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Oct 25, 2010
Sep 20, 2010
CPU, RAM and Motherboard Troubleshooting
CPU, RAM and Motherboard Troubleshooting
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached directly by clicking on the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.
Do you get a live screen? A message saying "No Video Signal" or anything similar doesn't count as a live screen in this case. You need to get at least as far as a BIOS screen, either the system BIOS or an adapter BIOS loading.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Does the system power up? Do you hear any beeps, drives spinning up, fans, etc. If the power isn't coming on, proceed to Power Supply Failure. If the power supply diagnostics sent you back here, follow through these diagnostics as a double-check before giving up on the motherboard.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you haven't performed the Video Failure diagnostics for a dead screen yet, do so now. Don't ignore the obvious steps, like checking the power cord and the outlet. If you skip the video diagnostics and continue with the motherboard flowchart, you could easily end up buying replacement parts for hardware that's not bad.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
One of the most common failures following motherboard or RAM upgrades is improper insertion of memory modules. The levers should be lowered before inserting the memory module, and should raise themselves up and lock in place when the module is correctly seated. If you're using obsolete RIMM (Rambus Inline Memory Module) memory, the modules in a bank must be matched, and you must install CRIMMs (Continuity RIMMs) in the empty sockets. If you're using older SIMM (Single Inline Memory Modules), each bank needs a matched pair. In both cases, matched doesn't just mean capacity and speed, it also means manufacturer. I have a new page up for upgrading laptop memory with SODIMMs. For replacing regular DIMM memory, see the illustrated replacing RAM.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
There are a number of reasons for a system with a good power supply to refuse to power up which were covered in the power supply diagnostics. Another reason is a failed CPU insertion, whether it's a slot or socket CPU. With good lighting, using a flashlight if necessary, make sure that any socket CPU is sitting dead flat in the socket, which means that the heatsink should be perfectly parallel to the motherboard surface; the CPU may be so totally hidden beneath some heatsinks that you can't see the edges. This problem should really only be relevant if you just upgraded your CPU or installed a new motherboard, because the CPU socket locks the CPU in firmly and the heatsink adds another level of clamping. If a socket CPU is a new install, you have to remove the heatsink and CPU to visually inspect it for damage such as crushed or bent legs. A CPU will not seat correctly if the socket locking arm wasn't raised all the way up before the CPU was inserted, or wasn't lowered all the way down after. If your CPU won't sit down in the socket properly, either the socket is faulty or you have the wrong CPU for the motherboard! I haven't seen a CPU creep out of a socket due to thermal shock for over a decade.
It's pretty tough to tell if old slot type CPUs are seated by visual inspection, so when in doubt, I reseat them. On the plus side, you can remove and reseat a slot CPU without removing the heatsink, since they form an integral unit. Make sure you correctly identify release levers on a slot CPU package, which are normally located at the top of the CPU package, to the inside of the motherboard support structure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
A stone dead CPU is another reason for a system to fail. All modern CPUs require a heatsink, and most of these are an active heatsink, with a fan on top. You may encounter a heatsink without a fan in mass-manufactured brand-name systems where the manufacturer had the engineering talent in-house to do a thorough thermal analysis and determined that the airflow over a passive finned heatsink was enough to keep the CPU within the operating temperature range. When there is a fan on the heatsink, it must be hooked up to the correct power point on the motherboard for the BIOS to monitor its condition and turn it off and on. If you just installed a new CPU and powered the system up with no heatsink, it may have failed already. If the fan on your active heatsink isn't spinning up, replace it and hope for the best. Make sure you see the new heatsink fan operating since it could be the power point on the motherboard that's failed.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you have a system that powers up, the next question is, do you hear any beeps coming from the motherboard speaker. If your motherboard doesn't have an integrated piezoelectric speaker but does have a speaker connection next to the power and reset connections (usually the front, left-hand corner of the motherboard) attach a case speaker. If you hear an unending string of beeps, it's often bad RAM, while a repeated sequence can be RAM or video. Other beep codes have been largely abandoned since they pertained to non-user replaceable surface mount components. Beeps or no beeps, I always reseat the video adapter and the RAM, paying special attention to the locking levers on the memory sockets
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Are your motherboard settings on the defaults? Whether you just put in a new motherboard or have been fooling around with overclocking, restore the default settings. This is often accomplished with a single jumper or switch setting, but sometimes it involves moving several jumpers or switches. Get the default values from the motherboard documentation. If you can't find the original manual or locate the equivalent documentation on the Internet, you may have to skip this procedure. Sometimes, the silk screens on the motherboard are sufficiently detailed to work out the defaults, but you need really good eyes to figure it out.
Although we're repeating a little of the power supply diagnostics here, stripping down the system is the next step in a "no power-up" scenario. Unplug the power cord before each change in the case. Disconnect drives, one at a time, reconnecting power and trying power up after each. Next start removing adapters, saving the video adapter for last, reconnecting power and retrying after each change to ensure you discover which component is causing the failure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Running the motherboard without a case is a common technique used by technicians to eliminate any weird grounding and shorting issues or mechanical stresses. It also makes it much easier to swap the CPU if that's required. I normally do my bench testing on top of a cardboard box, with a static free bag or foam between the bottom of the motherboard and the cardboard. You don't walk away from a test like this or you might come back to find the box on fire! If your motherboard powers up on the bench with the same power supply that you used in the case, you have a geometry problem. Ideally, you should have a spare power supply for bench testing if you're going to do regular repair and testing work.
Make sure some standoffs aren't higher than others, putting unacceptable stress on the motherboard. Check that every standoff appears under a screw hole. The easiest way to be sure is to count the standoffs, count the screws, and make sure there are no screws leftover after you install the motherboard. There could be a short caused by a misplaced standoff, a loose screw, metal chips from shoddy materials. I've encountered standoff shorts that produce an endless string of beeps like RAM failure, without damaging the motherboard. There's also the possibility that the case geometry is so messed up (out of square or level when the cover is forced on) that it's putting an unacceptable mechanical stress on the motherboard resulting in an open circuit. If you can't find the cause of the problem, don't hesitate to try another case and power supply.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you still have a "no power" situation with the motherboard running out of the case, there's always the last refuge of a scoundrel. Swap in a known good CPU not forgetting to install a good heatsink and to connect the fan, even just for a quick test. I try to keep around some cheap old CPUs for this purpose, just in case the motherboard is a CPU eater. It's another good reason to leave all the motherboard settings on the default "Automatic" setting, so you don't have to fool around with them at this stage. If your old CPU is bad and the heatsink fan is dead, it's a pretty sure bet that the dead fan caused the CPU failure. If the heatsink fan is working, determining whether the CPU failure was due to poor heatsink contact, improper motherboard settings, or lousy power regulation from the motherboard is a guessing game. If the motherboard is an older make and you have a couple bucks to spare, replace the CPU and the motherboard together. Replacing just the CPU, even if the motherboard tests out OK, is kind of risky and usually tough to justify from a price/performance standpoint unless the system was practically new, say less than a half a year old.
If you still have a no power situation, not to mention no beeps and no video, you're probably looking at a bad motherboard. Again, this diagnosis assumes that you went through the Video Failure diagnostics, which would have forced you through the Power Supply Failure diagnostics as well. I still wouldn't be in a hurry to take a gun to the motherboard. Get your system operating with a replacement motherboard and all the identical parts that the old motherboard failed with before you make the trash can decision. I just added some illustrated instructions for replacing a motherboard to this site, including installing a new motherboard.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Does the system power right up, give a happy beep or two, then freeze on the BIOS screen? This can occur on an all text screen, during or after memory count, while checking for drives, or the feared "Verifying DMI Data Pool." The problem is very likely due to a conflict, most like between the adapters but also possibly between incompatible drives sharing a bus.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Strip the system down to bare-bones, just a power supply, motherboard, minimum RAM, CPU and heat sink, and video adapter. If the system no longer freezes when it's stripped down, but complains about the lack of a boot device, proceed to Conflict Resolution.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Try swapping the RAM around, reordering the banks if you have more than one bank of RAM installed, or moving the only module installed to a neighboring slot. If this doesn't cure the freeze-up, and you have some suitable known good RAM from another system, try it. If the RAM currently installed doesn't meet the motherboard manufacturer specs, you shouldn't be using it; even if it seemed to work until this point. Improperly selected RAM can be the cause of problems ranging from no-boot to intermittent lock-ups. Is the RAM seated correctly and in the proper quantities (i.e., number of modules, addition of continuity modules, or CRIMMs, if you are using RIMMs). Also make sure that the system didn't use tinned (silver color) contacts against gold contacts, or the dissimilar metals will cause corrosion over time due to a constant electrical current when the power is off. Replacing RAM at this point isn't a guaranteed proposition, but it's a good item to eliminate. Don't toss out the RAM you remove because you may find out later that it's actually good.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you aren't using the default CMOS settings, try restoring them all at this point. You can usually restore these from a major CMOS menu item like "Restore Default Settings" or "BIOS Default Settings." The default settings usually put everything on autodetect and use the recommended timing for the RAM. This means if you're overclocking, stop it, at least until you get the system running again. It doesn't matter whether or not overclocking the exact same CPU or RAM in a friend's system worked without a hitch, you're exceeding the manufacturers recommendations so it's a gamble.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
An overheating will cause the system to quickly lock up. Remove the existing heat sink and fan, make sure that the fan is working properly AND that the geometry of the bottom of the heat sink will bring it in full contact with the exposed CPU die or the top of the CPU package. See my illustrated guide for how to replace a CPU. Apply an approved thermal grease or thermal tape before reinstalling the heat sink. Don't put on too much thermal grease or you'll just make a mess. The thermal media is only there to fill the microscopic gaps between the die surface and the heat sink. Don't improvise your thermal material, go to a computer or electronics store and buy some. Installing heat sinks can be frustrating, but this isn't a "bash away at it" process. You can damage the CPU if you start cracking the heat sink against it in an attempt to get the heasink to sit right. Be patient, study the mechanical connections, make sure you aren't hitting some poorly placed component on the motherboard and check that your heat sink isn't so oversized it just won't fit on the particular motherboard.
Make sure the fan on that heat sink spins up the second that power comes on. If it doesn't, despite being connected to the correct power point (see the motherboard manual), replace it with a new active heat sink unit. Make sure the bottom surface of the new unit will make full contact with the exposed CPU die or the top of the CPU package. The only problem with replacing an active heat sink is it may be too late for your CPU. CPUs have an unfortunate tendency to damage themselves when they overheat. Some CPUs can go into thermal runaway and destroy themselves in a matter of seconds without proper cooling.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached directly by clicking on the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.
