Many PC owners encounter various errors and malfunctions in their computer, but cannot determine the cause of the problem. In this article, we will look at the main methods for diagnosing a computer, allowing you to independently identify and fix various problems.

Keep in mind that high-quality diagnostics of a computer can take the whole day; set aside a day in the morning specifically for this, and do not start everything in the late afternoon.

I warn you that I will write in detail as for beginners who have never disassembled a computer, in order to warn about all possible nuances that can lead to problems.

1. Disassembling and cleaning the computer

When disassembling and cleaning your computer, do not rush, do everything carefully so as not to damage anything. Place components in a pre-prepared safe place.

It is not advisable to start diagnostics before cleaning, since you will not be able to identify the cause of the malfunction if it is caused by clogged contacts or the cooling system. Additionally, diagnostics may fail to complete due to repeated failures.

Unplug the system unit from the outlet at least 15 minutes before cleaning so that the capacitors have time to discharge.

Perform disassembly in the following sequence:

1. Disconnect from system unit all wires.
2. Remove both side covers.
3. Disconnect the power connectors from the video card and remove it.
4. Remove all memory sticks.
5. Disconnect and remove cables from all drives.
6. Unscrew and remove all discs.
7. Disconnect all power supply cables.
8. Unscrew and remove the power supply.

There is no need to remove the motherboard, processor cooler, or case fans; you can also leave the DVD drive if it works normally.

Carefully blow off the system unit and all components separately with a powerful stream of air from a vacuum cleaner without a dust bag.

Carefully remove the cover from the power supply and blow it out without touching the electrical parts and the board with your hands or metal parts, as there may be voltage in the capacitors!

If your vacuum cleaner does not work on blowing, but only on blowing, then it will be a little more difficult. Clean it well so that it pulls as much as possible. When cleaning, it is recommended to use a soft bristled brush.

You can also use a soft brush to remove stubborn dust.

Thoroughly clean the processor cooler heatsink, having first examined where and how much it is clogged with dust, as this is one of the common causes of processor overheating and PC crashes.

Also make sure that the cooler mount is not broken, the clamp is not opened and the radiator is securely pressed to the processor.

Be careful when cleaning fans, do not let them spin too much and do not bring the vacuum cleaner attachment close if it does not have a brush, so as not to knock off the blade.

After cleaning, do not rush to put everything back together, but move on to the next steps.

2. Checking the motherboard battery

The first thing after cleaning, so as not to forget later, I check the battery charge on the motherboard, and at the same time reset the BIOS. In order to pull it out, you need to press the latch with a flat screwdriver in the direction indicated in the photo and it will pop out on its own.

After this, you need to measure its voltage with a multimeter, optimally if it is within 2.5-3 V. The initial battery voltage is 3 V.

If the battery voltage is below 2.5 V, then it is advisable to change it. The 2V voltage is critically low and the PC is already starting to fail, which manifests itself in a reset BIOS settings and stops at the beginning of loading the PC with a suggestion to press F1 or some other key to continue loading.

If you don’t have a multimeter, you can take the battery with you to the store and ask them to check it there, or just buy a replacement battery in advance, it’s standard and very inexpensive.

A clear sign of a dead battery is the date and time on the computer constantly disappearing.

The battery needs to be changed in a timely manner, but if you don’t have a replacement on hand right now, then simply do not disconnect the system unit from the power supply until you change the battery. In this case, the settings should not be lost, but problems may still arise, so do not delay.

Checking the battery is a good time to full reset BIOS. This resets not only the BIOS settings, which can be done through the Setup menu, but also the so-called volatile CMOS memory, which stores the parameters of all devices (processor, memory, video card, etc.).

Errors inCMOSoften cause the following problems:

• computer won't turn on
• turns on every other time
• turns on and nothing happens
• turns on and off by itself

I remind you that before resetting the BIOS, the system unit must be unplugged from the outlet, otherwise the CMOS will be powered by the power supply and nothing will work.

To reset the BIOS, use a screwdriver or other metal object to close the contacts in the battery connector for 10 seconds; this is usually enough to discharge the capacitors and completely clear the CMOS.

A sign that a reset has occurred will be an erroneous date and time, which will need to be set in the BIOS the next time you boot the computer.

4. Visual inspection of components

Carefully inspect all capacitors on the motherboard for swelling or leaks, especially in the processor socket area.

Sometimes capacitors swell down instead of up, causing them to tilt as if they were just slightly bent or unevenly soldered.

If any capacitors are swollen, then you need to send the motherboard for repair as soon as possible and ask to resolder all the capacitors, including those located next to the swollen ones.

Also inspect the capacitors and other elements of the power supply; there should be no swelling, drips, or signs of burning.

Inspect the disc contacts for oxidation.

They can be cleaned with an eraser and after that be sure to replace the cable or power adapter that was used to connect this disk, since it is already damaged and most likely caused oxidation.

