I think I killed my computer... X((

[AJ@PR]

Just checked my eMail... and I got a reply from ASUS already
(( so, kudos and props to them for replying within 16hours of initial contact!!! ))

Dear sir/madam,

Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service.
My name is Penny. It's my pleasure to help you with your problem.

Do you have another power supply to change and have a test? If the system still can not boot up normally, please take all your ram sticks out from motherboard, and power on. Will it give you long-long-long repeat beep warning? If so, please clean your ram connectors with alcohol or with a clean rubber then install your ram sticks back, you can first install 1 stick of ram, if the system can boot with 1 ram stick, add another. If the system still can't boot up with those ram sticks, please change another ram stick to use and boot up the system to test.
After above steps if the system does not boot and give no beeps, please take out your! VGA card, power on, will it give you 1 long and 2 or 3 short beeps followed? if so, please try to clean your VGA card connector and install it back to motherboard, or you can try to use another VGA card test again.
If the above steps are all not helpful, I think maybe your motherboard or your CPU is faulty, you need contact with the dealer to take a future test for each one and make sure on earth which part causes system won't boot.

If you have any problem, please refer FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions) or contact us again. We will try our best to help you.
http://support.asus.com/faq/faq.aspx?SLanguage=en-us

Well, I don't have an additional PSU... but they're cheap over @ CompUSA.
Plus, we can return it later.
As to cleaning the slots... I can try that, but I don't think that's it. It's a new board (!).
Maybe the VGA is the problem... I don't know.
I'm going to try removing the VGA and hearing the beeps.

But darn it... this is getting complicated for my resources.
I'm still inclined to send back everything (mobo, proc, ram, vga).
Have a great day guys!!!!
AJ

[nil8]

Sometimes the thermal material has a plastic covering that gets peeled off before you apply it. If it wasn't there don't worry about it. Just covering bases.

If you're posting on the net that means you have another computer that you can use to test your memory and graphics card in if they're the same type.

It it was a processor problem, it shouldn't be this sporadic. Most processor issues are regular and constant. They work or they don't.

Ram is a possibility. Power is a possibility, but I doubt it. This doesn't sound like an issue that's being caused by anything but your motherboard.

What the ASUS email is about is basic POST codes. Removing the RAM and powering the machine on listening for initial beeps lets her know if the motherboard is at fault or if it is your ram. Same for the video card.

Do them just like the rep said to, listen for the beeps, and email her back when you get a chance with your results. If you don't hear back within 2 or 3 business days, call ASUS and try to talk directly to her or get an RMA.

[AJ@PR]

nil8:::

Thanks for the reply.
I'm happy to hear that we're covering bases with the tape... I was preparing the spot on the wall to hit my head against (!).
My brain cells say:: Sheesh! That was close...

My other computer is a laptop, ProStar... (( BTW: I'll be modding that soon... got a really cool idea... but, obviously I don't want to crack it open until this other new rigg is up and running. I know you guys are going to like the laptop mod ))

Because it's a laptop, well... yeah... no mem testing, etc.

RAM::: If it's the ram, it's both sticks. Because I've tried with one, then with the other.

I'm going to try the ASUS eMail suggestion, to see where I get. I'll have to post later because I need to hit the streets to do some errands.

I was able to stop by CompUSA and buy a new PSU. I bought an Antec TruePowerTrio TP3-550. 550watts (d'oh!).
Good piece of equipment. Looks solid.

Anyways, I changed it quickly in the computer, hooked-up the motherboard (2 plugs), video card (2plugs-->Y-splitter-->VGA), and powered up. It did the exact same thing. No difference. Except this new PSU doesn't have blue LEDs. So the case wasn't shinning blue.

Other than that super-insightful scientific fact of observation, I believe, as you've stated, that the PSU isn't at fault.

I'll return the PSU later tonight if I get there within time (30 minute window, Traffic Gods, help me!).

When I get back home, I'll try the ASUS' rep's suggestions, and post back the results.

Thanks again for the help.
And...

Peace
AJ

[Omega]

I say just RMA all of it. This seems to be getting way too complicated for a computer that obviously doesn't want to work right =/

And as I suggested earlier, don't go with ASUS agian. I seriously suggest DFI.

[DoctorA]

Everything has been said, I think, that are obvious 'culprits' for that sort of thing, but since I just ended a monthlong search for problems in my own machine that ended with a culprit that I didn't suspect for the longest time, I thought I'd share it.

The symptoms were similar, yet I didn't overclock or anything. Every once in a while my system would simply shut down by itself, seemingly at random and then be stuck in a wierd rebooting cycle without any error messages/beeps. My first thought of course was heat especially as it first happened in the summer. However, even after the system had been sitting unplugged over night, every once in a while it would display the same behavior (even in the morning when I just turned it on). Other times, it would work absolutely flawlessly for hours or even days.

