HELP: Pentium 4 sys not booting!

[diffuser911]

Hi,

I own the following setup:
- Intel P4 2.4A GHz
- Intel D865GBF board
- 256 MB DDR1 RAM

After shelving the PC for some months, I tried restarting the system when I unpacked it. Strangely, the CPU fan kept moving while there was no display on screen. I couldn't know from the beeps as there were none (don't remember whether I disconnected the onboard speaker). The motherboard was just out of warranty, so I tried local computer-wallas. But two of them failed to find any problems, and suggested that the mobo was busted.

Can you help me out with two questions:
1. What can be wrong with the rig?
2. What alternative motherboards, other than 845 and 865 series, can be used with the procy? It is based on the 478 pin architecture?

Please reply quick, as I am selling the processor for a measly 800 bucks this weekend if I don't get a solution...

[pimpom]

Don't give up yet. It's not uncommon for a computer to fail to boot up after it has been left unpowered for an extended time, especially if it's not new, and especially in the rainy season. The most common reason is that some contact has become slightly corroded and fails to make proper electrical contact.

Pull out all power supply connectors - motherboard, hard disk, optical drives - and re-insert them firmly. Also push in each wire individually. Remove the memory and clean the contacts by rubbing with cloth. Use cotton as rubbing with synthetic materials may generate enough static charge to damage the chips. Reseat it firmly and make sure the locks snap in. Now try again.

[nvidia]

Take the RAM out from the slots and re-insert it. And try using a different PSU.

[topgear]

Try what pimpom & nvidia suggested.
It could be due to low voltage or faulty ups also.

Try changing the mobo battery. Last year my new pc refused to boot after without any use of 7 days.
Changed the battery & my problem solved.

[pimpom]

There are two things I forgot to mention in my previous reply. One is the CMOS battery which topgear has pointed out. The second one is dust.

First, dry dust can prevent proper cooling of hot components such as the processor, but this is not the primary issue in your case. Secondly, dust on various parts of the motherboard absorbs and retains moisture, especially in the rainy season. The moisture provides electrical leakage paths. Many motherboard components are so sensitive that even very small leakage currents can cause problems. The solution is to clean and dry the motherboard and attached components.

Personally, I loosen the dust with a paint brush and blow it out with a small air compressor. Then I dry everything with a hair dryer, taking care not to overheat anything, OR I expose them to the sun.

You can use one of those small vacuum cleaners instead of a blower. If you don't feel confident about cleaning the insides of your CPU, at least open the side of the cabinet and leave it out in the sun for some time, say an hour or so. Then let it cool down for some time and try again.

[diffuser911]

Thanks guys, but all you mention has been tried earlier. I connected the mobo, procy and RAM to a friends PSU. Only the fan was moving, indicating that the mobo was not giving any supply to the CPU. The mobo has been shelved for another 5 months after that. The battery part seems worth trying out though.