In general, check all the cables and connectors so that they are clean, have shiny contacts, and are tightly connected to the drives and motherboard. All cables that do not meet these requirements must be replaced.

Check that the wires from the front panel of the case to the motherboard are connected correctly.

It is important that the polarity be observed (plus to plus, minus to minus), since there is a common ground on the front panel and failure to observe the polarity will lead to a short circuit, which is why the computer may behave inappropriately (turn on every other time, turn off itself or reboot) .

Where the plus and minus in the front panel contacts is indicated on the board itself, in the paper manual for it and in electronic version manuals on the manufacturer's website. The contacts of the wires from the front panel also indicate where the plus and minus are. Typically the white wire is the negative wire, and the positive connector may be indicated by a triangle on the plastic connector.

Many even experienced assemblers make a mistake here, so check.

5. Checking the power supply

If the computer did not turn on at all before cleaning, then do not rush to assemble it; first of all, you need to check the power supply. However, in any case, it won’t hurt to check the power supply; maybe it’s because of it that the computer is crashing.

Check the power supply fully assembled to avoid electric shock, short circuit, or accidental fan failure.

To check the power supply, short the only green wire in the connector motherboard with any black. This will signal to the power supply that it is connected to the motherboard, otherwise it will not turn on.

Then plug the power supply into the surge protector and press the button on it. Don't forget that the power supply itself may also have an on/off button.

A spinning fan should be a sign that the power supply is turned on. If the fan does not spin, it may be faulty and needs to be replaced.

In some silent power supplies, the fan may not start spinning immediately, but only under load; this is normal and can be checked while operating the PC.

Using a multimeter, measure the voltage between the contacts in the connectors for peripheral devices.

They should be approximately in the following range.

• 12 V (yellow-black) – 11.7-12.5 V
• 5 V (red-black) – 4.7-5.3 V
• 3.3 V (orange-black) – 3.1-3.5 V

If any voltage is missing or greatly exceeds the specified limits, then the power supply is faulty. It is best to replace it with a new one, but if the computer itself is inexpensive, then repairs are allowed; power supplies can be done easily and inexpensively.

The startup of the power supply and normal voltages is a good sign, but in itself does not mean that the power supply is good, since failures can occur due to voltage drops or ripples under load. But this is already determined at subsequent stages of testing.

6. Checking power contacts

Be sure to check all electrical contacts from the outlet to the system unit. The socket must be modern (suitable for a European plug), reliable and not loose, with clean elastic contacts. The same requirements apply to the surge protector and the cable from the computer's power supply.

Contact must be reliable, plugs and connectors must not dangle, spark, or be oxidized. Pay close attention to this, since poor contact is often the cause of failure of the system unit, monitor and other peripheral devices.

If you suspect the quality of the outlet, surge protector, power cable of the system unit or monitor, then change them as quickly as possible to avoid damage to the computer. Do not delay or save on this, as repairing a PC or monitor will cost much more.

Also, poor contact is often the cause of PC malfunctions, which are accompanied by a sudden shutdown or reboot with subsequent failures on the hard drive and, as a result, malfunction operating system.

Failures can also occur due to voltage drops or ripples in the 220 V network, especially in the private sector and remote areas of the city. In this case, failures may occur even when the computer is idle. Try measuring the voltage in the outlet immediately after the computer spontaneously turns off or restarts and watch the readings for a while. This way you can identify long-term drawdowns, from which a linear-interactive UPS with a stabilizer will save you.

7. Assembling and turning on the computer

After cleaning and inspecting the PC, carefully reassemble it and carefully check that you have connected everything you need. If the computer refused to turn on before cleaning or turned on only once, then it is advisable to connect the components one by one. If there were no such problems, then skip the next section.

7.1. Step-by-step PC assembly

First, connect the motherboard power connector and the processor power connector to the motherboard with the processor. Do not insert RAM, video card or connect disks.

Turn on the power of the PC and if motherboard everything is fine, the processor cooler fan should spin up. Also, if a beeper is connected to the motherboard, a beep code usually sounds indicating a lack of RAM.

Memory installation

Turn off the computer with a short or (if that doesn’t work) long press of the power button on the system unit and insert one stick of RAM into the colored slot closest to the processor. If all the slots are the same color, then just go to the one closest to the processor.

Make sure that the memory stick is inserted evenly until it stops and that the latches snap into place, otherwise it may be damaged when you turn on the PC.

If the computer starts up with one stick of memory and there is a beeping sound, then a code usually sounds indicating that there is no video card (if there is no integrated graphics). If the beep code indicates problems with the RAM, then try inserting another stick in the same place. If the problem continues or there is no other bracket, then move the bracket to another nearby slot. If there are no sounds, then everything is probably fine, continue further.

