Ask Me Solution » motherboard problems

Installation of non-Plug and Play devices

admin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:18:00 +0000

If the device is not getting detected by Plug and Play during system startup, this usually means that you have a non-Plug and Play device. If you have the manufacturer’s CD and/or manual, look for installation instructions. Non-Plug and Play devices are usually older, and require manual allocation of resources, usually through setting jumpers or switchers on the device itself. Once you have ensured that the device has been configured as per the manufacturer’s guidelines, boot up and install any software provided by the manufacturer as per the installation guidelines.

If there are no installation guidelines or the device is a second hand component with no documentation or you don’t have the required software drivers, then you can try to force Windows to recognise the device. First try to verify if the physical installation and the jumper/switch settings on the device are correct. Search the Internet for information on how to do this. If you are able to do this, good; if not, don’t worry too much about it and go on to forcing Windows to recognise the device:

1. Click on the Add New Hardware (Windows 9x/ME) / Add Hardware (Windows 2000/XP) in the Control Panel. The Add Hardware Wizard will start up. Click Next.

2. If you have Windows 9x/ME go to Step 3, else go to Step 5.

3. In Windows 9x/ME, the Wizard will inform you that it is going to search for new hardware. Allow it to do so by clicking Next twice. After Windows finishes searching for Plug and Play Devices it will report that no Plug and Play devices are found.

4. Click Next. The first option tells Windows to search for non-Plug and Play devices. If it successfully detects the device, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Otherwise, select “No, I want to select the hardware from a list” and click Next. Go to Step 6.

5. In Windows 2000/XP, select “Add a new hardware device” and click Next. In the next dialog box, you can either ask Windows to search for a driver, or you can install the device manually. For manual device installation, select “Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)”.

6. Select the hardware type from the list and click Next.

7. If you know the name of the device manufacturer, select the name of the manufacturer and browse through the list on the right side to see if your device model number is listed or a generic name for your model series e.g. HP DeskJet for DeskJet printers. If you do not know the name of the manufacturer or the device model number, check if there are standard device types that you can install. If there are no standard types that can be installed, you will need to find a suitable driver by searching the Internet or getting it from other sources.

8. If the device has a standard type, choose the specification closest matching to your device. If the device does not have a standard type, click the “Have Disk…” button and provide the location for the appropriate driver installation file. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

The above steps (for both Plug and Play and non-Plug and Play devices) should normally solve the device conflict and get your hardware operational. However, if you still face problems with the device see the section Using Device Manager for further troubleshooting.

Installation of Plug and Play Devices

admin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:49:00 +0000

If the device is a new installation, Windows should detect the device at startup. One of three things can happen:

1. Windows will already have the required software device drivers and configure the system with or without user prompts

2. Windows will prompt the user for the OS installation CDs to retrieve the required drivers

3. Windows will prompt the user to provide the location for the required drivers supplied by the device manufacturer.

This would be your cue to insert the manufacturer’s CD that came with the device and point Windows to the correct driver installation file for the OS. Alternately, the manufacturer’s installation guide may provide a different method for installation.

Example: most USB devices require that you install the software first before connecting the device.

If Windows recognizes the device but you don’t have the manufacturer’s
CD, there is a good chance that you can enable basic
functionality by using the default Windows drivers. See the section
Installation of non-Plug and Play Devices on how to tell Windows to use
the default Windows drivers.

The PC freezes suddenly

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:08:00 +0000

1.Overheating of CPU
This could be due to overheating of the CPU caused by poor contact between the heat sink and the CPU. Remove the heat sink and fan (make sure the fan is working). On the exposed CPU die surface apply some thermal grease or thermal tape. This is to fill in the microscopic gaps that may exist between the CPU and the heat sink. Don’t use too much grease and don’t try to substitute with something else, use approved thermal media only. Also, don’t get impatient and try to force the heat sink on the die to try and make it fit. You may break the heat sink or worse still damage the CPU. If the fan is not working, verify the power connections. If the connections are correct and the fan still does not work you can try replacing the fan but the best option is to get a new heat sink unit (heat sink + fan). Note: The problem with a failed heat sink is the likelihood that you have already cooked your CPU. Most modern CPUs overheat very quickly and require cooling right from power on.

The PC runs POST and then freezes

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:04:00 +0000

1. This may be a problem with the RAM modules or other add-on cards.

In case of RAM module problems, you will usually be alerted by beeps from the BIOS. Strip the PC down to the ‘barebones’, that is, just the power supply, motherboard (with CPU & heat sink), minimum RAM and display card. Switch the RAM module to another slot. Verify that the RAM modules are as per the specs defined by motherboard manufacturer. Use matched RAM modules from the same manufacturer. Try a different RAM. If everything is working you should boot up and see the message ‘No boot device’ or something similar. Power off, connect the hard disk and reboot. If the problem still occurs, this points to something wrong with the hard disk or the basic boot up of the operating system. Check the storage section and the Windows troubleshooting section of this site.

If the OS boots normally, then power off and start adding each add-on card one by one, powering up after adding each card until you isolate the culprit. Check the relevant sections for troubleshooting hints for those components.

2. It may be a BIOS problem.
Check the BIOS section in this site.

The PC powers on but there is no display

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:30:00 +0000

1. After ensuring that the problem is not related to the PSU or the display card, it may be that the RAM modules are mismatched or are not seated properly. If the problem is with the RAM, you will most likely hear beeps emitted by the BIOS. See the BIOS section to understand beep codes and how to troubleshoot the BIOS. Check the RAM modules to see if they are seated properly. Also, try to use modules from the same manufacturer. In some cases, RAM modules from different manufacturers don’t work together. Also check the memory section in this guide to troubleshoot RAM and memory.

2. The CPU may not be seated correctly.

This problem should only be relevant if you have installed a new motherboard or upgraded the CPU.

Visually inspect to check if the socket CPU is sitting flat in the socket, which means that the heat sink should be perfectly parallel to the motherboard. With a new socket CPU the heat sink may completely cover the CPU and you will have to remove the heat sink to check. Check for any crushed or bent legs. If the CPU’s socket locking arm was not raised up all the way up before seating the CPU or if it was not lowered all the way down after seating it, the CPU won’t sit properly. If the CPU doesn’t sit properly after this, then either the socket is faulty, or you have the wrong CPU for the motherboard!

It’s pretty difficult to tell by visual inspection if slot CPUs are seated properly. When in doubt, reseat the CPU, which is fairly easy since the heat sink and the CPU are an integrated unit. Also, make sure that you correctly identify release levers located on the top of the slot CPU package.

3. There’s no power to the heat sink fan

If the heat sink has a fan, it should be hooked to the correct power source on the motherboard for the BIOS to monitor and control its state. Be careful! If you have installed a new CPU and switched it on without the fan it may have failed already! Hopefully, you will be lucky and get away with it by hooking up the fan. It may also be that the power point on the motherboard is failing.

4. The jumper settings may have been incorrectly set

If you are experimenting with overclocking or have installed a new motherboard Return the motherboard to its default settings. Use the motherboard manual to get the default values.

5. The cabinet or uneven fixing of the motherboard may be causing a short. Put the motherboard on a cardboard box covered with foam or a static free bag and hook it up. If the PC boots normally then the problem is most likely related to the cabinet or the fixing of the motherboard. Mechanical stresses on a bent motherboard might be leaving a circuit open and preventing it from working. Fix the motherboard properly in the cabinet and if the problem re-occurs change the cabinet.

Note: If there is a crack on the motherboard, you are in serious trouble! The motherboard is a printed circuit board and hence a crack will break the circuitry. You will in all probability have to buy a new motherboard.