Do you get a live screen? A message saying "No Video Signal" or anything similar doesn't count as a live screen in this case. You need to get at least as far as a BIOS screen, either the system BIOS or an adapter BIOS loading.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Does the system power up? Do you hear any beeps, drives spinning up, fans, etc. If the power isn't coming on, proceed to Power Supply Failure. If the power supply diagnostics sent you back here, follow through these diagnostics as a double-check before giving up on the motherboard.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you haven't performed the Video Failure diagnostics for a dead screen yet, do so now. Don't ignore the obvious steps, like checking the power cord and the outlet. If you skip the video diagnostics and continue with the motherboard flowchart, you could easily end up buying replacement parts for hardware that's not bad.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
One of the most common failures following motherboard or RAM upgrades is improper insertion of memory modules. The levers should be lowered before inserting the memory module, and should raise themselves up and lock in place when the module is correctly seated. If you're using obsolete RIMM (Rambus Inline Memory Module) memory, the modules in a bank must be matched, and you must install CRIMMs (Continuity RIMMs) in the empty sockets. If you're using older SIMM (Single Inline Memory Modules), each bank needs a matched pair. In both cases, matched doesn't just mean capacity and speed, it also means manufacturer. I have a new page up for upgrading laptop memory with SODIMMs. For replacing regular DIMM memory, see the illustrated replacing RAM.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
There are a number of reasons for a system with a good power supply to refuse to power up which were covered in the power supply diagnostics. Another reason is a failed CPU insertion, whether it's a slot or socket CPU. With good lighting, using a flashlight if necessary, make sure that any socket CPU is sitting dead flat in the socket, which means that the heatsink should be perfectly parallel to the motherboard surface; the CPU may be so totally hidden beneath some heatsinks that you can't see the edges. This problem should really only be relevant if you just upgraded your CPU or installed a new motherboard, because the CPU socket locks the CPU in firmly and the heatsink adds another level of clamping. If a socket CPU is a new install, you have to remove the heatsink and CPU to visually inspect it for damage such as crushed or bent legs. A CPU will not seat correctly if the socket locking arm wasn't raised all the way up before the CPU was inserted, or wasn't lowered all the way down after. If your CPU won't sit down in the socket properly, either the socket is faulty or you have the wrong CPU for the motherboard! I haven't seen a CPU creep out of a socket due to thermal shock for over a decade.
It's pretty tough to tell if old slot type CPUs are seated by visual inspection, so when in doubt, I reseat them. On the plus side, you can remove and reseat a slot CPU without removing the heatsink, since they form an integral unit. Make sure you correctly identify release levers on a slot CPU package, which are normally located at the top of the CPU package, to the inside of the motherboard support structure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
A stone dead CPU is another reason for a system to fail. All modern CPUs require a heatsink, and most of these are an active heatsink, with a fan on top. You may encounter a heatsink without a fan in mass-manufactured brand-name systems where the manufacturer had the engineering talent in-house to do a thorough thermal analysis and determined that the airflow over a passive finned heatsink was enough to keep the CPU within the operating temperature range. When there is a fan on the heatsink, it must be hooked up to the correct power point on the motherboard for the BIOS to monitor its condition and turn it off and on. If you just installed a new CPU and powered the system up with no heatsink, it may have failed already. If the fan on your active heatsink isn't spinning up, replace it and hope for the best. Make sure you see the new heatsink fan operating since it could be the power point on the motherboard that's failed.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you have a system that powers up, the next question is, do you hear any beeps coming from the motherboard speaker. If your motherboard doesn't have an integrated piezoelectric speaker but does have a speaker connection next to the power and reset connections (usually the front, left-hand corner of the motherboard) attach a case speaker. If you hear an unending string of beeps, it's often bad RAM, while a repeated sequence can be RAM or video. Other beep codes have been largely abandoned since they pertained to non-user replaceable surface mount components. Beeps or no beeps, I always reseat the video adapter and the RAM, paying special attention to the locking levers on the memory sockets
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Are your motherboard settings on the defaults? Whether you just put in a new motherboard or have been fooling around with overclocking, restore the default settings. This is often accomplished with a single jumper or switch setting, but sometimes it involves moving several jumpers or switches. Get the default values from the motherboard documentation. If you can't find the original manual or locate the equivalent documentation on the Internet, you may have to skip this procedure. Sometimes, the silk screens on the motherboard are sufficiently detailed to work out the defaults, but you need really good eyes to figure it out.
Although we're repeating a little of the power supply diagnostics here, stripping down the system is the next step in a "no power-up" scenario. Unplug the power cord before each change in the case. Disconnect drives, one at a time, reconnecting power and trying power up after each. Next start removing adapters, saving the video adapter for last, reconnecting power and retrying after each change to ensure you discover which component is causing the failure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Running the motherboard without a case is a common technique used by technicians to eliminate any weird grounding and shorting issues or mechanical stresses. It also makes it much easier to swap the CPU if that's required. I normally do my bench testing on top of a cardboard box, with a static free bag or foam between the bottom of the motherboard and the cardboard. You don't walk away from a test like this or you might come back to find the box on fire! If your motherboard powers up on the bench with the same power supply that you used in the case, you have a geometry problem. Ideally, you should have a spare power supply for bench testing if you're going to do regular repair and testing work.
Make sure some standoffs aren't higher than others, putting unacceptable stress on the motherboard. Check that every standoff appears under a screw hole. The easiest way to be sure is to count the standoffs, count the screws, and make sure there are no screws leftover after you install the motherboard. There could be a short caused by a misplaced standoff, a loose screw, metal chips from shoddy materials. I've encountered standoff shorts that produce an endless string of beeps like RAM failure, without damaging the motherboard. There's also the possibility that the case geometry is so messed up (out of square or level when the cover is forced on) that it's putting an unacceptable mechanical stress on the motherboard resulting in an open circuit. If you can't find the cause of the problem, don't hesitate to try another case and power supply.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you still have a "no power" situation with the motherboard running out of the case, there's always the last refuge of a scoundrel. Swap in a known good CPU not forgetting to install a good heatsink and to connect the fan, even just for a quick test. I try to keep around some cheap old CPUs for this purpose, just in case the motherboard is a CPU eater. It's another good reason to leave all the motherboard settings on the default "Automatic" setting, so you don't have to fool around with them at this stage. If your old CPU is bad and the heatsink fan is dead, it's a pretty sure bet that the dead fan caused the CPU failure. If the heatsink fan is working, determining whether the CPU failure was due to poor heatsink contact, improper motherboard settings, or lousy power regulation from the motherboard is a guessing game. If the motherboard is an older make and you have a couple bucks to spare, replace the CPU and the motherboard together. Replacing just the CPU, even if the motherboard tests out OK, is kind of risky and usually tough to justify from a price/performance standpoint unless the system was practically new, say less than a half a year old.
If you still have a no power situation, not to mention no beeps and no video, you're probably looking at a bad motherboard. Again, this diagnosis assumes that you went through the Video Failure diagnostics, which would have forced you through the Power Supply Failure diagnostics as well. I still wouldn't be in a hurry to take a gun to the motherboard. Get your system operating with a replacement motherboard and all the identical parts that the old motherboard failed with before you make the trash can decision. I just added some illustrated instructions for replacing a motherboard to this site, including installing a new motherboard.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Does the system power right up, give a happy beep or two, then freeze on the BIOS screen? This can occur on an all text screen, during or after memory count, while checking for drives, or the feared "Verifying DMI Data Pool." The problem is very likely due to a conflict, most like between the adapters but also possibly between incompatible drives sharing a bus.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Strip the system down to bare-bones, just a power supply, motherboard, minimum RAM, CPU and heat sink, and video adapter. If the system no longer freezes when it's stripped down, but complains about the lack of a boot device, proceed to Conflict Resolution.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Try swapping the RAM around, reordering the banks if you have more than one bank of RAM installed, or moving the only module installed to a neighboring slot. If this doesn't cure the freeze-up, and you have some suitable known good RAM from another system, try it. If the RAM currently installed doesn't meet the motherboard manufacturer specs, you shouldn't be using it; even if it seemed to work until this point. Improperly selected RAM can be the cause of problems ranging from no-boot to intermittent lock-ups. Is the RAM seated correctly and in the proper quantities (i.e., number of modules, addition of continuity modules, or CRIMMs, if you are using RIMMs). Also make sure that the system didn't use tinned (silver color) contacts against gold contacts, or the dissimilar metals will cause corrosion over time due to a constant electrical current when the power is off. Replacing RAM at this point isn't a guaranteed proposition, but it's a good item to eliminate. Don't toss out the RAM you remove because you may find out later that it's actually good.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you aren't using the default CMOS settings, try restoring them all at this point. You can usually restore these from a major CMOS menu item like "Restore Default Settings" or "BIOS Default Settings." The default settings usually put everything on autodetect and use the recommended timing for the RAM. This means if you're overclocking, stop it, at least until you get the system running again. It doesn't matter whether or not overclocking the exact same CPU or RAM in a friend's system worked without a hitch, you're exceeding the manufacturers recommendations so it's a gamble.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
An overheating will cause the system to quickly lock up. Remove the existing heat sink and fan, make sure that the fan is working properly AND that the geometry of the bottom of the heat sink will bring it in full contact with the exposed CPU die or the top of the CPU package. See my illustrated guide for how to replace a CPU. Apply an approved thermal grease or thermal tape before reinstalling the heat sink. Don't put on too much thermal grease or you'll just make a mess. The thermal media is only there to fill the microscopic gaps between the die surface and the heat sink. Don't improvise your thermal material, go to a computer or electronics store and buy some. Installing heat sinks can be frustrating, but this isn't a "bash away at it" process. You can damage the CPU if you start cracking the heat sink against it in an attempt to get the heasink to sit right. Be patient, study the mechanical connections, make sure you aren't hitting some poorly placed component on the motherboard and check that your heat sink isn't so oversized it just won't fit on the particular motherboard.
Make sure the fan on that heat sink spins up the second that power comes on. If it doesn't, despite being connected to the correct power point (see the motherboard manual), replace it with a new active heat sink unit. Make sure the bottom surface of the new unit will make full contact with the exposed CPU die or the top of the CPU package. The only problem with replacing an active heat sink is it may be too late for your CPU. CPUs have an unfortunate tendency to damage themselves when they overheat. Some CPUs can go into thermal runaway and destroy themselves in a matter of seconds without proper cooling.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Video Card Problem
Video Card Problem
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached directly by clicking on the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.
Is the system power coming on? Can you hear fans turning and drive motors spinning up, see little lights on the front of the CPU case, hear any beeps? We're talking about system power here, not the monitor power. If the system isn't powering up, or if you aren't sure whether or not it is, go to the Power Supply Failure chart now.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Does anything at all show up on the screen with the monitor power on, or is it just as black as before you powered on the CPU? We aren't demanding any signs of intelligent life in this case, any sign of life will do.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Assuming the system power comes up, does the monitor power come on? Monitors have a status LED on the front bezel that should show green, orange, or blinking if the monitor is powered on. You can also hear older monitors power on with a gentle sound, though I can't describe it beyond saying it's the sound of a CRT tube warming up. Make sure the monitor is plugged into a good outlet by testing the outlet with a lamp or any other device that will prove beyond a doubt that the outlet is good. Make sure that the power cord is either permanently attached at the monitor end or that it is seated fully in the socket, since partial cord insertion is the most common failure for monitors with detachable cords.
