Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

My PC has finally given up the ghost, when I turn it on, the lights come on, the hard drive LED is solid, and the power button won't turn it off, and the DVD drive won't open.
It's an old AMD 64 3200 if memory serves, so I guess time to get a new one, unless anyone has any ideas?

This was the last PC I built, so as you can tell, it's been a while, and I've no idea what CPU's are out there at the moment.
I'd like to stick with AMD, and it doesn't have to be top of the range, I've got 1.5 GB of PC 3200 that I'd like to keep, and I'll need a new graphics card.
Any suggestions?

Budget is around £200

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Have you made sure it is not the power supply.
It could be on it's last legs.

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

That was my first thought, tried a brand new one with no luck before I posted :(
Checked all the connections etc, tried it with no IDE devices attached, no PCI cards, only the AGP, still no joy.
MB is an Asus K8V SE Deluxe

I've looked at replacement S754 boards, but all the ones I have found only have 2 DIMM slots, and I'd like to fit my 3 in there as I use memory intensive programs.

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

If that's old, my 1800XP must be ancient :o

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

my xp2600 is fubared, too, presumably - I still get TV, though ;)

I have PC3200 memory, too ;)

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Tried a clear cmos? I have that board.

You could also try the reset thing that seems to work more than you suppose it might... power lead out, hold in power button for 20 seconds and try again.

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

No joy with either.

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Sounds like the board's fubared then.

Any blown caps?

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Xaccers: I'm assuming the thing nffc suggested is specific to your motherboard [most motherboards usually have a jumper for clearing the CMOS, or in the case of some newer 1s a button on the mobo], but there's something similar you could try. Does your PSU have a power switch on the back? If so, turn it off, then unplug, wait a few secs, plug back in, & turn the switch on again, then try powering up. Don't ask me why, but that's worked on more than 1 machine.

<edit>
Unless you get a second hand or just as-yet-unsold socket 939 board, I doubt you'll find a socket AM2 board that can take PC3200. Having said that, I think there might be 1, made by Asrock. I know it has the capability to take either a s939 or AM2 CPU [you need to buy a seperate adapter card to use an AM2 with it], &...
<goes & looks>
Ah, yes, I was right about the CPUs, & it does take DDR1.
That's not a recommendation, BTW - just letting you know there is 1 that will do what you want, no idea what it's like.
</edit>

<edit2>
BTW, it also has both PCI-E & AGP, though you can't use both at the same time.
</edit2>

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Yep its your Motherboard. Hopefully the CPU etc are fine, so you will only need a replacement Mobo.

Do remember to use risers when placing the mobo onto the case :) And earth yourself :)

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Looks like I'll be dropping to 1GB of RAM then with the S754 boards I've found :(

Anyone care to suggest a good PCI-E graphics card?

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Define "good". What sort of budget are we talking about here?

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

£100-150

Able to play games like Half life 2 and Quake 4, also Dark Star One.

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

There is some 7800 cards with 512mb RAM going around these days for under 100 quid.

I think Gigabyte are the ones doing them.

Or you could get a couple of older series 7xxx cards or Xxxx ATI and SLI them.


EDIT: Sorry 7600 not 7800

---------- Post added at 08:10 ---------- Previous post was at 08:04 ----------

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...avigationKey=0

Cheapest I could find for that card.

Re: Dead PC, time to build a new one?
 

Not bad, thanks :)