[jack-o-bytes]

I have recently purchased a computer from a freind in hope to refurbish it and sell it on. When I bought it it had not RAM no Hard Drive and what they said was a broken PSU. I have changed the psu and added some ram and a hard drive but when I plug it in and try to turn it on nothing happens. I have checked that all the leads are in correctly and even tried to just use a jumper instead of the power button to turn it on. The little green LED comes on at the top of the motherboard but other than that it is completly dead. I have tried two different powersupplys and changed the bios battery aswell. Any other idea why this could be. I hoovered the computer out to clean the dust but I dont see as how this would damage it because I have done it to many other computers. Any Ideas. Could I be bad capacitors or something like that.

[jack-o-bytes]

Has any one got any idea why this is?

[TheShooter93]

Well, it could be a few things as far as I know. My first idea is that the hardware you put in doesn't run on the same bus speed. Check to see about that, and if that's the case, all you'll need to do is get hardware that will run at that speed.

[jack-o-bytes]

are u sure because the fan wont spin and nothing makes a noise or moves

[frankjohn]

Sounds like a bad investment.New psu [good]$95.00> motherboard say$ 70.00ect. Sell it used for what$$.

[jack-o-bytes]

Yes i know that it is bad. The guy that sold it me said that it didnt have ram hard drive or psu. Now I knew that i had 2 spare PSU's and a hard drive and the ram would probably cost about £12 so that didnt seem so bad. Then it turned out it isnt the psu broken it is something else. Any ideas any one?

[TheShooter93]

Hmm...if nothing is operating correctly than it is either a) the power supply [unlikely in this case since you've tried 2 different ones] or b) a blow capacitor.

One thing you can try is to search the sottered lines on the board for a black mark, almost like if it got struck by lightning or something. Could just be that the electric isn't able to travel around the board because of a blown capacitor, or something of that nature. Inspect the board as best as possible and post if you come back empty-handed.

[frankjohn]

Use only 1 stick of ram>heat sink mounted securly to the cpu>cpu fan connected to the board>video connected to the monitor.Turn on to see if it gives a display? Have you cleaned the thermal paste from the cpu & re applied new? If it doesent work after this test, assuming you have a good psu replace the board.

[jack-o-bytes]

Yeah. I have feared the worst for this and it has come try there is a capacitor near the cpu that has brown rust like substance on the top is this blown. (See attachment) Is there a way to replace the capacitor or do I just have to buy a new motherboard. Is there a chance that when it blew the cpu was damaged?

[TheShooter93]

Yes, you can buy a new capacitor. You won't have to replace the entire board...that would suck. Haha. And most likely replacing that capacitor is going to solve your problem. Update us if it works out for you. =D

[win2kpro]

Your pic isn't too clear, but I believe I see other with swollen tops. Normally, when you replace capacitors, you replace all the capacitors on the board.

[jack-o-bytes]

Ok. So if I take this motherboard to my school and use the electronic equipment to take the capacitors out and replace them by using the numbers codes on the capacitors then you think it may have a chance of working?

[frankjohn]

I personnally cant give you a % on the repair.Give it a try as a learning lesson.

[TheShooter93]

I think it will work, yes. I'd bet 5 bucks on it....but again...it's only 5 bucks.

[jack-o-bytes]

Thanks guys. It will be interesting to acctualy replace parts on a motherboard. Most poeple just buy the parts and put them together.