LCD displays don't make any sound when you turn them on, but they don't always have a simple power cord, either. Some LCD monitors are powered by an external transformer, which in turn is powered from a regular AC outlet. If the LCD display doesn't show any signs of life, make sure that the cords into and out of the transformer are fully seated. Some transformers are equipped with a status LED to show when they are operating, though you can also check for live output with a DC voltmeter. The power connection to the LCD display is often awkward to inspect, recessed into the back of the display. The important thing is to make sure it is started correctly, then seat it all the way.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Few things related to computers are more embarrassing than taking your monitor for repair and finding out that the brightness was turned all the way down. This frequently happens with exposed dials when you pick up the monitor and move it, though a prankster might also turn down the settings when they're concealed behind a pop-out door right under the screen. Make sure that manual brightness and contrast controls on the monitor are set somewhere in the middle of their range, since it's not always obvious which way is maximum or minimum. If the monitor is alive, turning the brightness and contrast all the way up will often result in the screen lighting up a little. The easiest way to check if the monitor is good is to simply attach it to another working PC.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you see a message on the screen that includes "power" in it, like: "attach graphics card power", "no power to video adapter", etc, it means that you have a PCI Express or older AGP video card that requires more power than the motherboard can supply through the bus. This means you need to run a power cable directly from the power supply to the video adapter, inside the PC. If it's a new build, you may have forgotten or not seated the connector firmly. If it was a working PC, either the power supply lead has failed, the power supply itself has problems, the cable worked loose, or some hardware on the video card has failed.
Earlier video cards that required additional power from the power supply usually took a Molex connector, the same 4 pin connector used to power non-SATA drives. Newer power supplies include one or two six pin PCI Express supplementary connectors designed for power hungry graphics cards. Some PCI Express cards, in the absence of a six pin supplementary lead, will accept two 4 pin Molex leads.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Most new monitors will display something such as "No signal source," or "Attach video signal," as long as they are healthy, and powered on. These messages should appear even if the PC or video adapter is dead. This is actually one of the more useful innovations in monitor technology, because it offers definitive proof that the monitor or LCD display is alive and most likely capable of displaying an image if a video signal was present. Unfortunately, it only proves something by its presence, since older monitors and cheaper models may not display anything at all.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Make sure the 15 pin video signal cable (3 rows of 5 pins each for SVGA) is seated squarely on the video port on the back of the system. The hold-down screws on either side of the connector should be screwed in all the way, but not made up too tight. If the video cable is connected correctly, remove it and inspect the connector for damage.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Before making yourself nuts, test the monitor on another PC or laptop. If you use a laptop to test the monitor and it doesn't automatically detect an external monitor when booting, use the "F" function keys along the top of the keyboard to tell the laptop to shift to the external display. Remember that we are testing just to see if the monitor is live, it doesn't matter if the screen settings are wrong and the display looks funny. If it doesn't work on a known good computer, the problem is with the monitor, not your PC. If a faint image is detectable on an LCD screen, the problem is with the backlight or the inverter that powers the backlight. A loud buzz coming from an LCD monitor is most likely the inverter circuit failing, though it can go on getting louder for years before it pops.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Look carefully at the pins in the connector to make sure none of them are at an angle or flattened against the bottom. Note that missing pins in a video cable are the norm, usually the monitor ID pins. It's great if you have a spare video cable and a monitor with a detachable cable, but most monitors have an integrated cable (doesn't detach) and most people don't have a spare anyway. You'll usually have to settle for visual inspection for whether the cable may have been crushed or breached.
If you see that a pin in the connector is bent, you can try to straighten it very slowly with tweezers or fine needle nose pliers. If a pin breaks, you can buy a replacement connector and solder it on with a fine soldering iron and infinite patience. You'll also need a heatshrink gun and tubing if you want to do it right. The last time I did one it took me almost three hours, though I didn't really have the right soldering iron tip. I don't recommend making your own DVI connector.
Video Connector Pinout
* 1-Red
* 2-Green
* 3-Blue
* 4-Monitor ID (Note: pins for ID bits often not present)
* 5-Ground
* 6-Red Return (coax shield)
* 7-Green Return (coax shield)
* 8-Blue Return (coax shield)
* 9 No-Connection
* 10-Sync Ground
* 11-Monitor ID
* 12-Monitor ID
* 13-Horizontal-Sync
* 14-Vertical-Sync
* 15-Monitor ID
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Doyou hear a string of beeps? Healthy PCs should beep once or twice when they are turned on and pass their Power On Self Test (POST) routine. While different BIOS manufacturers use different beep codes to identify failures, a repeating string of beeps (three or nine in a row) is a common indicator of video card failure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Check whether or not the video adapter is properly seated. This is an in-the-box check, so make sure you unplug the power cord to the system first. This doesn't apply to motherboards with built-in video. Whether or not the video adapter appears to be seated properly, reseat it. Remove the video adapter hold-down screw, remove the adapter, then reseat it in the slot, pushing down evenly. Be careful that putting the hold-down screw back in doesn't lever the front edge of the video adapter (the end away from the screw) up a fraction of an inch out of the slot, because that's all it takes if there's no hold-down latch.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If reseating the card doesn't clear up the beeps, it's probably a failed video adapter or RAM on the motherboard. You can power down and try reseating the RAM at this point, without going all the way through the motherboard diagnostics. There used to be beep codes for all sorts of component failures, but most of those components have long since been integrated into the motherboard and can't be replaced if they fail.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
DoesDoes the system get as far as showing the BIOS screen and locking up? By BIOS screen, we're talking about the text information or brand-name graphics that appear on the screen in the initial boot stages. A system that freezes up at this point is rarely suffering from a video failure, though a conflict between the video card and another installed adapter is still possible.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Did you install any new adapters immediately before the problem appeared? With the power disconnected, remove any other adapters, one at a time, then reconnect power and attempt to reboot after each removal. Locking up on the BIOS screen is often due to an adapter conflict, but if removing the other adapters doesn't solve the problem, proceed to Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Do you get a live screen, or at least move past the BIOS screen, with all the other adapters removed? If so, the problem is either a bad adapter preventing proper operation of the bus or an adapter conflicting with the video card. In either case, you can reinstall the adapters one at a time, powering up after each one, troubleshooting the problem by process of elimination. Don't forget to unplug the system each time before taking any action inside the case.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If the motherboard is a new upgrade, try the video adapter in another system before trashing it, since it could be a simple incompatibility. If installing a new video adapter doesn't solve your "dead screen" problem, it's probably a motherboard related problem, even though you got to this point without any beep codes. Proceed to Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure. I just added an illustrated guide for how to replace an AGP video adapter to the site.
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached directly by clicking on the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.
Is the system power coming on? Can you hear fans turning and drive motors spinning up, see little lights on the front of the CPU case, hear any beeps? We're talking about system power here, not the monitor power. If the system isn't powering up, or if you aren't sure whether or not it is, go to the Power Supply Failure chart now.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Does anything at all show up on the screen with the monitor power on, or is it just as black as before you powered on the CPU? We aren't demanding any signs of intelligent life in this case, any sign of life will do.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Assuming the system power comes up, does the monitor power come on? Monitors have a status LED on the front bezel that should show green, orange, or blinking if the monitor is powered on. You can also hear older monitors power on with a gentle sound, though I can't describe it beyond saying it's the sound of a CRT tube warming up. Make sure the monitor is plugged into a good outlet by testing the outlet with a lamp or any other device that will prove beyond a doubt that the outlet is good. Make sure that the power cord is either permanently attached at the monitor end or that it is seated fully in the socket, since partial cord insertion is the most common failure for monitors with detachable cords.
LCD displays don't make any sound when you turn them on, but they don't always have a simple power cord, either. Some LCD monitors are powered by an external transformer, which in turn is powered from a regular AC outlet. If the LCD display doesn't show any signs of life, make sure that the cords into and out of the transformer are fully seated. Some transformers are equipped with a status LED to show when they are operating, though you can also check for live output with a DC voltmeter. The power connection to the LCD display is often awkward to inspect, recessed into the back of the display. The important thing is to make sure it is started correctly, then seat it all the way.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Few things related to computers are more embarrassing than taking your monitor for repair and finding out that the brightness was turned all the way down. This frequently happens with exposed dials when you pick up the monitor and move it, though a prankster might also turn down the settings when they're concealed behind a pop-out door right under the screen. Make sure that manual brightness and contrast controls on the monitor are set somewhere in the middle of their range, since it's not always obvious which way is maximum or minimum. If the monitor is alive, turning the brightness and contrast all the way up will often result in the screen lighting up a little. The easiest way to check if the monitor is good is to simply attach it to another working PC.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If you see a message on the screen that includes "power" in it, like: "attach graphics card power", "no power to video adapter", etc, it means that you have a PCI Express or older AGP video card that requires more power than the motherboard can supply through the bus. This means you need to run a power cable directly from the power supply to the video adapter, inside the PC. If it's a new build, you may have forgotten or not seated the connector firmly. If it was a working PC, either the power supply lead has failed, the power supply itself has problems, the cable worked loose, or some hardware on the video card has failed.
Earlier video cards that required additional power from the power supply usually took a Molex connector, the same 4 pin connector used to power non-SATA drives. Newer power supplies include one or two six pin PCI Express supplementary connectors designed for power hungry graphics cards. Some PCI Express cards, in the absence of a six pin supplementary lead, will accept two 4 pin Molex leads.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Most new monitors will display something such as "No signal source," or "Attach video signal," as long as they are healthy, and powered on. These messages should appear even if the PC or video adapter is dead. This is actually one of the more useful innovations in monitor technology, because it offers definitive proof that the monitor or LCD display is alive and most likely capable of displaying an image if a video signal was present. Unfortunately, it only proves something by its presence, since older monitors and cheaper models may not display anything at all.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Make sure the 15 pin video signal cable (3 rows of 5 pins each for SVGA) is seated squarely on the video port on the back of the system. The hold-down screws on either side of the connector should be screwed in all the way, but not made up too tight. If the video cable is connected correctly, remove it and inspect the connector for damage.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Before making yourself nuts, test the monitor on another PC or laptop. If you use a laptop to test the monitor and it doesn't automatically detect an external monitor when booting, use the "F" function keys along the top of the keyboard to tell the laptop to shift to the external display. Remember that we are testing just to see if the monitor is live, it doesn't matter if the screen settings are wrong and the display looks funny. If it doesn't work on a known good computer, the problem is with the monitor, not your PC. If a faint image is detectable on an LCD screen, the problem is with the backlight or the inverter that powers the backlight. A loud buzz coming from an LCD monitor is most likely the inverter circuit failing, though it can go on getting louder for years before it pops.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Look carefully at the pins in the connector to make sure none of them are at an angle or flattened against the bottom. Note that missing pins in a video cable are the norm, usually the monitor ID pins. It's great if you have a spare video cable and a monitor with a detachable cable, but most monitors have an integrated cable (doesn't detach) and most people don't have a spare anyway. You'll usually have to settle for visual inspection for whether the cable may have been crushed or breached.