Turn off the computer and insert the second memory stick into the slot of the same color. If the motherboard has 4 slots of the same color, then follow the instructions for the motherboard so that the memory is in the slots recommended for dual-channel mode. Then turn it on again and check whether the PC turns on and what sound signals it makes.

If you have 3 or 4 memory sticks, then simply insert them one by one, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer does not start with a certain stick or produces a memory error code, then this stick is faulty. You can also check the motherboard slots by moving the working strip into different slots.

Some motherboards have a red indicator that lights up in case of memory problems, and sometimes a segment indicator with an error code, the explanation of which is in the motherboard manual.

If the computer starts, then further memory testing occurs at another stage.

Installing a video card

It's time to test the video card by inserting it into the top PCI-E x16 slot (or AGP for older PCs). Don't forget to connect additional power to the video card with the appropriate connectors.

With a video card, the computer should start normally, without sound signals, or with a single sound signal, indicating the normal completion of the self-test.

If the PC does not turn on or emits a video card error code, then it is most likely faulty. But don't rush to conclusions, sometimes you just need to connect a monitor and keyboard.

Connecting a monitor

Turn off the PC and connect the monitor to the video card (or motherboard if there is no video card). Make sure that the connector to the video card and monitor is connected tightly; sometimes tight connectors do not go in all the way, which is the reason for the absence of an image on the screen.

Turn on the monitor and make sure that the correct signal source is selected on it (the connector to which the PC is connected, if there are several of them).

Turn on the computer and a graphical splash screen and text messages from the motherboard should appear on the screen. Usually this is a prompt to enter the BIOS using the F1 key, a message about the absence of a keyboard or boot devices, this is normal.

If the computer silently turns on, but there is nothing on the screen, there is most likely something wrong with the video card or monitor. The video card can only be checked by moving it to a working computer. The monitor can be connected to another work PC or device (laptop, player, tuner, etc.). Don't forget to select the desired signal source in the monitor settings.

Connecting a keyboard and mouse

If everything is fine with the video card and monitor, then move on. Connect the keyboard first, then the mouse, one at a time, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer freezes after connecting a keyboard or mouse, it means they need to be replaced - it happens!

Connecting drives

If the computer starts with a keyboard and mouse, then we begin to connect one by one hard disks. First, connect the second drive without the operating system (if you have one).

Don't forget that in addition to connecting interface cable The connector from the power supply also needs to be connected to the motherboard and the disk.

Then turn on the computer and if it comes to BIOS messages, then everything is fine. If the PC does not turn on, freezes or turns itself off, then the controller of this disk is faulty and needs to be replaced or repaired to save the data.

Turn off the computer and connect the DVD drive (if any) with an interface cable and power supply. If problems arise after this, then the drive has a power failure and needs to be replaced; repairing it usually makes no sense.

At the end we connect the main system disk and getting ready to enter the BIOS for initial setup before starting the operating system. We turn on the computer and if everything is fine, move on to the next step.

When you turn on your computer for the first time, go to the BIOS. Usually, the Delete key is used for this, less often others (F1, F2, F10 or Esc), which is indicated in the prompts at the beginning of the boot.

On the first tab, set the date and time, and on the “Boot” tab, select your first boot device HDD with the operating system.

On older motherboards with a classic BIOS it may look like this.

On more modern ones with a UEFI graphical shell it is a little different, but the meaning is the same.

To exit the BIOS and save the settings, press F10. Don't be distracted and watch the operating system load completely to notice possible problems.

After the PC has finished booting, check whether the fans of the processor cooler, power supply and video card are working, otherwise there is no point in further testing.

Some modern video cards may not turn on the fans until a certain temperature of the video chip is reached.

If any of the case fans does not work, then it’s not a big deal, just plan to replace it in the near future, don’t be distracted by it now.

8. Error analysis

This is where diagnostics essentially begin, and everything described above was just preparation, after which many problems could go away and without it there was no point in starting testing.

8.1. Enabling Memory Dumps

If blue screens of death (BSOD) appear while your computer is running, this can make troubleshooting much easier. A prerequisite for this is the presence of memory dumps (or at least self-written error codes).

To check or enable the dump recording function, press the “Win ​​+ R” key combination on your keyboard, enter “sysdm.cpl” in the line that appears and press OK or Enter.

In the window that appears, go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Boot and Recovery” section, click the “Options” button.

The “Record debugging information” field should be “Small memory dump”.

If so, then you should already have dumps of previous errors in the "C:\Windows\Minidump" folder.

If this option was not enabled, then dumps were not saved, enable it at least now to be able to analyze errors if they recur.

Memory dumps may not be created in time during serious failures that involve rebooting or shutting down the PC. Also, some system cleaning utilities and antivirus programs can remove them; you must disable the system cleaning function during diagnostics.

If the dumps are in specified folder is, then we move on to their analysis.

8.2. Memory dump analysis

To analyze memory dumps in order to identify what leads to failures, there is a wonderful utility “BlueScreenView”, which you can download along with other diagnostic utilities in the “” section.