So my second thought was PSU and especially after reading about the crappy quality of stock PSU's in eMachines (yes, it's a crappy cheap eMachine and will be retired soon - that's why I'm here ), I got a new and stronger one. The problem ... persisted. So I thought, well, maybe it's the power in the house itself. It is a old house that recently underwent some remodelling including rewiring and maybe that causes spikes/sags the PSU can't handle. So I got a good battery backup (UPS) with AVR to feed 'clean' power to my PSU. Still nothing.

Then, after having tried all the stuff you guys mentioned here, I finally tried one last thing that seemed so unlikely that I dismissed it at first: could the power button be stuck, partly, sometimes? It never seemed like it did from pushing the button at the case and the actual tiny button that's connected to the mobo seemed to work fine too, but, after removing the 'mini' button from the power button on the case (having the wire with the 'mini' button come out of the case through a little whole) the problem disappeared.

Anyways, I'm sure that's not the problem in your case, but I wouldn't dismiss the possibility that something in the boot sector of your HD is messing with the BIOS settings. Especially since the problem seemed to reappear when you reconnected the HD. I'd wipe it clean completely and reinstall the OS.

Good luck!

[AJ@PR]

If your really crunched for time, just tell them you have tried everything ,and you know absolutely dick-squat about computers.

Definitely.
I'm going with that exact attitude, no joke.
I'm just going to play super stupid.
If they ask, I'll tell them a 'geek friend' built the computer.

I say just RMA all of it. This seems to be getting way too complicated for a computer that obviously doesn't want to work right =/

And as I suggested earlier, don't go with ASUS agian. I seriously suggest DFI.

Nice way to put it!
Quite obviously, this computer doesn't want to cooperate.
Damn atoms.
I'm going to check out DFI, see if there's something that catches my eye.

Everything has been said, I think, that are obvious 'culprits' for that sort of thing, but since I just ended a monthlong search for problems in my own machine that ended with a culprit that I didn't suspect for the longest time, I thought I'd share it.
..............................
Good luck!

Hello DoctorA,

Wow. Thanks for typing all that, I know that it was easier to just say "check the power button".
I'm going to try your suggestion when I get home...
It has become the 'event horizon' for my computer.
If your suggestion/hunch doesn't fix the problem, I'm RMAing the stuff.
Before that, I still need to remove the video card and RAM, and check to see what 'beep codes' the mobo beeps back.


Guys, question::::::
What should I send back?
I'm inclined to send them:
1- motherboard
2- RAM
3- Intel processor
4- BFG video card

Just to make sure.

[slytherock]

RAM installed.
I like the heat sinks they put on them... but their warranty stickers cover about 25% of one heat sink's side.
And if I remove it... I void the warranty.
I guess I'll just have to get some anti-breaking-while-removing-the-warranty-sticker fluid (TM) in there.

For the RAM I'm not sure... Just make sure you made a good job on that but it may be better
Mobo and proc, you should. At least the mobo

I dont think the vid is in cause...

But just to be sure, put all in it (You're supposed to be a stupid costumer, remember?)

[DoctorA]

...
Hello DoctorA,

Wow. Thanks for typing all that, I know that it was easier to just say "check the power button". ...

Well, that wouldn't have been very convincing now, would it?

I'm still betting it's something in the boot sector of the HD that the ASUS utility put there and messed up (or the boot sector itself is corrupt). So I would at least try to boot from CD, or try with a different HD, if you can. Many years ago I had a 386 that needed something like that, which allowed it to use a larger HD than the BIOS was built for (850MB instead of 512MB - those were the days!)

[AJ@PR]

Sly and Minty,
I'll keep you updated on my GeekAmnesia.

Well, that wouldn't have been very convincing now, would it?

I'm still betting it's something in the boot sector of the HD that the ASUS utility put there and messed up (or the boot sector itself is corrupt). So I would at least try to boot from CD, or try with a different HD, if you can. Many years ago I had a 386 that needed something like that, which allowed it to use a larger HD than the BIOS was built for (850MB instead of 512MB - those were the days!)

Exactly my thoughts man....

I believe it's something at the start of the HDD.
And I think she keeps on doing it even with the HDD disconnected because whatever was/is loaded on the BIOS/board, is Fked-up.
Exactly my thoughts.

I was able at one moment to put Knoppix in there, and the initial 'splash' screen was viewable... but when I pressed a key so it would load, it crashed... never to see Knoppix again.

As to your old 512/850 hdd story,.... yeah... old days.

Do you guys remember when MS DOS (and Windows) had 8 spaces for file names?
Lord...

[nil8]

Yea. It was the 8+3 file name. 8 characters for the name, 3 for the extension.

The bios doesn't pull any files off the hard drive. The MBR is stored on the drive and is the only thing the bios deals with beyond detection. Besides, if it was an mbr problem, you'd have an ntldr error or something to that effect. You wouldn't have the problems you're describing

I'm still saying it's your bios or your ram.

Knoppix shouldn't freeze due to hard drive problems. It loads entirely into your system memory. The only time I could see it freezing is while trying to mount your hard drives/read them if it is a hard drive issue.

What results came from the official ASUS test?