If you see that a pin in the connector is bent, you can try to straighten it very slowly with tweezers or fine needle nose pliers. If a pin breaks, you can buy a replacement connector and solder it on with a fine soldering iron and infinite patience. You'll also need a heatshrink gun and tubing if you want to do it right. The last time I did one it took me almost three hours, though I didn't really have the right soldering iron tip. I don't recommend making your own DVI connector.
Video Connector Pinout
* 1-Red
* 2-Green
* 3-Blue
* 4-Monitor ID (Note: pins for ID bits often not present)
* 5-Ground
* 6-Red Return (coax shield)
* 7-Green Return (coax shield)
* 8-Blue Return (coax shield)
* 9 No-Connection
* 10-Sync Ground
* 11-Monitor ID
* 12-Monitor ID
* 13-Horizontal-Sync
* 14-Vertical-Sync
* 15-Monitor ID
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Doyou hear a string of beeps? Healthy PCs should beep once or twice when they are turned on and pass their Power On Self Test (POST) routine. While different BIOS manufacturers use different beep codes to identify failures, a repeating string of beeps (three or nine in a row) is a common indicator of video card failure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Check whether or not the video adapter is properly seated. This is an in-the-box check, so make sure you unplug the power cord to the system first. This doesn't apply to motherboards with built-in video. Whether or not the video adapter appears to be seated properly, reseat it. Remove the video adapter hold-down screw, remove the adapter, then reseat it in the slot, pushing down evenly. Be careful that putting the hold-down screw back in doesn't lever the front edge of the video adapter (the end away from the screw) up a fraction of an inch out of the slot, because that's all it takes if there's no hold-down latch.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If reseating the card doesn't clear up the beeps, it's probably a failed video adapter or RAM on the motherboard. You can power down and try reseating the RAM at this point, without going all the way through the motherboard diagnostics. There used to be beep codes for all sorts of component failures, but most of those components have long since been integrated into the motherboard and can't be replaced if they fail.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
DoesDoes the system get as far as showing the BIOS screen and locking up? By BIOS screen, we're talking about the text information or brand-name graphics that appear on the screen in the initial boot stages. A system that freezes up at this point is rarely suffering from a video failure, though a conflict between the video card and another installed adapter is still possible.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Did you install any new adapters immediately before the problem appeared? With the power disconnected, remove any other adapters, one at a time, then reconnect power and attempt to reboot after each removal. Locking up on the BIOS screen is often due to an adapter conflict, but if removing the other adapters doesn't solve the problem, proceed to Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
Do you get a live screen, or at least move past the BIOS screen, with all the other adapters removed? If so, the problem is either a bad adapter preventing proper operation of the bus or an adapter conflicting with the video card. In either case, you can reinstall the adapters one at a time, powering up after each one, troubleshooting the problem by process of elimination. Don't forget to unplug the system each time before taking any action inside the case.
Return to Diagnostic Chart
If the motherboard is a new upgrade, try the video adapter in another system before trashing it, since it could be a simple incompatibility. If installing a new video adapter doesn't solve your "dead screen" problem, it's probably a motherboard related problem, even though you got to this point without any beep codes. Proceed to Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure. I just added an illustrated guide for how to replace an AGP video adapter to the site.
ATX Power Supply Failure Diagnostics
ATX Power Supply Failure Diagnostics
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached directly by clicking on the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.
The first step in power supply diagnostics is determining whether or not the power comes on. How can you tell if the power is on? Can you hear fans turning and drives motors spinning up, see little lights on the front of the CPU case or hear any beeps? If the system case is hot (if you get a shock) pull the plug immediately - you have a ground failure and a short. If your hearing isn't good, you can always check to see if the power supply fan is creating a breeze. Monitors are powered independently, so unless you're looking at a notebook PC, a live screen doesn't indicate a working power supply.
If the power doesn't come on, the first thing to check is that you have a live power source. You don't need a DVM (Digital Volt Meter) to check if your power outlet is live. Just unplug the power supply cord and plug in a lamp or a radio. If you are using a power strip, don't assume the socket you are using is good because the other outlets are working and the power strip status light is on. Many power strips I've encountered in the field have at least one bad outlet, and working outlets have been known to fail for no particularly good reason. Power supply cords very rarely fail, but it's possible for the female connector on the power supply end to back out of the socket. Make sure that both ends of the power supply cord are fully seated in the outlet and the power supply, respectively.
Check to make sure the correct voltage (110V/ 220V) is selected on the power supply. While this should never come up with a PC that's just been sitting on the desk, if you've replaced the power supply or moved the PC, it's always a possibility. This small red slide switch is located on power supply, usually between the power cord and the on/off override switch on the back of the case. Unplug the supply and select the proper voltage for your country. If you tried to power up with the switch set to 220V in a country using 110V, the system should be OK when you correct the voltage. If you tried running on 110V in a 220V country, you've probably blown a fuse in the supply (at the least), or damaged the supply and possibly other components.
If pressing your power switch doesn't immediately shut down the PC, that's normal for ATX systems. The action of the power switch is programmable and is controlled through CMOS Setup. The default operation for most power switches requires you to hold the switch in for three to five seconds before the system will power down. This allows use of the power switch to wake the PC from some power saving "sleep" or "stand-by" modes, depending on CMOS Setup power management settings. If the problem is that the operating system can't turn off the PC when you shut down, it's likely a bad setting in power management or a corrupted file in the operating system.
One very good reason for the power supply to fail is an unconnected power switch. The power switch lead on ATX PCs, often labeled PW or PW-ON, runs from the front panel of the case to a connector block on the motherboard. This issue should only come up if you've been working in the case (the leads can pull off the connection block very easily), or if you've replaced the motherboard. The switch isn't polarized so it doesn't matter which way it goes on the motherboard posts, but it must be on the correct two posts. The proper location is usually printed right on the motherboard next to the connector block, and you can also consult the motherboard documentation. In cases where the documentation provided with the system and the information printed on the motherboard don't agree, I go with the motherboard.
Check the switch operation with a Digital Volt Meter on the continuity or resistance setting. On all ATX systems, the power switch is really just a logic switch that tells the motherboard, to which a trickle of live power is always supplied, to instruct the power supply to come fully alive. If your power supply features a heavy cord running forward to a large switch on the case front, with four connections, you have an old AT style supply and potentially deadly live line voltage is present at the switch. These procedures do not apply to the obsolete AT power supplies. When I'm working on an ATX system and don't have a tester handy, I short the two pins on the motherboard with a screwdriver, where the logic switch from front panel should be attached, and see if the system starts. This is a "live power" test. Don't do it if you may get startled and bash the screwdriver into something should the system power up, because there's no way to repair short-circuit or gouging damage once it's done. If the switch is bad and you don't have a replacement switch, check for a reset button on the front panel. You can usually get away with using the reset button for the PW-ON logic switch, and live without the hard reset.
The power supply will to fail to operate if the power to motherboard isn't connected. Check that the 20 or 24 pin main ATX power connector and any additional motherboard power connections, such as the 4 pin ATX 12V supply (8 pin on some systems), are properly connected and seated. The latching mechanism for the standard ATX connector is counter-intuitive. You have to push in on the latch at the top to release it at the bottom, at which point the connector should pull off with almost no force required. You should hear or feel the latch click in when the connector is seated.
Remove the power leads to the drives to ensure that you aren't trying to power up into a short. The motherboard power must remain connected to activate the ATX power supply. If you have a DVM (Digital Volt Meter) and experience working around live circuitry, you can try checking the DC voltages at the connectors to see if they are live, or within 5% of the rated voltage. I'm not advising you do this live testing, as it's much easier and safer to try swapping in a new power supply. Unless you have a special testing fixture, you must leave the connectors attached while checking, which requires an exposed connector surface or a cheater lead. This is necessary because switching power supplies won't operate properly without a load, either failing to come on or even self-destructing (in extreme, low quality, instances). I just poke the DVM probes into the top of the 24 wire connector at the motherboard, since there's usually room next to the wire to get down to the conductor.
ATX Version 2.2 - 24 wire motherboard connector
Pin 1 Pin 2 Pin 3 Pin 4 Pin 5 Pin 6 Pin 7 Pin 8 Pin 9 Pin 10 Pin 11 Pin 12
3.3V 3.3V Ground 5V Ground 5V Ground P_OK 5VSB 12V 12V 3.3V
Orange Orange Black Red Black Red Black Gray Purple Yellow Yellow Orange
Orange Blue Black Green Black Black Black White Red Red Red Black
3.3V -12V Ground P_ON Ground Ground Ground -5V 5V 5V 5V Ground
Pin 13 Pin 14 Pin 15 Pin 16 Pin 17 Pin 18 Pin 19 Pin 20 Pin 21 Pin 22 Pin 23 Pin 24
The color scheme used for the voltages in the 24 pin connector holds for the other ATX standard power supply connectors. However, brand name manufacturers, especially older Dells, often used proprietary power supplies and made up their own color coding, so I wouldn't throw out a power supply that supplies 5V where you think it should supply 3.3V. It's more likely a proprietary design than a failure.
The 5V on Pin 9 is always present when the power supply is plugged in. This connection supplies power to the various PC circuits that operate even when the PC is turned off, such as "Wake on Modem" or "Wake on LAN." It's also the reason you should never work in the PC with the power supply plugged in, unless you can remember to turn off the override switch every time. This live power is supplied to the adapter slots, so replacing adapters with the power cord plugged in may damage the motherboard or adapters. Even though the drive leads aren't powered with the system turned off, you might drop a screw while working on a drive. If that screw lands in just the wrong place, like an open bus slot, it could create a short and damage the motherboard.
Assuming your PC is connected to a monitor, the next question is, do you have a live screen? Does text or a splash screen appear? A message saying "Please connect monitor" or "No video signal detected" counts as a "No" answer in this case. If the screen is live, but you see multiple images or endless scrolling, the video adapter is providing signals that cannot be interpreted by the monitor. This usually occurs when you attach an old monitor to a new PC and the monitor doesn't support the refresh rate at the screen resolution selected in the Windows settings.
Newer components like quad core processors and dual PCI Express video adapters have doubled the power requirements of typical gaming PCs. An entry level ATX power supply for a PCI Express gaming PC these days is 600W, and power supplies ranging from 750W to 1000W are no longer unusual. The primary culprits are multi-core CPUs that can consume anywhere from 10W to 50W or more per core, for a total CPU consumption as high as 200W in a single processor system. Meanwhile, PCI Express graphics cards for gaming can pull as much as 200 Watts by themselves, or double that in a dual card configuration.
While PC power supply manufacturers boast about their power rating, as it's their main selling point, manufacturers of video cards and other components don't trumpet their power consumption. You may have to do a little math to work it out. Sometimes they give the peak current requirement in Amps (A) at the supply voltage, usually 12V, so you multiply the two numbers for the power consumption in Watts. All of the high end video cards require more power than can be supplied through the PCI Express slot on the motherboard, so they are fed directly from the power supply with one or two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary connectors, or standard 4-pin Molex connectors, the kind used for non-SATA drives.