This utility shows files in which a failure occurred. These files belong to the operating system, device drivers, or some program. Accordingly, based on the file’s ownership, you can determine which device or software caused the failure.

If you cannot boot your computer into normal mode, then try booting into a safe mode by holding down the “F8” key immediately after the motherboard’s graphical splash screen disappears, or text messages BIOS.

Go through the dumps and see which files appear most often as the culprits of the failure, they are highlighted in red. Right-click on one of these files and view its Properties.

In our case, it is easy to determine that the file belongs to the nVidia video card driver and most of the errors were caused by it.

In addition, some dumps contained the “dxgkrnl.sys” file, even from the name of which it is clear that it refers to DirectX, which is directly related to 3D graphics. This means that it is most likely that the video card is to blame for the failure, which should be subjected to thorough testing, which we will also consider.

In the same way, you can determine that the fault is caused by sound card, network card, hard drive, or some program that penetrates deeply into the system, such as an antivirus. For example, if a disk fails, the controller driver will crash.

If you cannot determine which driver or program a particular file belongs to, then look for this information on the Internet by the file name.

If failures occur in the sound card driver, then most likely it is faulty. If it is integrated, then you can disable it through the BIOS and install another discrete one. The same can be said about the network card. However, network failures can be caused, which is often resolved by updating the driver network card and connecting to the Internet via a router.

In any case, do not make hasty conclusions until the diagnostics are completely completed; maybe your Windows is simply faulty or a virus has entered, which can be solved by reinstalling the system.

Also in the BlueScreenView utility you can see the error codes and inscriptions that were on blue screen. To do this, go to the “Options” menu and select the “Blue Screen in XP Style” view or press the “F8” key.

After that, switching between errors, you will see how they looked on the blue screen.

You can also find by error code possible reason problems on the Internet, but depending on the ownership of the files, this is easier and more reliable. To return to the previous view, you can use the “F6” key.

If the errors always include different files and different error codes, then this is a sign possible problems with RAM in which everything crashes. We will diagnose it first.

9. Testing RAM

Even if you think that the problem is not in the RAM, still check it first. Sometimes a place has several problems, and if the RAM fails, then diagnosing everything else is quite difficult due to frequent PC failures.

Carrying out a memory test with boot disk is a prerequisite to obtain accurate results in the operating room Windows system It’s difficult on a faulty PC.

In addition, “Hiren’s BootCD” contains several alternative memory tests in case “Memtest 86+” does not start and many more useful utilities for testing hard drives, video memory, etc.

You can download the “Hiren’s BootCD” image in the same place as everything else – in the “” section. If you do not know how to properly burn such an image to CD or DVD disc, refer to the article where we looked at, here everything is done exactly the same.

Set the BIOS to boot from the DVD drive or use the Boot Menu as described in, boot from Hiren's BootCD and run Memtest 86+.

Testing can last from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the speed and amount of RAM. One full pass must be completed and the test will go around the second round. If everything is fine with the memory, then after the first pass (Pass 1) there should be no errors (Errors 0).

After this, testing can be interrupted using the “Esc” key and the computer will reboot.

If there were errors, you will have to test each strip separately, removing all the others to determine which one is broken.

If the broken bar is still under warranty, then take a photo from the screen using a camera or smartphone and present it to the warranty department of the store or service center (although in most cases this is not necessary).

In any case, it is not advisable to use a PC with broken memory and carry out further diagnostics before replacing it, since various incomprehensible errors will appear.

10. Preparation for component tests

Everything else, except RAM, is tested under Windows. Therefore, in order to exclude the influence of the operating system on the test results, it is advisable to do, if necessary, temporarily and the most.

If this is difficult for you or you don’t have time, then you can try testing on an old system. But, if failures occur due to problems in the operating system, some driver, program, virus, antivirus (i.e. in the software part), then testing the hardware will not help determine this and you may go down the wrong path. And on a clean system, you will have the opportunity to see how the computer behaves and completely eliminate the influence of the software component.

Personally, I always do everything as expected from start to finish as described in this article. Yes, it takes a whole day, but if you ignore my advice, you can struggle for weeks without identifying the cause of the problem.

The fastest and easiest way is to test the processor, unless of course obvious signs, that the problem is in the video card, which we will talk about below.

If your computer starts to slow down some time after turning it on, freezes when watching videos or playing games, suddenly reboots or turns off under load, then there is a possibility of the processor overheating. In fact, this is one of the most common causes of such problems.

At the cleaning and visual inspection stage, you should have made sure that the processor cooler is not clogged with dust, its fan is spinning, and the radiator is securely pressed against the processor. I also hope that you did not remove it when cleaning, as this requires replacing the thermal paste, which I will talk about later.

We will use “CPU-Z” for a stress test with warming up the processor, and “HWiNFO” to monitor its temperature. Although, it is better to use for temperature monitoring proprietary utility motherboard, it is more precise. For example, ASUS has “PC Probe”.

