Dead motherboard?
 

Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing with prior mouse
pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing USB wifi
adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all (power comes on
and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse and repeat) - no
HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on. Multiple reconnections
and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different memory modules
didn't help.

PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and everything 100%

Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's not the
motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th generation i3 CPU in
it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU combined.

I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main system, but one I
use for Windows Insider development testing.

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
PSU: Corsair CX500M

Larc

Dead motherboard?
 

On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 16:27:40 -0400, Larc
wrote:

Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing with prior mouse
pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing USB wifi
adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all (power comes on
and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse and repeat) - no
HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on. Multiple reconnections
and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different memory modules
didn't help.

PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and everything 100%

Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's not the
motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th generation i3 CPU in
it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU combined.

I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main system, but one I
use for Windows Insider development testing.

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
PSU: Corsair CX500M

Regardless, I might throw a fresh PS at it before offhand writing it
off. (Once had an old (early Pentium, maybe dualcore) ASUS MB that
became quirky to intolerable. I kept it running on the quirky side by
tossing it fresh power supplies every couple of years. Eventually
beyond old won out and happened over quirky and squeezing pennies from
something that probably lasted me five years. In that case it was one
where an inexpensive PS replacements were as good, evidently, than
anything more serious. Back in the days. . .a PS is likely now the
more expensive proposition.)

Dead motherboard?
 

On 3/14/2021 1:27 PM, Larc wrote:
Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing with prior mouse
pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing USB wifi
adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all (power comes on
and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse and repeat) - no
HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on. Multiple reconnections
and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different memory modules
didn't help.

PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and everything 100%

Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's not the
motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th generation i3 CPU in
it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU combined.

I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main system, but one I
use for Windows Insider development testing.

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
PSU: Corsair CX500M

Larc


You tried replacing the battery, and resetting the bios? If it comes up
enough to do so, re-burning the bios could be worth trying.

Dead motherboard?
 

On 2021-03-14 5:01 p.m., Bob F wrote:
On 3/14/2021 1:27 PM, Larc wrote:
Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing
with prior mouse
pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing
USB wifi
adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all
(power comes on
and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse
and repeat) - no
HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on.
Multiple reconnections
and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different
memory modules
didn't help.

PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and
everything 100%

Is there anything else I should check out?Â* I'd like to learn it's not
the
motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th
generation i3 CPU in
it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU
combined.

I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main
system, but one I
use for Windows Insider development testing.

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
PSU: Corsair CX500M

Larc


You tried replacing the battery, and resetting the bios? If it comes up
enough to do so, re-burning the bios could be worth trying.

Sometimes power PSUs test great with a tester but do not deliver clean
power under actual operating loads, It may be worth trying another known
good PSU just to make sure, otherwise the MB is probably the culprit.

Rene

Dead motherboard?
 

Rene Lamontagne wrote:
On 2021-03-14 5:01 p.m., Bob F wrote:
On 3/14/2021 1:27 PM, Larc wrote:
Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing
with prior mouse
pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped
seeing USB wifi
adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all
(power comes on
and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse
and repeat) - no
HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on.
Multiple reconnections
and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different
memory modules
didn't help.

PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and
everything 100%

Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's
not the
motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th
generation i3 CPU in
it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU
combined.

I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main
system, but one I
use for Windows Insider development testing.

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
PSU: Corsair CX500M

Larc


You tried replacing the battery, and resetting the bios? If it comes
up enough to do so, re-burning the bios could be worth trying.

Sometimes power PSUs test great with a tester but do not deliver clean
power under actual operating loads, It may be worth trying another known
good PSU just to make sure, otherwise the MB is probably the culprit.

Rene


Remove PSU cover (voids warranty), look for leaking caps on +5V rail,
do not touch anything. Look at it only. The PSU is likely well past
the warranty period, in which case stealing a look won't matter.

If we knew the brand of PSU and model number, it would be
possible to guess at this. Antec made by ChannelWell (CWT)
are known for this. I have several duff Antec in the
junk room. Other brands have treated me better.

With some luck, a puff of gray smoke comes out
of the PSU hole at startup. Once the +5V caps warm up,
the smoke stops.

Paul

Dead motherboard?
 

On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 16:44:24 -0400, Flasherly wrote:

| On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 16:27:40 -0400, Larc
| wrote:
|
| Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing with prior mouse
| pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing USB wifi
| adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all (power comes on
| and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse and repeat) - no
| HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on. Multiple reconnections
| and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different memory modules
| didn't help.
|
| PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and everything 100%
|
| Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's not the
| motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th generation i3 CPU in
| it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU combined.
|
| I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main system, but one I
| use for Windows Insider development testing.
|
| Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
| PSU: Corsair CX500M
|
| Regardless, I might throw a fresh PS at it before offhand writing it
| off. (Once had an old (early Pentium, maybe dualcore) ASUS MB that
| became quirky to intolerable. I kept it running on the quirky side by
| tossing it fresh power supplies every couple of years. Eventually
| beyond old won out and happened over quirky and squeezing pennies from
| something that probably lasted me five years. In that case it was one
| where an inexpensive PS replacements were as good, evidently, than
| anything more serious. Back in the days. . .a PS is likely now the
| more expensive proposition.)