If the power supply comes on but you don't get a live screen, switch off and try again. You may have to hold the power switch in for five or more seconds before the system powers back down. If it fails to power down, you can turn off the switch on the back of the power supply, turn off your power strip, or unplug the cord. A PC that boots on the second or third try is most likely suffering from a quick power_ok (or power_good) signal, coming on before the power supply has stabilized. The presence of the power_ok signal tells the motherboard that the power supply is stable, while its absence tells the motherboard to stay off to protect itself. It's possible the power supply isn't quite up to the current ATX standard or the motherboard is a little too demanding about timing. Booting twice every time you want to turn on the PC isn't an ideal situation, so unless you leave it on all the time, look into buying a higher quality power supply, ideally one recommended by the motherboard manufacturer.
Beep codes are part of the PC's Power On Self Test (POST) routine. One beep means the system has passed the test and the BIOS believes that the CPU and memory and video are functioning properly. All other beep codes vary by BIOS supplier and system brand, but endlessly repeating slow beeps often indicate RAM failure, so shut down and try reseating the memory module(s). A repeated string of beeps, either 3 or 9 beeps long, is frequently video failure, so unplug the power and try reseating the video adapter. If you are getting beeps with a live screen, the problem is unlikely to be power supply related. Proceed to the Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure diagnostics.
If you don't get any beeps, make sure the case speaker is connected and check for beeps again. If the motherboard lacks a connection point for a case speaker near the power switch and LED block, it probably employs an onboard piezoelectric speaker. If you have recently added any new components to the system, they may be overtaxing the power supply or causing a short circuit. This includes both adapters and drives. The first step in any failure situation is to try undoing the last change you made. I once encountered a system which powered up but failed to initialize the video adapter when the secondary IDE ribbon cable was connected backwards to a CD drive! Although the component you just added may have worked in another system, it doesn't mean you hooked it up properly, that it's compatible with the current PC, or that it didn't fail in the interim.
Common power supply problems unrelated to the boot process are noisy operation and unstable voltages, both of which are a reason to replace the supply. There are two common noise problems associated with power supplies, noisy fans and whistling capacitors. Noisy fans can be replaced, but only if you're a reasonably competent technician because you can really get a nasty zap from the stored energy in the capacitors even when the power supply is unplugged. Make sure your noisy fan problem isn't due to something silly like a piece of paper poking in through the fan grille before you rush out and buy a replacement. If your dog won't stay in the room when the computer is turned on or if your kids hear a high pitched whistling that you don't, it's probably a capacitor. To determine whether the capacitor is in the power supply or elsewhere in the system will require a process of elimination or some parts swapping.
Unstable voltage problems are real ghosts in the machine, and can mimic all sorts of other problems. If you get into a flaky failure situation that you can't diagnose and you've already started troubleshooting (i.e. swapping parts), you may as well try a new power supply as well. I've seen power supplies produce some really bizarre failures, like a PC that reboots when you set your coffee cup down too hard on the table. The most pervasive of the unstable power supply problems are random lockups or spontaneous reboots. Modern motherboards have some ability to regulate the power they receive, but it's got to be within a reasonable range. When it starts overshooting the limits, the system may freeze or shutdown the motherboard to protect itself.
As soon as the PC powers up, you should be able to hear the hard drive motor spin the drive (like a very, very, quiet jet taking off) and the read/write head seeking (a gentle clunking sound). If you're absolutely baffled as to whether or not the drive is spinning up, due to background noise or hearing problems, you can resort to feeling the drive cover. If that still doesn't do it, I power down, remove the drive cage or the drive itself, and hold it firmly by the edges (not touching any exposed wires or the circuit board on the bottom) while powering up. The drive resists twisting movements like a gyroscope if it's spun up. Don't play with it. If you move too fast or touch the circuit board to something that can cause a short, you'll damage the drive. Just power down, reinstall, and continue with the diagnostics.
If system power is coming on but the drive still isn't spinning up, make sure that your power lead is seated in the drive power socket. The old fashioned Molex connectors on pre-SATA drives should go in a good half inch or so. It does take a good deal of force to seat the cheaper leads in some drives. Try another lead, even if you have to disconnect another drive to get it. Try another drive. At this point it's still quite possible that the power supply is defective, but if you have a drive that you know spins up, it's a good way to eliminate one possibility. As long as you don't smell smoke coming out of the drive you can test the drive in another system. If you are using SCSI rather than IDE hard drives, check the documentation for a jumper that suppresses spin up on boot. SCSI drives offer this option because you can install as many as 15 in a single system, and if they all tried to spin up at once it would swamp any power supply. Normally, the SCSI host adapter will spin them up in order of their SCSI ID.
If system power isn't coming on, disconnect all drives, one at a time, and try powering up after each change. If the system powers up, you've found a faulty drive or a faulty lead from the power supply. If all of the SATA power connectors are dead, you can try running an SATA drive with an adapter on an old 4 pin Molex connector, or vise versa. If the system won't power up with all drives disconnected, start removing adapters, one at a time, leaving the video for last. Unplug power cord before removing each adapter, then reconnect to power up. If the system powers up, replace all adapters except the last one removed before power came on. If power still comes on, try the last adapter you removed in different slot before giving up on it.
If you find an adapter that actually prevents the system from powering up, it must be replaced. If you are running with dual PCI Express video cards, try running with just one and then just the other. If you have a single video card slot, whether PCI Express or AGP, it could be that slot is faulty. Another possibility is that the adapter is keyed as universal but is installed on a new motherboard that expects low voltage AGP adapters (AGP 4X or 8X).
Once you've eliminated the drives and the adapters, one of the few remaining possibilities is a motherboard short. Remove the motherboard and check for a standoff or screw located in the wrong place or rolling around loose. I often build out systems on the bench without a case, supporting the motherboard on a static proof bag over a cardboard box or some similar arrangement to give the adapters room to seat. This method eliminates any case mounting issues from the diagnostics process, but it introduces all sorts of risks, not the least of which is absence of the case ground.
Normally, a short circuit will result in a burnt smell and a ruined motherboard, sometimes damaging any of the attached components (memory, CPU, adapters) as well. In many instances, you'll be able to figure out which component is ruined by the presence of burn marks or a strong odor of smoke coming from the component, though if it happens in a closed case, the smoky smell can stick to everything. If you can't locate a failed component by visual inspection, you need to have access to a test-bed system (an inexpensive but completely functioning PC for testing questionable parts). Don't test parts that may be fried in a good system, because some types of failures will cause damage to the next machine.
If you've reached this point without getting the system to power up, you probably have a defective power supply or motherboard. Try replacing the power supply first since they're cheaper than motherboards. Repairing power supplies requires a good knowledge of electronics as there are usually "no user serviceable parts." Even when power supplies are unplugged, they can give nasty zap from stored power in the electrolytic capacitors. If the power supply or motherboard is new, they may be incompatible with one another due to poor adherence to ATX standards or support for different generations of the ATX standard
Note that these steps correspond with decision points on the flowchart and are reached directly by clicking on the diamond symbols. The text below cannot be read sequentially.
The first step in power supply diagnostics is determining whether or not the power comes on. How can you tell if the power is on? Can you hear fans turning and drives motors spinning up, see little lights on the front of the CPU case or hear any beeps? If the system case is hot (if you get a shock) pull the plug immediately - you have a ground failure and a short. If your hearing isn't good, you can always check to see if the power supply fan is creating a breeze. Monitors are powered independently, so unless you're looking at a notebook PC, a live screen doesn't indicate a working power supply.
If the power doesn't come on, the first thing to check is that you have a live power source. You don't need a DVM (Digital Volt Meter) to check if your power outlet is live. Just unplug the power supply cord and plug in a lamp or a radio. If you are using a power strip, don't assume the socket you are using is good because the other outlets are working and the power strip status light is on. Many power strips I've encountered in the field have at least one bad outlet, and working outlets have been known to fail for no particularly good reason. Power supply cords very rarely fail, but it's possible for the female connector on the power supply end to back out of the socket. Make sure that both ends of the power supply cord are fully seated in the outlet and the power supply, respectively.
Check to make sure the correct voltage (110V/ 220V) is selected on the power supply. While this should never come up with a PC that's just been sitting on the desk, if you've replaced the power supply or moved the PC, it's always a possibility. This small red slide switch is located on power supply, usually between the power cord and the on/off override switch on the back of the case. Unplug the supply and select the proper voltage for your country. If you tried to power up with the switch set to 220V in a country using 110V, the system should be OK when you correct the voltage. If you tried running on 110V in a 220V country, you've probably blown a fuse in the supply (at the least), or damaged the supply and possibly other components.
If pressing your power switch doesn't immediately shut down the PC, that's normal for ATX systems. The action of the power switch is programmable and is controlled through CMOS Setup. The default operation for most power switches requires you to hold the switch in for three to five seconds before the system will power down. This allows use of the power switch to wake the PC from some power saving "sleep" or "stand-by" modes, depending on CMOS Setup power management settings. If the problem is that the operating system can't turn off the PC when you shut down, it's likely a bad setting in power management or a corrupted file in the operating system.
One very good reason for the power supply to fail is an unconnected power switch. The power switch lead on ATX PCs, often labeled PW or PW-ON, runs from the front panel of the case to a connector block on the motherboard. This issue should only come up if you've been working in the case (the leads can pull off the connection block very easily), or if you've replaced the motherboard. The switch isn't polarized so it doesn't matter which way it goes on the motherboard posts, but it must be on the correct two posts. The proper location is usually printed right on the motherboard next to the connector block, and you can also consult the motherboard documentation. In cases where the documentation provided with the system and the information printed on the motherboard don't agree, I go with the motherboard.
Check the switch operation with a Digital Volt Meter on the continuity or resistance setting. On all ATX systems, the power switch is really just a logic switch that tells the motherboard, to which a trickle of live power is always supplied, to instruct the power supply to come fully alive. If your power supply features a heavy cord running forward to a large switch on the case front, with four connections, you have an old AT style supply and potentially deadly live line voltage is present at the switch. These procedures do not apply to the obsolete AT power supplies. When I'm working on an ATX system and don't have a tester handy, I short the two pins on the motherboard with a screwdriver, where the logic switch from front panel should be attached, and see if the system starts. This is a "live power" test. Don't do it if you may get startled and bash the screwdriver into something should the system power up, because there's no way to repair short-circuit or gouging damage once it's done. If the switch is bad and you don't have a replacement switch, check for a reset button on the front panel. You can usually get away with using the reset button for the PW-ON logic switch, and live without the hard reset.