To begin with, it would be a good idea to find out the maximum allowable thermal envelope of your processor (T CASE). For example, for my Core i7-6700K it is 64 °C.

You can find out by going to the manufacturer’s website from an Internet search. This is the critical temperature in the heat spreader (under the processor cover), the maximum allowed by the manufacturer. Do not confuse this with core temperature, which is usually higher and is also displayed in some utilities. Therefore, we will focus not on the temperature of the cores according to the processor sensors, but on the overall temperature of the processor according to the readings of the motherboard.

In practice, for most older processors, the critical temperature above which failures begin is 60 °C. The most modern processors can operate at 70 °C, which is also critical for them. You can find out the actual stable temperature of your processor from tests on the Internet.

So, we launch both utilities – “CPU-Z” and “HWiNFO”, find the processor temperature sensor (CPU) in the motherboard indicators, run the test in “CPU-Z” with the “Stress CPU” button and observe the temperature.

If after 10-15 minutes of the test the temperature is 2-3 degrees below the critical temperature for your processor, then there is nothing to worry about. But, if there were failures under high load, then it is better to run this test for 30-60 minutes. If your PC freezes or reboots during testing, you should consider improving cooling.

Please note that a lot also depends on the temperature in the room; it is possible that in cooler conditions the problem will not appear, but in hotter conditions it will immediately make itself felt. So you always need cooling with a reserve.

If your CPU is overheating, check if your cooler is compatible. If not, then you need to change it; no tricks will help here. If the cooler is powerful enough, but can’t handle it a little, then you should change the thermal paste to a more effective one; at the same time, the cooler itself may be installed more successfully.

Among inexpensive but very good thermal pastes, I can recommend Artic MX-4.

It must be applied in a thin layer, having first removed the old paste with dry material and then with cotton wool soaked in alcohol.

Replacing thermal paste will give you a gain of 3-5 °C; if this is not enough, then simply install additional case fans, at least the most inexpensive ones.

14. Disk testing

This is the longest step after the RAM test, so I prefer to leave it for last. To begin with, you can conduct a speed test of all drives using the “HDTune” utility, for which I give “”. This sometimes helps to identify freezes when accessing the disk, which indicates problems with it.

Look at the SMART parameters, where the “disk health” is displayed, there should be no red lines and the overall disk status should be “OK”.

You can download a list of the main SMART parameters and what they are responsible for in the “” section.

A full surface test can be performed using the same Windows utilities. The process may take 2-4 hours depending on the size and speed of the disk (about 1 hour for every 500 MB). Upon completion of the test, there should not be a single broken block, which are highlighted in red.

The presence of such a block is an unequivocal death sentence for the disk and is a 100% guaranteed case. Save your data faster and change the disk, just don’t tell the service that you dropped your laptop

You can check the surface of both regular hard drives (HDD) and solid state drives(SSD). The latter really don’t have any surface, but if the HDD or SSD drive will freeze every time during the test, which means that the electronics are most likely faulty - it needs to be replaced or repaired (the latter is unlikely).

If you are unable to diagnose a disk under Windows, the computer crashes or freezes, then try doing this using the MHDD utility from the Hiren’s BootCD boot disk.

Problems with the controller (electronics) and the disk surface lead to error windows in the operating system, short-term and complete freezes of the computer. Typically these are messages about the inability to read a particular file and memory access errors.

Such errors can be mistaken for problems with the RAM, while the disk may well be to blame. Before you panic, try updating the disk controller driver or, conversely, returning the original one Windows driver as described in .

15. Testing the optical drive

To check an optical drive, it is usually enough to simply burn a verification disc. For example, using the “Astroburn” program, it is in the “” section.

After burning a disc with a message about successful verification, try copying its entire contents on another computer. If the disk is readable and the drive reads other disks (except for hard-to-read ones), then everything is fine.

Some of the problems I have encountered with the drive include electronics failures that completely freeze or prevent the computer from turning on, failures of the retractable mechanism, contamination of the laser head lens, and damage to the head as a result of improper cleaning. In most cases, everything is solved by replacing the drive; fortunately, they are inexpensive and even if they have not been used for several years, they die from dust.

16. Body check

The case also sometimes breaks, sometimes the button gets stuck, sometimes the wiring from the front panel falls off, sometimes it shorts out in the USB connector. All this can lead to unpredictable behavior of the PC and can be solved by thorough inspection, cleaning, a tester, a soldering iron and other available means.

The main thing is that nothing short-circuits, as evidenced by a non-working light bulb or connector. If in doubt, disconnect all wires from the front panel of the case and try working on the computer for a while.

17. Checking the motherboard

Often, checking a motherboard comes down to checking all components. If all components individually work normally and pass tests, the operating system is reinstalled, but the computer still crashes, the problem may be with the motherboard. And here I can’t help you; only an experienced electronics engineer can diagnose it and identify a problem with the chipset or processor socket.