I happen to have a new PSU coming for another system and can try it in this one
first.

Larc

Dead motherboard?
 

On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 15:01:17 -0700, Bob F wrote:

| On 3/14/2021 1:27 PM, Larc wrote:
| Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing with prior mouse
| pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing USB wifi
| adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all (power comes on
| and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse and repeat) - no
| HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on. Multiple reconnections
| and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different memory modules
| didn't help.
|
| PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and everything 100%
|
| Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's not the
| motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th generation i3 CPU in
| it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU combined.
|
| I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main system, but one I
| use for Windows Insider development testing.
|
| Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
| PSU: Corsair CX500M
|
| Larc
|
|
| You tried replacing the battery, and resetting the bios? If it comes up
| enough to do so, re-burning the bios could be worth trying.

I didn't replace the battery as it checks OK, but did reflash and reset the BIOS.

Larc

Dead motherboard?
 

On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 17:25:35 -0500, Rene Lamontagne wrote:

| On 2021-03-14 5:01 p.m., Bob F wrote:
| On 3/14/2021 1:27 PM, Larc wrote:
| Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing
| with prior mouse
| pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing
| USB wifi
| adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all
| (power comes on
| and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse
| and repeat) - no
| HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on.
| Multiple reconnections
| and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different
| memory modules
| didn't help.
|
| PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and
| everything 100%
|
| Is there anything else I should check out?* I'd like to learn it's not
| the
| motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th
| generation i3 CPU in
| it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU
| combined.
|
| I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main
| system, but one I
| use for Windows Insider development testing.
|
| Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
| PSU: Corsair CX500M
|
| Larc
|
|
| You tried replacing the battery, and resetting the bios? If it comes up
| enough to do so, re-burning the bios could be worth trying.
|
| Sometimes power PSUs test great with a tester but do not deliver clean
| power under actual operating loads, It may be worth trying another known
| good PSU just to make sure, otherwise the MB is probably the culprit.
|
| Rene

As I told Flasherly, a PSU is on the way that I can try in this system first before
it goes into the one it's meant for.

Larc

Dead motherboard?
 

On Mon, 15 Mar 2021 00:53:59 -0400, Paul wrote:

| Rene Lamontagne wrote:
| On 2021-03-14 5:01 p.m., Bob F wrote:
| On 3/14/2021 1:27 PM, Larc wrote:
| Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing
| with prior mouse
| pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped
| seeing USB wifi
| adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all
| (power comes on
| and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse
| and repeat) - no
| HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on.
| Multiple reconnections
| and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different
| memory modules
| didn't help.
|
| PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and
| everything 100%
|
| Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's
| not the
| motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th
| generation i3 CPU in
| it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU
| combined.
|
| I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main
| system, but one I
| use for Windows Insider development testing.
|
| Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
| PSU: Corsair CX500M
|
| Larc
|
|
| You tried replacing the battery, and resetting the bios? If it comes
| up enough to do so, re-burning the bios could be worth trying.
|
| Sometimes power PSUs test great with a tester but do not deliver clean
| power under actual operating loads, It may be worth trying another known
| good PSU just to make sure, otherwise the MB is probably the culprit.
|
| Rene
|
|
| Remove PSU cover (voids warranty), look for leaking caps on +5V rail,
| do not touch anything. Look at it only. The PSU is likely well past
| the warranty period, in which case stealing a look won't matter.
|
| If we knew the brand of PSU and model number, it would be
| possible to guess at this. Antec made by ChannelWell (CWT)
| are known for this. I have several duff Antec in the
| junk room. Other brands have treated me better.

I included that at the bottom of my OP. It's Corsair CX500M. And it is out of
warranty.

| With some luck, a puff of gray smoke comes out
| of the PSU hole at startup. Once the +5V caps warm up,
| the smoke stops.

No smoke or tell-tale acrid smell. But rather than opening this PSU, I'll wait for a
new one due Wednesday that I can put in temporarily to see if that makes any
difference.

Larc

Dead motherboard?
 

On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 16:27:40 -0400, I wrote:

| Symptoms: started rebooting occasionally, progressively increasing with prior mouse
| pointer fadeout or freeze (cordless and corded mouse) - stopped seeing USB wifi
| adapter, although USB drives would still work - now won't post at all (power comes on
| and case PLED and fans run for about 20 seconds, then reboot, rinse and repeat) - no
| HDD LED - no signal to wake monitor - power to DVD burner on. Multiple reconnections
| and even reseating of the CPU and heatsink/fan and trying different memory modules
| didn't help.
|
| PSU: Tested thoroughly with comprehensive digital PSU tester and everything 100%
|
| Is there anything else I should check out? I'd like to learn it's not the
| motherboard since a replacement that could accommodate the 7th generation i3 CPU in
| it would cost about as much as a new 300 series board and i3-9100 CPU combined.
|
| I'm not running a higher powered setup here since this isn't a main system, but one I
| use for Windows Insider development testing.
|
| Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H270 Performance
| PSU: Corsair CX500M

UPDATE: The new PSU I ordered for another machine arrived (Corsair RM650x). Connected
it in the problem PC. Still no post, so it definitely appears to be the motherboard.
I've decided to go ahead and replace the motherboard and CPU rather than looking for
a board that will accommodate the 7th generation CPU.

Larc