The power supply will to fail to operate if the power to motherboard isn't connected. Check that the 20 or 24 pin main ATX power connector and any additional motherboard power connections, such as the 4 pin ATX 12V supply (8 pin on some systems), are properly connected and seated. The latching mechanism for the standard ATX connector is counter-intuitive. You have to push in on the latch at the top to release it at the bottom, at which point the connector should pull off with almost no force required. You should hear or feel the latch click in when the connector is seated.
Remove the power leads to the drives to ensure that you aren't trying to power up into a short. The motherboard power must remain connected to activate the ATX power supply. If you have a DVM (Digital Volt Meter) and experience working around live circuitry, you can try checking the DC voltages at the connectors to see if they are live, or within 5% of the rated voltage. I'm not advising you do this live testing, as it's much easier and safer to try swapping in a new power supply. Unless you have a special testing fixture, you must leave the connectors attached while checking, which requires an exposed connector surface or a cheater lead. This is necessary because switching power supplies won't operate properly without a load, either failing to come on or even self-destructing (in extreme, low quality, instances). I just poke the DVM probes into the top of the 24 wire connector at the motherboard, since there's usually room next to the wire to get down to the conductor.
ATX Version 2.2 - 24 wire motherboard connector
Pin 1 Pin 2 Pin 3 Pin 4 Pin 5 Pin 6 Pin 7 Pin 8 Pin 9 Pin 10 Pin 11 Pin 12
3.3V 3.3V Ground 5V Ground 5V Ground P_OK 5VSB 12V 12V 3.3V
Orange Orange Black Red Black Red Black Gray Purple Yellow Yellow Orange
Orange Blue Black Green Black Black Black White Red Red Red Black
3.3V -12V Ground P_ON Ground Ground Ground -5V 5V 5V 5V Ground
Pin 13 Pin 14 Pin 15 Pin 16 Pin 17 Pin 18 Pin 19 Pin 20 Pin 21 Pin 22 Pin 23 Pin 24
The color scheme used for the voltages in the 24 pin connector holds for the other ATX standard power supply connectors. However, brand name manufacturers, especially older Dells, often used proprietary power supplies and made up their own color coding, so I wouldn't throw out a power supply that supplies 5V where you think it should supply 3.3V. It's more likely a proprietary design than a failure.
The 5V on Pin 9 is always present when the power supply is plugged in. This connection supplies power to the various PC circuits that operate even when the PC is turned off, such as "Wake on Modem" or "Wake on LAN." It's also the reason you should never work in the PC with the power supply plugged in, unless you can remember to turn off the override switch every time. This live power is supplied to the adapter slots, so replacing adapters with the power cord plugged in may damage the motherboard or adapters. Even though the drive leads aren't powered with the system turned off, you might drop a screw while working on a drive. If that screw lands in just the wrong place, like an open bus slot, it could create a short and damage the motherboard.
Assuming your PC is connected to a monitor, the next question is, do you have a live screen? Does text or a splash screen appear? A message saying "Please connect monitor" or "No video signal detected" counts as a "No" answer in this case. If the screen is live, but you see multiple images or endless scrolling, the video adapter is providing signals that cannot be interpreted by the monitor. This usually occurs when you attach an old monitor to a new PC and the monitor doesn't support the refresh rate at the screen resolution selected in the Windows settings.
Newer components like quad core processors and dual PCI Express video adapters have doubled the power requirements of typical gaming PCs. An entry level ATX power supply for a PCI Express gaming PC these days is 600W, and power supplies ranging from 750W to 1000W are no longer unusual. The primary culprits are multi-core CPUs that can consume anywhere from 10W to 50W or more per core, for a total CPU consumption as high as 200W in a single processor system. Meanwhile, PCI Express graphics cards for gaming can pull as much as 200 Watts by themselves, or double that in a dual card configuration.
While PC power supply manufacturers boast about their power rating, as it's their main selling point, manufacturers of video cards and other components don't trumpet their power consumption. You may have to do a little math to work it out. Sometimes they give the peak current requirement in Amps (A) at the supply voltage, usually 12V, so you multiply the two numbers for the power consumption in Watts. All of the high end video cards require more power than can be supplied through the PCI Express slot on the motherboard, so they are fed directly from the power supply with one or two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary connectors, or standard 4-pin Molex connectors, the kind used for non-SATA drives.
If the power supply comes on but you don't get a live screen, switch off and try again. You may have to hold the power switch in for five or more seconds before the system powers back down. If it fails to power down, you can turn off the switch on the back of the power supply, turn off your power strip, or unplug the cord. A PC that boots on the second or third try is most likely suffering from a quick power_ok (or power_good) signal, coming on before the power supply has stabilized. The presence of the power_ok signal tells the motherboard that the power supply is stable, while its absence tells the motherboard to stay off to protect itself. It's possible the power supply isn't quite up to the current ATX standard or the motherboard is a little too demanding about timing. Booting twice every time you want to turn on the PC isn't an ideal situation, so unless you leave it on all the time, look into buying a higher quality power supply, ideally one recommended by the motherboard manufacturer.
Beep codes are part of the PC's Power On Self Test (POST) routine. One beep means the system has passed the test and the BIOS believes that the CPU and memory and video are functioning properly. All other beep codes vary by BIOS supplier and system brand, but endlessly repeating slow beeps often indicate RAM failure, so shut down and try reseating the memory module(s). A repeated string of beeps, either 3 or 9 beeps long, is frequently video failure, so unplug the power and try reseating the video adapter. If you are getting beeps with a live screen, the problem is unlikely to be power supply related. Proceed to the Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure diagnostics.
If you don't get any beeps, make sure the case speaker is connected and check for beeps again. If the motherboard lacks a connection point for a case speaker near the power switch and LED block, it probably employs an onboard piezoelectric speaker. If you have recently added any new components to the system, they may be overtaxing the power supply or causing a short circuit. This includes both adapters and drives. The first step in any failure situation is to try undoing the last change you made. I once encountered a system which powered up but failed to initialize the video adapter when the secondary IDE ribbon cable was connected backwards to a CD drive! Although the component you just added may have worked in another system, it doesn't mean you hooked it up properly, that it's compatible with the current PC, or that it didn't fail in the interim.
Common power supply problems unrelated to the boot process are noisy operation and unstable voltages, both of which are a reason to replace the supply. There are two common noise problems associated with power supplies, noisy fans and whistling capacitors. Noisy fans can be replaced, but only if you're a reasonably competent technician because you can really get a nasty zap from the stored energy in the capacitors even when the power supply is unplugged. Make sure your noisy fan problem isn't due to something silly like a piece of paper poking in through the fan grille before you rush out and buy a replacement. If your dog won't stay in the room when the computer is turned on or if your kids hear a high pitched whistling that you don't, it's probably a capacitor. To determine whether the capacitor is in the power supply or elsewhere in the system will require a process of elimination or some parts swapping.
Unstable voltage problems are real ghosts in the machine, and can mimic all sorts of other problems. If you get into a flaky failure situation that you can't diagnose and you've already started troubleshooting (i.e. swapping parts), you may as well try a new power supply as well. I've seen power supplies produce some really bizarre failures, like a PC that reboots when you set your coffee cup down too hard on the table. The most pervasive of the unstable power supply problems are random lockups or spontaneous reboots. Modern motherboards have some ability to regulate the power they receive, but it's got to be within a reasonable range. When it starts overshooting the limits, the system may freeze or shutdown the motherboard to protect itself.
As soon as the PC powers up, you should be able to hear the hard drive motor spin the drive (like a very, very, quiet jet taking off) and the read/write head seeking (a gentle clunking sound). If you're absolutely baffled as to whether or not the drive is spinning up, due to background noise or hearing problems, you can resort to feeling the drive cover. If that still doesn't do it, I power down, remove the drive cage or the drive itself, and hold it firmly by the edges (not touching any exposed wires or the circuit board on the bottom) while powering up. The drive resists twisting movements like a gyroscope if it's spun up. Don't play with it. If you move too fast or touch the circuit board to something that can cause a short, you'll damage the drive. Just power down, reinstall, and continue with the diagnostics.
If system power is coming on but the drive still isn't spinning up, make sure that your power lead is seated in the drive power socket. The old fashioned Molex connectors on pre-SATA drives should go in a good half inch or so. It does take a good deal of force to seat the cheaper leads in some drives. Try another lead, even if you have to disconnect another drive to get it. Try another drive. At this point it's still quite possible that the power supply is defective, but if you have a drive that you know spins up, it's a good way to eliminate one possibility. As long as you don't smell smoke coming out of the drive you can test the drive in another system. If you are using SCSI rather than IDE hard drives, check the documentation for a jumper that suppresses spin up on boot. SCSI drives offer this option because you can install as many as 15 in a single system, and if they all tried to spin up at once it would swamp any power supply. Normally, the SCSI host adapter will spin them up in order of their SCSI ID.
If system power isn't coming on, disconnect all drives, one at a time, and try powering up after each change. If the system powers up, you've found a faulty drive or a faulty lead from the power supply. If all of the SATA power connectors are dead, you can try running an SATA drive with an adapter on an old 4 pin Molex connector, or vise versa. If the system won't power up with all drives disconnected, start removing adapters, one at a time, leaving the video for last. Unplug power cord before removing each adapter, then reconnect to power up. If the system powers up, replace all adapters except the last one removed before power came on. If power still comes on, try the last adapter you removed in different slot before giving up on it.
If you find an adapter that actually prevents the system from powering up, it must be replaced. If you are running with dual PCI Express video cards, try running with just one and then just the other. If you have a single video card slot, whether PCI Express or AGP, it could be that slot is faulty. Another possibility is that the adapter is keyed as universal but is installed on a new motherboard that expects low voltage AGP adapters (AGP 4X or 8X).
Once you've eliminated the drives and the adapters, one of the few remaining possibilities is a motherboard short. Remove the motherboard and check for a standoff or screw located in the wrong place or rolling around loose. I often build out systems on the bench without a case, supporting the motherboard on a static proof bag over a cardboard box or some similar arrangement to give the adapters room to seat. This method eliminates any case mounting issues from the diagnostics process, but it introduces all sorts of risks, not the least of which is absence of the case ground.
Normally, a short circuit will result in a burnt smell and a ruined motherboard, sometimes damaging any of the attached components (memory, CPU, adapters) as well. In many instances, you'll be able to figure out which component is ruined by the presence of burn marks or a strong odor of smoke coming from the component, though if it happens in a closed case, the smoky smell can stick to everything. If you can't locate a failed component by visual inspection, you need to have access to a test-bed system (an inexpensive but completely functioning PC for testing questionable parts). Don't test parts that may be fried in a good system, because some types of failures will cause damage to the next machine.