The exception is the crash of a sound or network card, which can be solved by disabling them in the BIOS and installing separate expansion cards. You can resolder the capacitors in the motherboard, but, say, replacing the north bridge is usually not advisable, since it is expensive and there are no guarantees; it is better to immediately buy a new motherboard.

18. If all else fails

Of course, it is always better to discover the problem yourself and determine The best way solutions, since some unscrupulous repairmen try to pull the wool over your eyes and rip off your skin.

But it may happen that you follow all the recommendations, but cannot identify the problem, this has happened to me. In this case, the problem is most often in the motherboard or in the power supply; there may be a microcrack in the PCB and it makes itself felt from time to time.

In this case, there is nothing you can do, take the entire system unit to a more or less well-established computer company. There is no need to carry components in parts if you are not sure what is wrong, the issue will never be resolved. Let them sort it out, especially if the computer is still under warranty.

Computer store specialists usually don’t worry, they have a lot of different components, they just change something and see if the problem goes away, thus quickly and easily fixing the problem. They also have enough time to conduct tests.

19. Links

Transcend JetFlash 790 8GB
HDD Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1TB
Transcend StoreJet 25A3 TS1TSJ25A3K

The main signs that the motherboard has burned out. Our advice will help you identify the malfunction and understand whether the device needs repair or replacement.

from 150 rub. RUB

The motherboard is the most important element of any computer. This is where the processor, video adapter, sound card, network card and many other PC components. However this part is very sensitive to operating conditions, and no one is immune from its failure.

If your motherboard burns out, there can be many reasons: spilled liquid, overheating, power surge...

But how to determine this breakdown, why does it occur and what to do in such a situation? Let's find out in the article.

How to identify the problem?

If your motherboard is burned out, you will immediately notice some signs of this problem. There are several of them, and each can indicate different problems with the device. Let's list the main ones.

• The PC refuses to boot, but the coolers are spinning;
• The device starts working successfully, but it doesn’t last long and turns off almost immediately;
• The machine starts up normally, works more or less, but if you turn on any resource-intensive application, it immediately turns off;
• The device may smell burning;
• And other troubles.

If you encounter similar problems, then your motherboard is most likely burned out.

There are also some indirect ways to determine some problems. For example:

These are just some of the methods by which you can identify such faults at home. To make a more accurate diagnosis, you will need special equipment, which is only available in service centers. There can be no talk of any home repairs.

Basic faults

If your motherboard burned out, it means there was some reason for it. Since the motherboard is a fragile element and sensitive to external conditions, many problems can arise with it. Let us list the main “diseases” that can lead to malfunctions of this PC element.

So, we have figured out the main troubles that can befall a motherboard. But what to do in such a situation?

How to solve such problems?

If your motherboard is burned out, do not under any circumstances try to fix the situation yourself. Without the proper skills and equipment, you may only make the problem worse. “Homemade” repairs often lead to damage to the processor, video card or peripheral devices, which significantly increases the cost of such repairs.

Experts from the Expert company see only two ways out of this situation

• Repair. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is quite rare due to its inexpediency. If some electronic components are damaged, repairs may cost more than buying a new board. A similar situation applies in cases where several radio components burn out at once.
• Replacement. A common solution to the problem of a burned out motherboard. Specialists install a new motherboard, transfer the processor, video adapter and peripherals to it, configure it, connect it and return it to the owner. Such devices last much longer and are more reliable than repaired ones.

Contact us for help

The Expert service center has everything necessary to carry out the highest quality computer repairs. Modern equipment and highly qualified specialists are able to solve any problem. By contacting us, you will get maximum results in minimal time.

No video signal: If your computer won't send an image to your monitor, it's not always the video card - sometimes the problem may be with the motherboard. To find out if this is the case, connect the monitor to one of the outputs of the built-in video card, or replace the discrete video card with a known good one. If after this, when you turn on the PC, there is no image, it is likely that the motherboard is faulty.

The CPU stays cold: Another sign of a faulty motherboard can be the temperature of the processor. Let the computer run without video signal or power light for a few minutes. Then turn it off and carefully touch the radiator fins central processor.

If the processor's thermal package is small (up to 30 W, it can be found on the manufacturer's website), you should turn on the system without a radiator, and touch the heat-distributing cover of the processor rather than the radiator fins. If the fins or cover are cold, the motherboard does not support the processor (updating the BIOS may help), or the processor is not receiving power due to a faulty motherboard.

The motherboard speaker is silent: As a rule, when the computer starts, the motherboard speaker emits characteristic sound signals. If your computer stops beeping when you turn it on, this indicates a faulty motherboard. If it never beeps, you may have disabled notifications in the BIOS.

