Core2 coroner needed

[lightzout]

OK I consider myself an experienced PC builder but have always had things work well so I am not very experienced diagnosing problems. Now I am stuck with a PC that won't boot and I don't know what the problem may be.

I have a e6320 in a Gigabyte P35 that ran great until it just didnt boot up one day. I RMA'd the mobo and got the same model cheap and reinstalled the parts to find it won't boot either. The case fans spin, the video card spins and the light on the heatsink turns on and looks like it wants to spin but still no boot, no video signal or bios screen.

How can I tell if its the CPU, DDR or Mobo here? Does Intel replace cpus that have been overclocked? I am stuck here and could really use advice. I dont think its the PSU since I swapped it out with another and both had same results. Also swapping out memory sticks didnt reveal anything. I also tried using a standard PCI video card instead of the PCI-e and still no signal.

Do I have to buy another cpu and other memory now? What happens when a CPU fails?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: lightzout
What happens when a CPU fails?

Usually, they just stop posting. And yeah, it sounds like your CPU is the culprit. Can you borrow another CPU, to test with?

 

[Mondoman]

If you haven't already, do a complete clear of the CMOS, by unplugging the PS and removing the battery before doing the actual jumper clear.
Otherwise, the info seems to point to a dead CPU. Since you've already replaced the MB and tried a different PS, that's the main thing left that would cause the system to just not turn on. You imply that you OC'd the CPU, and that could certainly kill it young. Sounds like it's time to buy another CPU (Intel, understandably, won't honor CPU warranties on OC'd chips).

 

[aigomorla]

can be PSU...

OR CPU.

And no if you dont use the stock heat sink, intel wont honor your warrenty. And no you cant send them a brand new one either.

 

[Markfw]

ummm I had this happen 5 times in the last 2 months, and one other poster took my advice, and it was his problem also.

Fisrt try one stick of memory at a time. If that doesn;t work, borrow a stick and try it. Memory is a big problem quite often (5 rmas's on memory in the last 2 months for me, by I have 10 systems, still a lot of bad memory)

 

[lightzout]

Thanks for the replys guys. I guess all these years of good luck with hardware has caught up to me and I am paying for it all at once. I did the full battery out CMOS clear too btw. I don't know where I can even buy a cpu or memory near home now that compusa is closing nor could I borrow parts so I will order them.

I don't know if I can afford a full blown quad core (or maybe just 6750- gamers don't need quads yet right?) now so I think I may get the perennial Anand pick of an e2160 and some 800 memory to compliment it. That shouldn't be too expensive.

Looking back at the last build -I had the e6320 running at 7x444fsb ~3.1ghz and it seemed to only be running in the mid 30s at load. I have a zerotherm BTF80 and it looked like it was installed correctly. The HSF never felt hot and most of the time the fan wasn't running because the temps were so low. Could i have misread the temperatures and burned out the cpu or could something else have happened? It did run fine and then wouldn't boot. We were also having storms so there could have been spike but the box is on a UPS so I assume it would be protected.

Last shot: Whats the best gaming CPU under $300 to replace my e6320? Should I get the 6850 or maybe wait until the e8400 is available again?

 

[nullpointerus]

Originally posted by: lightzout
Thanks for the replys guys. I guess all these years of good luck with hardware has caught up to me and I am paying for it all at once. I did the full battery out CMOS clear too btw. I don't know where I can even buy a cpu or memory near home now that compusa is closing nor could I borrow parts so I will order them.

I don't know if I can afford a full blown quad core (or maybe just 6750- gamers don't need quads yet right?) now so I think I may get the perennial Anand pick of an e2160 and some 800 memory to compliment it. That shouldn't be too expensive.

Looking back at the last build -I had the e6320 running at 7x444fsb ~3.1ghz and it seemed to only be running in the mid 30s at load. I have a zerotherm BTF80 and it looked like it was installed correctly. The HSF never felt hot and most of the time the fan wasn't running because the temps were so low. Could i have misread the temperatures and burned out the cpu or could something else have happened? It did run fine and then wouldn't boot. We were also having storms so there could have been spike but the box is on a UPS so I assume it would be protected.

Last shot: Whats the best gaming CPU under $300 to replace my e6320? Should I get the 6850 or maybe wait until the e8400 is available again?

e8400 + P35 mobo + DDR2-1066 = 1 great o/c

But do you already have the BIOS updated to a version that would support an e8400?

 

[hennethannun]

I've always wondered how exactly intel/amd can tell if you OC'd your processor. I mean, it would be pretty obvious if you send them a 2 year old chip with a spotless, unused HS/F. But otherwise, how could they know?

Note that I am NOT advocating trying to cheat AMD or Intel. the warranty stuff is pretty clear and if you choose to OC your system you should be willing to accept some risk, but it's not like there is a warranty sticker inside your CPU that you have to take off to OC it...

 

[lightzout]

I think its probably easy to tell if the cpu has been run at a faster fsb or a higher voltage. I thought I was getting something for nothing by buying the 5320 and running at 6600+ speeds but you know how the old saying goes...
Now that I am "stuck" with an extra P35 mobo I think I will get the 2160 and some 800DDR for now since I haven't had a PC to game on for a couple weeks.

I wonder if Gigabyte will return my P35-DQ6 if its test out ok. I would rather have a high end processor on that board and the 8400 looks like a crazy deal.

 

[MarcVenice]

You could at least TRY rma-ing it or whatever. If it's dead it's dead, and won't be much good to you in the garbage bin. And the e8400 would be the best to get right now. I'd most def wait till it's in stock again. Mid 30's is unrealistic btw, under load, especially not with your cooler if you ask me.

 

[hennethannun]

The 8400 does look like the sweet spot right now, but IMO buying cheap stuff now with an eye towards upgrading letter tends to be a losing proposition. Either you end up spending more money over all on the same system, or your upgrade path gets blocked by the introduction of a new socket/memory standard/video standard etc. I think it's generally a good idea to just buy the best machine your budget will afford and ride it out as long as you can (not including things like monitors, hdds, optical drives etc which can easily be used in several consecutive machines).

Which is a long way of saying that you shouldn't buy the 2160 if you want and can afford and will use the 8400. And there doesn't seem to be any reason to buy new ram either. your 1066 will work just fine at a lower clock speed, so why drop $60 or $80 on 2 more GB of DDR2-800? and the e8400 was available yesterday (feb. 4th) on mwave.com. they aren't quite up to the newegg level of user-friendiness, but I've used them before and had no complaints, even with RMAs.

good luck with the rebuild.

 

[Mondoman]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
You could at least TRY rma-ing it or whatever.....

Yep, but shoplifting a new CPU from the local store would be faster. :roll:

 

[MarcVenice]

Is it really ? Honestly, I've never heard people say anything about rma-ing oc-ed chips. How can they check if you used the stock heatsink btw ? And the chip contains information about wether it was overclocked or not ?