PC Wont Boot

[The boy 4rm oz]

Everything was working fine. I was playing an online game with a few mates and all of a sudden everything froze. This has happened before and it has always burned down to Vista raping my game. I reset my PC and nothing, just blank screens and the sound of my fans. I try again and still nothing my PC is entirely dead.

At first I thought it was my HDD but it is spinning and works in my brother PC. I have a feeling that it is either my motherboard or GPU. I am thinking more so my motherboard because nothing is showing up on the POST display on the board, the weird thing is though that the fans and W/C pump attached to the board are all working so I dunno, I'm stumped. All the problems I have had before could all be fixed thanks to the POST display on the motherboard. I have reset the CMOS and still nothing, I have checked the mobo battery and my PC is still dead.

I am yet to start removing RAM sticks and the GPU because I need to empty my water loop and install stock coolers before I can do this.

What do you guys think, any ideas?

[The boy 4rm oz]

I left it with the power off (at the wall) for a while and when I switched it back on it still didn't work but the POST screen did say "80"

According to Phoenix Technologies (they make the DFI BIOS), hte code "80" means "Boot Attempt - Set low stack. Boot via INT 19h.", I have no idea what that means lol.

Also, with the PC running as it is for a while my temp senses record no increase in temps on CPU, GPU or Northbridge, the HDD increases cos it is spinning. Is this generall mobo behaviour? Are my CPU and GPU dead too or may there be a problem wit my PSU? As I understand it for the temps not to be increasing there has to be no power going through the components, the component hasn't been activated by the system/switched on or they are dead.

[The boy 4rm oz]

It's not my RAM. I tried each stick in my PC and nothing happens. I individually tried each of them in my brother PC and they work, all 4 of them. Even with no RAM in it my PC still acts the same.

I still haven't had a chance to drain the loop and test everything, that should be fun considering that I need to destroy half my PC. If my mobo really is busted I'm gonna consider i7.

[crenn]

How much can you afford on an i7 system?

It's possibly just a motherboard fault

[The boy 4rm oz]

I have $3,000 put away but that's going towards a holiday. If I can get a good deal I may consider i7 but will probably end up replacing the motherboard (if it is the problem). If my GPU is shot I will probably upgrade to the 4850/4870 if my PSU can take it.

[crenn]

Do a bit more testing (testing CPU and GPU in other computers). But you can pick up an i7 CPU (920), 12GB of DDR3 and a good motherboard for around $1500

[985323]

Sorry to hear about your problems, had the same thing happen to my 680i, just sent it back for rma

[FuzzyPlushroom]

If it ain't working yet, tried another PSU? It sounds like the board, but that's the hardest to troubleshoot.

[Luke122]

My first thought was power supply.. it could be the 5v output is toast, which would mean the board/fans/pump is still getting the 12v needed to spin up fans etc.

PSU is definitely the cheaper one to replace.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Thanks for the input guys.

@crenn - Yeah I looked into it a bit but after asessing my finances it will be on hold until atleast mid next year.

I am still in the process of stripping down my water loop and cleaning it out (my CPU block had corroded after 2 months of use ). Once I get my stock cooler back on my graphics card I can start the thorough testing of the components. Looks like I have to pull appart my brother computer to test though cos my 8800GTX doesn't fit in his case lol.

I am still pretty sure it's the motherboard but the PSU is still a strong possability and yes would be the cheapest thing to replace.