Resetting the BIOS settings will help reactivate this function. Your motherboard may not have a speaker. You can purchase the speaker in a specialized store. When connecting the speaker, make sure that the connectors are connected correctly.

Fault diagnosis: To find out for sure what the cause of the breakdown is, use a special diagnostic POST board with a PCI or PCI-e connector. In electronics stores, such devices are sold at prices ranging from 500 to 2000 rubles. On built-in LED indicator or screen, it displays POST codes indicating a particular hardware malfunction. If the board does not show any codes, regardless of which slot it is inserted into, the problem lies in a faulty motherboard.

If the above symptoms appear on your computer, there is a high probability that the motherboard is faulty. When choosing a new motherboard, it is important that you can use all the components of the PC whenever possible.

Primary diagnosis of computer malfunction

Primary diagnosis can be made by BIOS signals, which are played when the computer starts. But for this you need to know the breakdown coding tables. Each BIOS developer (AMI, AWARD, PHOENICS) uses its own coding for the type of fault. One short signal means for everyone that the primary test (POST) has been passed and no errors were detected. The absence of any signals also means that the system does not start when power is supplied and the turn-on signal is applied. But then it’s different for everyone. Read about identifying computer malfunctions
Sometimes you can distinguish a hardware problem from a software problem by a change in the computer's behavior after the power is turned off. Unlike a software reset.
Many computer malfunctions can be identified as fatal in Windows. But for this you need Windows itself to work. For example, fixing the screen of death bug.

Computer hardware malfunctions, symptoms

Processor failure

What are the signs of a processor malfunction?

• the computer reboots cyclically
• motherboard won't start
• no download from hard drive
• Windows won't install and won't boot
• Sometimes programs work with errors.
• The processor gets very hot, as well as the processor power parts on the motherboard.

If the processor has a built-in memory controller, memory errors may occur due to a faulty processor. Faulty Intel processor- an extremely rare occurrence. But burnt AMD processors meet regularly.

The processor can burn out due to improper assembly if the contacts of the board or processor socket are bent. Especially when short circuit. In this case, the processor is replaced with a new one. Determining a processor malfunction yourself at home is difficult and risky. After all, checking for a processor malfunction on your board is dangerous. Because a burnt processor can “burn” the motherboard.

Computer memory not working

Signs of poor memory are as follows. The computer does not boot, periodic crashes occur, accompanied by a blue “screen of death” in Windows and applications. reliably diagnosed with special reliable tests. Programs with low validity work quickly, but often do not detect a problem.

Tests should be carried out on a motherboard whose memory controller is working. If the controller is in the processor, you need to test it on a known good processor. Testing your memory with a program with low reliability will only confuse you and take up additional time. Not a bad program memtest.

A faulty memory should be replaced; repairing is pointless.

Computer motherboard malfunctions

If the computer motherboard does not work, then the symptoms are as follows:

• the computer does not turn on at all, or turns on but does not boot;
• does not work Computer USB, sound card, as well USB keyboard and mouse;
• the processor is cold;
• Windows does not load or install, the processor overheats.

Troubleshooting: replacement, repair.

Hard drive problems

Signs hard drive malfunction disk:

• the disk does not spin up, is not detected in Motherboard BIOS boards;
• Windows does not load, the computer reboots cyclically, freezes, and slows down;
• regular errors and program crashes.

It is advisable to repair hard drives if the damage is minor or they contain valuable information.

A damaged SATA cable and poor contact can also be the cause of poor or unstable hard drive performance. You can diagnose poor cable quality using the UltraDMA CRC Errors parameter in S.M.A.R.T.
Read more about.
Troubleshooting: replacement, repair.

Another frequently asked question is that Windows does not see an external hard drive that is connected via USB. First you need to check whether the disk itself spins up. If there is complete silence or you can hear the disk trying to spin up (does not gain speed), then the disk will not start. That's why Windows doesn't see the HDD. The reasons may be the following:

• The disk does not have enough power to operate (insert the second end of the splitter into USB);
• Bad cable (the performance of external hard drives greatly depends on the quality of the cable);
• Disk controller in a low quality box;
• You are connecting it incorrectly - for example, through the front USB connectors of the computer, but you need it to the motherboard at the back.

Here are the main reasons why an external drive does not work on a computer.

Video card malfunction

Symptoms of a video card malfunction:

• garbage, as well as artifacts on the monitor screen, often before Windows loads;
• The computer does not boot - there is no characteristic sound signal downloads;
• 3D games crash;
• The video card driver crashes and is not installed, games do not work, the 3DMARK test crashes.

A typical cause of video adapter failure is overheating. The critical temperature for a video card crystal is about 105º C. To avoid overheating, do not bring the card to this temperature, clean it in a timely manner. The problem is checked on another computer.

Computer power supply malfunction

Just because the computer turns on and the fans are spinning does not mean that the computer's power supply is working well. It is possible that the power supply is the reason that the computer stopped working. The power supply has many parameters that it must provide:

• stable computer supply voltages under load +-12V, +-5V;
• limited rectified voltage ripple and high-frequency interference;
• deliver the required current to the load.

