Re: Upgrade failure

[Paul Goyette <paul%whooppee.com@localhost>]

On Mon, 17 Jan 2011, Chuck Swiger wrote:

> > However, on the next boot, the box locked up solid.  I mean SOLID! 
> > It doesn't even turn on the fans any more, and it won't even start 
> > the power-on self-test.  I pulled the battery and tried to reset the 
> > BIOS settings, but that did not work either.
> >
> > Does anyone have any clue about how loading the acpixxx modules could 
> > have confused the box so thoroughly?  And is there any hope of 
> > getting it operational again?  (I've tried complete removal of power, 
> > as well as removing the BIOS battery, but no luck.)
>
> The symptoms sound like the PSU isn't asserting PWR_OK, so the 
> motherboard never tries to fire up the system-- no CPU or other fans 
> driven from the 3-pin MB connectors will spin up, and you won't get 
> POST or BIOS.
>
> That's most commonly a wiring issue (loose 20/24-pin ATX connector or 
> aux connector), or possibly the PSU or motherboard failed.  It's 
> unlikely to be anything related to the software changes you were 
> making.  Swapping PSUs or moving the hard drive you were working on to 
> another machine would be reasonable starting points for testing, 
> although if you have an ATX PSU tester handy, this would be a good 
> time to try it out.

Good call!  It wasn't a wiring issue, and none of the connectors was 
loose.  But I replaced that many-year-old 350W PS with a new Antec 500W 
and the system booted on the first attempt.


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