If you've reached this point without getting the system to power up, you probably have a defective power supply or motherboard. Try replacing the power supply first since they're cheaper than motherboards. Repairing power supplies requires a good knowledge of electronics as there are usually "no user serviceable parts." Even when power supplies are unplugged, they can give nasty zap from stored power in the electrolytic capacitors. If the power supply or motherboard is new, they may be incompatible with one another due to poor adherence to ATX standards or support for different generations of the ATX standard
Aug 1, 2010
Virtual Dj Pro 6.02
VirtualDJ is the hottest MP3 mixing software, targeting every DJ from bedroom DJs to professional superstars like Carl Cox. With its breakthrough BeatLock engine, your songs will always stay in the beat, and you can work your mixes incredibly faster than any other DJ could. The automatic seamless loop engine and the brand new synchronised sampler will let you perform astounding remixes live, with no preparation at all. The visual representation and the cues allow you to clearly see the song's structure, and never be surprised by a break anymore. The vinyl controls will let you scratch like on a real turntable, except that with the beatlock engine your scratches will never end out of the beat. Add to that an infinite number of cue points you can save for each songs, a bunch of wonderful effects automatically beat-synchronised. Add also several interfaces to suit everybody from the beginner to the professional DJ, the possibility to record your mixes to burn them on CDs, to broadcast on the Internet and have your own radio station, to save your CDs directly in MP3, to use a headphone to preview the songs or an external mixtable to perform in a club. Lastly, enter the new era of DJs by mixing video clips (DVD, DivX, MPEG...) which you can send on a giant screen.Features:
* Twin independent zero-latency players with:
o Standard controls (play, pause, stop, cue)
o Volume control
o Pitch control (from -34 to +34%)
o 3 band equalizers with Kill + gain
* One-click beat matching and synchronisation (new FAME algorithm)
* BeatLock engine: your songs will always stay in time, and you can work your mixes incredibly faster than any other DJ could
* Automatic beat-matched crossfading
* On-the-fly automatic BPM calculation
* Automatic pitch matching
* Automatic level matching
* Automatic beat matching
* Dynamic beat visualizer for easy drag'n'drop beat-matching
* Real scratch simulation
* Virtual scratch: Scratch your mp3 with your bare hand
* Automatic beat-aware LOOP function
* Synchronised sampler with 12 instant slots
* Master Tempo pitch algorithm
* Automatic first beat and last beat detection
* Automatic 4/4 phase detection
* OSC network synchronisation
* Infinite number of beatlocked desks (local multi-instance or network)
* Infinite number of cue points saved per songs
* Beat-aware effect plugins (included: beatgrid, flippin, vocal remover, filter, flanger, backspin, brake, etc...)
* VST effects compatibility
* Video mix with TV output (mix songs and/or video clips !)
* Full karaoke support
* Proprietary of FreeFrame video effects
* Inifite number of video effect simultaneously
* DJ-adapted video transition plugins
* Song database engine with easy-to-use search feature
* CoverFlow or text-only song browsing
* Compatible with iTunes playlists
* ID3 compatibility
* Automatic filter folders
* Automatic Hot-Swap of external harddrives
* Ready-to-burn file recording to burn your own mixed CDs
* Broadcast on the Internet
* CD to MP3 encoder
* Optional 3D sound card, 2 sound cards or Y-splitter for real-time monitoring or external mixtable use
* ASIO soundcard compatibility
* Fully customisable (skin engine and shortcut macro enngine)
* External MIDI keyboard compatibility for shortcuts
* Compatibility with most external controllers (DMC2, DAC3, iCDX, TotalControl, BCD2000, DJConsole, etc...)
* Optional automatic mixing: Virtual DJ recognizes the style of the music (techno, hip hop, lounge) and adapt its mix in consequence
DOWNLOAD HERE
Sony Acid Pro 7.0 FULL
ACID Pro is revolutionary, loop-based music production software. Create original, royalty-free music in minutes with over 1,000 included loops, and over 20 ACID Projects included on the ACID Pro content CD, or record your own tracks and enhance them with onboard tools. ACID Pro 7 includes software for professional music production and editing, including ACID Pro Effects Rack, powered by iZotope, Garritan Aria for ACID Pro Player, Submersible Music KitCore, and Native Instruments Guitar Combos.ACID Pro 7 software is a DAW powerhouse that combines full multitrack recording and mixing, MIDI sequencing, and legendary ACID looping functionality for a seamless music-creation and post-production environment. More creative partner than production tool, ACID Pro 7 software inspires you like nothing else. With its Transparent Technology? design, ACID Pro 7 software removes typical barriers to the creative workflow so you can effortlessly transform ideas into real results.
Use ACID Pro software to create your own songs, remix those tracks, produce 5.1 surround audio mixes, develop music beds, score your own videos and create music for web sites and Flash? animations. While this revolutionary tool is intuitive and easy to use, its powerful enough for professional production. Work with a huge assortment of loops in multiple genres. ACID Pro software lets users compose using unlimited tracks of audio and MIDI, import and Beatmap complete songs. ACID Pro software saves to a variety of formats such as WAV, WMA, RM, AVI, and MP3.
DOWNLOAD HERE
Sony Sound Forge 10.0a
SoundForge 10 - new version of the powerful audio editor, which includes a set of different tools designed to work with sound. With this program you will be able to effectively handle audio files, edit samples, record sounds, many effects on the cast recording, encode audio data, convert audio files from one format to another, and much more.Typically, the program uses sound producers and producers on the set of recording studios, but with thought-out interface, the program can easily be used by ordinary users. In the tenth version you can edit the audio, based on events, record CD-ROM drive Disc-at-Once, there were new DirectX-plug-ins, as well as other innovations and improvements.
Contents:
»Sony Sound Forge Pro 10 Install
»Noise Reduction 2 Install
»CD Architect 5.2 Install
»Mastering Effects Bundle 2 (powered by iZotope) Install
»Preset Manager Install
»Instruction Manuals (English and Japanese)
Extras. Information:
Features:
"All the standard editing features audil
"Support 24-bit and 192 kHz files 32/64-bitnyh
"Editing mono, stereo and multichannel audio files
"More than 20 built-in DirectX plug-ins
"Cross-editing and processing
"Editing and processing audio in real time
"Support for ASIO-drivers
"Support for DirectX audio plug-ins
"Support for VST audio effects
"Support for video and AVI
"Unlimited levels of undo and redo actions
»Drag-and-drop editing between channels
"Full support for files larger than 4 GB
"And many, many other possibilities
New features:
»New floating window docks hidden text
»New customizable window layouts
»New default fade types
»New tabbed user interface
»New performance optimizations
»New event-based editing
»New musical instrument file processing
»New metadata windows
»Enhanced Broadcast Wave Format (. Bwf) support
»New filters and DirectX plug-ins
»Integrated disc-at-once CD burning
DOWNLOAD HERE
Apr 4, 2010
Yahoo Mail Tweaks
Some Yahoo Messenger users, particularly those who have multiple ID’s wanted to do a dual or multiple logins and use Yahoo Messenger simultaneously. To login to YM! with different accounts at the same time without installing a program,
please do this.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Go to Start > Run and type “regedit” on the box
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Yahoo > Pager > Test
3. On the right pane, right-click and create a Dword Value and name it Plural
4. After creating a Dword Value “Plural”, double-click in it and assign a decimal value of 1.
5. Close your Windows Registry and it should be working. You can now run and login on multiple Yahoo Messengers.
please do this.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Go to Start > Run and type “regedit” on the box
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Yahoo > Pager > Test
3. On the right pane, right-click and create a Dword Value and name it Plural
4. After creating a Dword Value “Plural”, double-click in it and assign a decimal value of 1.
5. Close your Windows Registry and it should be working. You can now run and login on multiple Yahoo Messengers.
Mar 2, 2010
Feb 27, 2010
HINDI MO BA ALAM LYRICKS by: A-SYAN
HINDI MO BA ALAM by: A-SYAN
VERSE I
nasasaktan ako pero kaylangan ko itong tiisin
alang-alang sa pagibig ko sayo lahat ay gagawin
kahit na ba iwas-iwasan ako pag dating ng tanghali
gusto kitang yakapin pero hindi mahawi-hawi
nagseselos ako kapag my kausap kang iba
gusto ko man lapitan at tadyakan nalang sa mukha
pero hindi maari wala akong magagawa
ang relasyon ko sa iyo walang pwedeng makahalata
at sa pagdating ng hapon malapit na at sa wakas
ang sama ng aking loob ay muli ring lilikas
takip silim na at malapit ng magdilim
at unti-unting papalapit ka na rin sa akin
heto na ang na gabi nandito ka na sa aking tabi
kumamalma na ang loob ko sa pag halik mo sa aking labi
at kahit na ito ang oras ng pagsasama
patago man ang pag-ibig ok lang bastat maligaya ka
CHORUS
hindi mo ba alam na akoy nasasaktan
sa twing makikita kitang may ibang kakwentuhan
nais kong malaman mo na akoy nandirito
pwede ba akong kahit makiisyoso
ngunit pagsapit ng gabi heto ka saking tabi
sa pag-ibig mo di ako nagsisisi
at paggising ng umaga maamo mong mukha ang nakikita
nasa akin ay lubos na nagpapligaya
VERSE II
ikaw na ang babae na aking hinahanap
nagtataka kung bakit minsan di kita mahagilap
tapos makikita ko na meron ibang kasama
wala akong magagawa ako lang nakatunga-nga
dahil relasyon natin diba ay tago
wala dapat makaalam kahit na sinong tao
hindi alam ang ang dahilan kung bakit nililihim
ako ba talaga mahal mo bakit di mo nalang aminin
kapag kasama mo sya ako ay nagseselos
pero bakit ang relasyong ito hindi ko na matapos
sadya lang siguro dahil ikaw aking mahal
ang lahat tatanggpin kahit na maging hangal
bastat maligaya makasama ka
at mapakita ko sayo na mahal kita
kahit na masaktan ang lahat ng ito sa akin baliwala
ang sakit ay lahat titiisin
hanggang dumating ang araw na matawag kitang sa akin
CHORUS
ngunit pagsapit ng gabi heto ka saking tabi
sa pag-ibig mo di ako nagsisisi
at paggising ng umaga maamo mong mukha ang nakikita
nasa akin ay lubos na nagpapligaya
VERSE III
sa pag labas ng bahay tila'y walang nakalimutan
nagmamadali di sinasabi kung saan lilisan
ang sarap batukan para sya ay makalimutan
ng malaman nya tao rin akong nasasaktan
nakukuhang unahin sabihin sa iba ang problema
bago makarating sa akin ito'y na solve na
binabaliwala pa ang aking pagaalala
concern lang naman ako sa nararamdaman nya
at pagkaharap na ang iba gusto kong sumigaw
ipagsigawan sya aking buhay at tumatayong ilaw
sa aming tahanan ngunit hindi pu-pwede
kasi relasyon namin tago lang sa aming sarili
hindi ma-gest bakit hinahayaan mangyari ito
at bakit ganun walang galit na namumuo
hay naku basta iisa lang ang alam ko
sa pagsapit ng dilim sya parin ang aking kalaguyo
CHORUS
hindi mo ba alam na akoy nasasaktan
sa twing makikita kitang may ibang kakwentuhan
nais kong malaman mo na akoy nandirito
pwede ba akong kahit makiisyoso
ngunit pagsapit ng gabi heto ka saking tabi
sa pag-ibig mo di ako nagsisisi
at paggising ng umaga maamo mong mukha ang nakikita
nasa akin ay lubos na nagpapligaya
HINDI MO BA ALAM LYRICKZZZ
| Rating: | |
| Category: | Music |
| Genre: | Rap & Hip-Hop |
| Artist: | A-SYAN |
VERSE I
