Possible burnt up CPUs

[catch23]

My father was transfering his hardware into a new case. He has an Athlon Thunderbird 1.2ghz with an MSI board (I don't know the model, but it has a VIA-KT133 chipset)...once into the new case, he COULD NOT get the computer to boot...the system would get power...but the light would stay on, and the monitor would never get a signal..we tried EVERYTHING...new RAM...other power supply, video cards, monitors...resetting the BIOS, resetting the CPU..changing the FSB to 100mhz on the MB through jumpers...we even tried an old Abit motherboard with the same chipset.

Then we decided to try my AthlonXP 1600+ in with his motherboard...my system worked just fine minutes before putting my chip into his motherboard (his motherboard does support my CPU)...but now, my system is doing the same thing...We've spent the last 30 minutes looking through both our mobo manuals, and trying different things..but still nothing.

The ONLY solution I can come up with...is somehow his motherboard was damaged while trasnfering to a new case, and then burned up the CPU...along with mine once installed.

Does anyone else have a POSSIBLE solution for this?

Again, I have tried all t ypes of different hardware combinations...but nothing seems to work...I would try to install a third Socket A chipset as a test, but I don't have another...only Intel CPUs :o(

[banzaikai]

Howdy.

Hate to break the news to ya, but I think you've got two toasted
Athlons. No matter whose MB you use, Athlons are really fussy
about getting hot, and burn up in no time flat. However, let's see
what we can try:

1) Check the chip(s) for singing/burning. Did you use FRESH
heatsink grease when you swapped parts? Did you put the
heatsink back on correctly (which can chip or crack the chip
if not done right).

2) Having an MSI means you most likely have four LEDs (called
"DLEDs" by MSI), which will display a POST code. They start as
all red, and then start winking into various green/red patterns,
finally winding up with all green. Early MSI MBs had this soldered
to the MB right next to the serial ports/AGP slot. Later models have
them on a panel mount, so you can see them from the back panel.
Get the pattern of colors, and head over to their website to decode
the pattern (all red is really, really bad news...).

3) Make sure voltage is set to "AUTO".

4) What kind of power supply is in that thing? Although MSIs
(in my professional opinion) are really tolerant of low-amp supply
rails, there are still some cases that only give you 200W. For Athlons,
you need about 300-350 (with 400-450 if you have a few drives
and cards stuffed in there). My 1GHz MSI KT-133A runs quite
nicely (and cool) with an Enlight 300W case (without air
conditioning!).

Hope this helps...

banzai

[carlywarly]

Just a quick note about psu power ratings and Athlons. I have an old 750 and an XP1600, both will run with a 200W psu, including 2 hdds and 2 cd drives. Power is really not the issue, regulation is.

[xhadow]

Originally posted by catch23
...I would try to install a third Socket A chipset as a test, but I don't have another...only Intel CPUs :o(

you want to install a chipset or a CPU? I dont think you would be able to install chipset :)
But If you want to try install another Athlon CPU into that mobo.. DON'T!!!
you could end up fried another CPU

I think what you should do is try the Athlon TB in another mobo that works fine if its works then it must a be a faulty MSI motherboard so DON'T put CPU into that motherboard.

go and check at http://www.amdzone.com or googling to have a look a fried athlon pictures. Burnt Athlon have bubbles or something like that around or at the edge of the core

[mdwatts]

Which Linux distro/version are you (were you) running on this pc?

[banzaikai]

Originally posted by carlywarly
Just a quick note about psu power ratings and Athlons. I have an old 750 and an XP1600, both will run with a 200W psu, including 2 hdds and 2 cd drives. Power is really not the issue, regulation is.

Well, after spending countless hours with tech support and an Asus MB, they decided that the PS wasn't up to snuff (the 5VSTBY didn't have enough ooomph). After swapping it with a 400W unit (which, I told them, had the same current as the 300W), it still didn't boot/post. I sent back both the PS and MB, had them send out an MSI, and have been using MSIs ever since, as they've always (!) worked for me (about 100 up and running). Some MBs, like that particular one, seem to need more of the lesser-used supply rails than most. I've had good luck with MSI and Tyan, and stick with them.

For what it's worth...

banzai

[rich1]

Try taking the motherboard out of the case and placeing it on a flat surface and then mount the cpu. If your mounting the cpu inside the case the board will bend and the pins for the cpu will not make a full connection. Its a pain but if the processor is still good it will work.