How to I check to see if my motherboard is good?

Question

Had lighting hit the house, blew everything. Got my monitor working but the computer won't come on. It shows power, green light on the back is lit by the mastr plug in.The power supply box is good, how do I check the motherboard to see if thats whats wrong. Would like to re-cover the data I have stored on it. Any tech advice, someone who knows what they are talking about. I am computer savvy, tried the reg. stuff.

Answer 1

Hi,

The best way to recover your data is to remove your hard disk and install it in another computer as a slave drive. You can then simply copy the files you need from the old drive to the new.

Do you hear any beeps when you power on your computer?

Here are some troubleshooting tips for when you hear beep codes and your computer does not boot up successfully.

You are getting 1, 2, or 3 beeps that indicate a memory failure.

1 beep - Refresh Error (with nothing on the screen and it is not a video problem)

2 beeps - Parity Error

3 beeps - Base 64 K memory failure
•Reseat the memory.
•Make sure that the contacts on the memory and the socket are clean.
•Try removing one bank of memory modules at a time. Note: Some systems might need to have a memory module in Bank 0.
•Try using RAM chips from the same manufacturer with the same part number and speed.
•Check for a faulty memory module by trying the memory in a known good system.
•Trying known good memory in the system.
•Check the power supply and check for power fluctuations.
•Swap the motherboard.
You are getting 4 beeps indicating a timer not operational:
•Check for foreign objects such as screws that may ground the motherboard and make sure that screws that hold the motherboard are not too tight.
•Swap the motherboard.
You are getting 5 beeps indicating a processor error:
•Check for foreign objects such as screws that may ground the motherboard and make sure the screws that hold the motherboard are not too tight.
•Make sure the processor is seated properly.
•Swap the processor.
•Remove the motherboard and reinstall it.
•If the problem still persists, swap the motherboard.
You are getting 6 beeps indicating 8042 - gate A20 failure:
•Check for foreign objects such as screws that may ground the motherboard and make sure the screws that hold the motherboard are not too tight.
•Try reseating the keyboard controller chip (if possible).
•Swap the keyboard.
•Swap the processor.
You are getting 7 beeps indicating processor exception interrupt error
•Make sure the processor is seated properly.
•Swap the processor.
•Swap the motherboard.
You are getting 8 beeps indicating display memory read/write failure
•Make sure that you have a video card on your system.
•If possible, swap the memory on the video card.
•Swap the video card.
•Swap the motherboard.
You are getting 9 beeps indicating ROM checksum error
•If possible, try reseating the System ROM BIOS chip.
•If possible, try reflashing the system ROM BIOS.
•Swap the motherboard.
You are getting 10 beeps indicating CMOS shutdown register read/write error
•Swap the motherboard
You are getting 11 beeps indicating cache memory bad
•Make sure the system is configured properly (CMOS Setup Program and jumpers on the motherboard) for the RAM cache.
•If possible, replace the RAM cache.
•Swap the processor
•Swap the motherboard

Answer 2

First thing, if you get no POST screen or nothing shows up on the screen whatsoever, it's either a M/B or a Power supply problem. Also, if you hear NO BEEPS whatsoever, then it's probably a power supply problem. If you hear a series of beeps, take note of them and come back here and mention what it was(short beeps long beeps) - we'll be able to help you then.

It does sound like your m/b is burned, but you could only tell for sure by putting in another power supply - just to test it. If you get the same results with the good power supply, it probably is your M/B.

To recover your data is not a problem - just stick your hard drive into another computer - if the lightning didn't zap it, everything will be there.

Hope that helped!

Toodles.

Answer 3

If it will not boot up then there is definately a problem with 1 of three things, power supply, motherboard, memory. If you jsut want to recover the data, just yank the hard drive and put it in another computer that has a CD burner and copy off what you need.

As far as diagnosiing the problem: Do you hear the hard drive spin up when you try to turn on the computer? If no, you may have a bad Hard Drive in which case I would bring it to a repair shop if the ata is that important.

Answer 4

Sometimes the answers to these are the simplest. Dude, just check if all your cards(video, sound) are really in the slot. And next time use a backup disk, that way you wont loose your data. Heres how you do that
Go to c:(your main drive), right click>properties>tools>backup now
The rest is easy, just read the onscreen stuff.

If you got more question, just come to this website
www.cclub.editboard.com and go to the answers part, you can ask for anything and everything and know that you got the right answer!

Answer 5

would start by removing all components in the PCI or AGP slots
and restart the system. If you remove everything and the problem is still there then I sould go for a replacement motherboard because that's what it sounds like the problem is.
Hope this helps

Answer 6

If your main concern is recovering data then just put your hard drive in another computer.

Probably the easiest way to determine if your mobo has the problem is to prove that all other components work by trying them in another machine.

Answer 7

Find another similar computer that works. Start swapping out parts from your computer to the other computer. If the other computer fails, that part is bad. If you transfer all of the parts to the other computer and it still works, chances are, your motherboard is bad.

Answer 8

Down load the program at this site, install it and run it.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Best Wishes and have fun but be safe.

Answer 9

USe the system check utility and it should be able to check it for you!