nasasaktan ako pero kaylangan ko itong tiisin
alang-alang sa pagibig ko sayo lahat ay gagawin
kahit na ba iwas-iwasan ako pag dating ng tanghali
gusto kitang yakapin pero hindi mahawi-hawi
nagseselos ako kapag my kausap kang iba
gusto ko man lapitan at tadyakan nalang sa mukha
pero hindi maari wala akong magagawa
ang relasyon ko sa iyo walang pwedeng makahalata
at sa pagdating ng hapon malapit na at sa wakas
ang sama ng aking loob ay muli ring lilikas
takip silim na at malapit ng magdilim
at unti-unting papalapit ka na rin sa akin
heto na ang na gabi nandito ka na sa aking tabi
kumamalma na ang loob ko sa pag halik mo sa aking labi
at kahit na ito ang oras ng pagsasama
patago man ang pag-ibig ok lang bastat maligaya ka
CHORUS
hindi mo ba alam na akoy nasasaktan
sa twing makikita kitang may ibang kakwentuhan
nais kong malaman mo na akoy nandirito
pwede ba akong kahit makiisyoso
ngunit pagsapit ng gabi heto ka saking tabi
sa pag-ibig mo di ako nagsisisi
at paggising ng umaga maamo mong mukha ang nakikita
nasa akin ay lubos na nagpapligaya
VERSE II
ikaw na ang babae na aking hinahanap
nagtataka kung bakit minsan di kita mahagilap
tapos makikita ko na meron ibang kasama
wala akong magagawa ako lang nakatunga-nga
dahil relasyon natin diba ay tago
wala dapat makaalam kahit na sinong tao
hindi alam ang ang dahilan kung bakit nililihim
ako ba talaga mahal mo bakit di mo nalang aminin
kapag kasama mo sya ako ay nagseselos
pero bakit ang relasyong ito hindi ko na matapos
sadya lang siguro dahil ikaw aking mahal
ang lahat tatanggpin kahit na maging hangal
bastat maligaya makasama ka
at mapakita ko sayo na mahal kita
kahit na masaktan ang lahat ng ito sa akin baliwala
ang sakit ay lahat titiisin
hanggang dumating ang araw na matawag kitang sa akin
CHORUS
ngunit pagsapit ng gabi heto ka saking tabi
sa pag-ibig mo di ako nagsisisi
at paggising ng umaga maamo mong mukha ang nakikita
nasa akin ay lubos na nagpapligaya
VERSE III
sa pag labas ng bahay tila'y walang nakalimutan
nagmamadali di sinasabi kung saan lilisan
ang sarap batukan para sya ay makalimutan
ng malaman nya tao rin akong nasasaktan
nakukuhang unahin sabihin sa iba ang problema
bago makarating sa akin ito'y na solve na
binabaliwala pa ang aking pagaalala
concern lang naman ako sa nararamdaman nya
at pagkaharap na ang iba gusto kong sumigaw
ipagsigawan sya aking buhay at tumatayong ilaw
sa aming tahanan ngunit hindi pu-pwede
kasi relasyon namin tago lang sa aming sarili
hindi ma-gest bakit hinahayaan mangyari ito
at bakit ganun walang galit na namumuo
hay naku basta iisa lang ang alam ko
sa pagsapit ng dilim sya parin ang aking kalaguyo
CHORUS
hindi mo ba alam na akoy nasasaktan
sa twing makikita kitang may ibang kakwentuhan
nais kong malaman mo na akoy nandirito
pwede ba akong kahit makiisyoso
ngunit pagsapit ng gabi heto ka saking tabi
sa pag-ibig mo di ako nagsisisi
at paggising ng umaga maamo mong mukha ang nakikita
nasa akin ay lubos na nagpapligaya
Feb 17, 2010
Jan 4, 2010
13 Opera Speed Tweaks
Here are a few tips that might help you speeding up your browsing in Opera:
Increasing total connections:
This tips outcome might be more effective in the case of broadband users. But dialup users won’t benefit much from it. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Type about:config in the address bar
2. Enter connections into the search field.
3. Change the value of Max Connections Total from 20 to any value between 32 to 65.
4. Do not change the Max Connections per Server.
5. After you are done with the above just save the settings and restart browser.
Name completion And local network machine
1. First go to Tools> Preferences> Advanced> Network,
2. Select Server name completion.
3. Now you have two options within it;
Try name completion
Look For local network machine
4. If you uncheck both of the above options, i.e.; Try name completion and Look for local network machine, Opera will stop cycling your CPU, trying to guess what you’re typing in the address bar.
5. Restart the browser after applying the settings. You’ll see the speed difference.
Reduce the amount of visited pages in history:
In History, Opera keeps a track of up to 500 last visited pages. This will actually increase the startup time of Opera. You can go to Preferences>advanced>history and reduce the addresses to 100.
The best way to speed up is to clear the cache every time you start the browser. You can do so by going to Tools> delete private data.
Loading of Mail and rss connections at startup:
Opera takes a lot of time in loading mail and rss accounts during startup which in turn results in lots of disk activity during startup. This will also affect the overall performance of Opera. You can delay each account individually to improve the startup speed. In order to do so follow the following steps:
1. Locate your accounts.ini file (you can find it in the mail folder).
2. Every account should have an entry Initial Poll Delay=X where X should be set to at least 60 (seconds) and the rss feeds to something like 120 or more.
Loading:
If you have a fast connection then you can change this setting to redraw instantly. You can do so by going to Tools>Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>Loading
Change it to redraw instantly.
Opera Skins:
Most of you might like to have different, unique, eye candy opera skins. But the fact is some of these skins will slow down opera. I would suggest you’ll to stick with the default skin. You can select either Windows Native or the standard.
Remove unnecessary plugins:
Having too many plugins will slow down opera. Reduce unnecessary plugins. Type opera:plugins in the address bar, this will display a list of plugins that are currently installed.
You can deactivate them by opening the file plugin-ignore.ini located in your Opera main directory and add the filename of the plugin that you want to disable.
Fraud protection:
Well this option will depend entirely on the user who uses it. In case you do know what you are doing then it’s fine to disable the fraud protection. But if you aren’t then forget this.
If you want to disable you can do so by going to:
Preferences>Advanced>Security>Enable Fraud protection
Uncheck it to disable it.
Smooth scrolling:
Smooth scrolling looks really good but the fact is that some sites slow down opera when this feature is enabled. If you disable it the browsing speed will increase. You can do so by going to Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>Smooth scrolling. Just uncheck it to disable it.
Increasing the time of use of cached images:
Opera downloads and stores the images in your hard drive in order to enable faster browsing next time you start the browser. By default its set to 5 hours. You can increase it to 24hrs by going to:
Tools > Preferences>Advanced>History>Check images
Change it to check images after every 24 hours.
Blocking flash images:
In case if you are concerned about flash stuff in a particular website then you can disable it by right clicking on the flash image and blocking it.
You can also add certain flash stuff which you don’t want to see again to
Tools > Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>Blocked content
Disabling Favicons:
You can disable loading of favicons from 1 to 0 in Always Load Favicon
opera:config#Multimedia|Alwaysloadfavicon
Disabling animations:
You can disable animations by going to opera:config#Multimedia|Show Animation
This won’t increase your speed to a great extent but it will certainly reduce bandwidth usage.
Increasing total connections:
This tips outcome might be more effective in the case of broadband users. But dialup users won’t benefit much from it. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Type about:config in the address bar
2. Enter connections into the search field.
3. Change the value of Max Connections Total from 20 to any value between 32 to 65.
4. Do not change the Max Connections per Server.
5. After you are done with the above just save the settings and restart browser.
Name completion And local network machine
1. First go to Tools> Preferences> Advanced> Network,
2. Select Server name completion.
3. Now you have two options within it;
Try name completion
Look For local network machine
4. If you uncheck both of the above options, i.e.; Try name completion and Look for local network machine, Opera will stop cycling your CPU, trying to guess what you’re typing in the address bar.
5. Restart the browser after applying the settings. You’ll see the speed difference.
Reduce the amount of visited pages in history:
In History, Opera keeps a track of up to 500 last visited pages. This will actually increase the startup time of Opera. You can go to Preferences>advanced>history and reduce the addresses to 100.
The best way to speed up is to clear the cache every time you start the browser. You can do so by going to Tools> delete private data.
Loading of Mail and rss connections at startup:
Opera takes a lot of time in loading mail and rss accounts during startup which in turn results in lots of disk activity during startup. This will also affect the overall performance of Opera. You can delay each account individually to improve the startup speed. In order to do so follow the following steps:
1. Locate your accounts.ini file (you can find it in the mail folder).
2. Every account should have an entry Initial Poll Delay=X where X should be set to at least 60 (seconds) and the rss feeds to something like 120 or more.
Loading:
If you have a fast connection then you can change this setting to redraw instantly. You can do so by going to Tools>Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>Loading
Change it to redraw instantly.
Opera Skins:
Most of you might like to have different, unique, eye candy opera skins. But the fact is some of these skins will slow down opera. I would suggest you’ll to stick with the default skin. You can select either Windows Native or the standard.
Remove unnecessary plugins:
Having too many plugins will slow down opera. Reduce unnecessary plugins. Type opera:plugins in the address bar, this will display a list of plugins that are currently installed.
You can deactivate them by opening the file plugin-ignore.ini located in your Opera main directory and add the filename of the plugin that you want to disable.
Fraud protection:
Well this option will depend entirely on the user who uses it. In case you do know what you are doing then it’s fine to disable the fraud protection. But if you aren’t then forget this.
If you want to disable you can do so by going to:
Preferences>Advanced>Security>Enable Fraud protection
Uncheck it to disable it.
Smooth scrolling:
Smooth scrolling looks really good but the fact is that some sites slow down opera when this feature is enabled. If you disable it the browsing speed will increase. You can do so by going to Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>Smooth scrolling. Just uncheck it to disable it.
Increasing the time of use of cached images:
Opera downloads and stores the images in your hard drive in order to enable faster browsing next time you start the browser. By default its set to 5 hours. You can increase it to 24hrs by going to:
Tools > Preferences>Advanced>History>Check images
Change it to check images after every 24 hours.
Blocking flash images:
In case if you are concerned about flash stuff in a particular website then you can disable it by right clicking on the flash image and blocking it.
You can also add certain flash stuff which you don’t want to see again to
Tools > Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>Blocked content
Disabling Favicons:
You can disable loading of favicons from 1 to 0 in Always Load Favicon
opera:config#Multimedia|Alwaysloadfavicon
Disabling animations:
You can disable animations by going to opera:config#Multimedia|Show Animation
This won’t increase your speed to a great extent but it will certainly reduce bandwidth usage.
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