this thread, would YOU feel fairly confident at this point about making the aforementioned uprgade? Tell the truth. I'm not going to hold you to anything!!
Any further ideas, if possible, would be appreciated. And again, thanks for your help and input.
The PSU appears to be okay, and you already tested the video card, so the only unknowns are ram and drives. It would be a good idea to test the ram in another working computer if possible before using it in a new setup, so you know it's okay.
Also, I would test the hard drive for virus before using it or trying to recover data.