The computer may not work or work unstably if:

• at least one voltage drops;
• has ripples greater than permissible.

Over time, any power supply loses power due to aging capacitors. But computer failures can occur due to insufficient power supply.

Symptoms when you need to check your computer's power supply:

• the computer does not turn on with the button (no power is supplied to the board, nor to the fans);
• no boot from hard drive;
• the computer reboots cyclically;
• when turned on, an error is diagnosed;

They practically stopped repairing power supplies because standard block food costs the same as repairs. Only expensive blocks are repaired.

Computer overheating

Often computer breakdowns occur due to overheating associated with dust in the system unit. Because dust is a good thermal insulator and prevents heat dissipation. In the photo, the video card burned out because the computer was not cleaned of dust at all.

Overheating of the processor leads to the fact that the computer begins to slow down and work slowly. Overheating of the processor itself can occur due to:

• malfunction of the cooler mounting, which leads to an air gap and reduced heat dissipation;
• wear and contamination of the fan bearing, which at the same time hums or vibrates;
• fan radiator contamination;
• as well as incorrect BIOS settings.

Incompatibility of computer components

Incompatibility of components is a common reason for the failure of working devices. Most often, incompatibility occurs in the combination of Intel-AMD components. For example, replaced Nvidia video card to a new card from AMD and the computer stopped starting.

But incompatibility of computer parts is difficult to diagnose.

Computer software problems

Half of computer failures occur due to problems with software. This includes errors file system if there is a power failure while writing to the disc. The cause may also be errors in the operating system, its applications, drivers, or the consequences of viruses.

Possible causes of virus infection:

• visiting phishing sites, opening infected emails, and downloading infected programs;
• Most likely, your computer has poor antivirus protection.

If you need professional diagnostics or computer repair, questions about prices, please use the contact form. In the vast majority of cases, the cause of a breakdown cannot be determined without diagnostics.

Motherboard this is a kind of container that connects all the components and components of your personal computer. The functionality of the motherboard makes it the most complex component of any computer. It contains all kinds of controllers, ports, slots, system logic, stabilizers and other components and is, in fact, a real work of technological art. The number of these extensions is what makes the motherboard so complex and, unfortunately, vulnerable in terms of occurrence of malfunctions.

Many microcircuits and electronic components greatly complicate motherboard repair. In addition, her printed circuit board consists of many layers, each of which contains many printed conductors, so, naturally, repairing the motherboard at home is only possible if fairly minor breakdowns occur. If the board received serious mechanical damage, which led to an internal break in the conductors, then it is impossible to restore it even in a service center.

ATTENTION!!! All work related to soldering must be done very carefully. At the same time, be sure to avoid overheating the board and especially overheating any electronic component. If you need to solder small parts, use a special low-power soldering iron with a thin tip.

Most of motherboard failures occurs due to the fault of the user himself. Other malfunctions arise as a result of poor-quality power supply or overheating of areas of the board. We should also not forget about the dishonesty of some manufacturers; they are trying to reduce production costs of this device, using cheaper and lower quality components, which often becomes the reason for their rapid failure. The result of a malfunction of even a small part of the motherboard can be its unstable operation, the computer freezing, failure of connected devices, etc. up to the worst thing - complete inoperability. In the worst case, a minor malfunction can lead to failure of both the central processor and RAM.

The most common motherboard failures are:

• Break of printed conductors. This is a purely mechanical damage that occurs quite often, and the almost unambiguous source of its occurrence is the user himself. For example, the tracks can be cut off by a suddenly dropped screwdriver, for example, during the installation of a non-standard cooling system, especially if significant force is applied. The chance of this malfunction occurring even during the process of installing the motherboard into the system unit. The most vulnerable places are the areas of the board that have a hole for fixing to the chassis chassis with screws. Many manufacturers, anticipating this situation, try to place a minimum of tracks and electronic components in such areas, but in the case of small board sizes, this approach often does not work.
• Broken capacitors or resistors. If you look closely, you will see that there are a large number of miniature capacitors and resistors on the motherboard. They are very easy to break off using a screwdriver or carelessly inserting expansion cards. Additionally, larger sized electrolytic capacitors are also susceptible to mechanical damage.
• Short circuit in electrical circuits. The user can also damage microcircuits, transistors and electrolytic capacitors, for example, by carelessly using a large screwdriver. No one is immune from this, especially if you install or fix expansion cards while the computer is running, which is strictly prohibited.
• Destruction of connectors and slots. It is extremely easy to destroy any connector on the motherboard. To do this, just press it hard or insert and pull out the cable not evenly, but at an angle. Despite their not too small size, expansion slots are also susceptible to damage. So, if an expansion card, for example a video card, is of a non-standard size, and the motherboard is screwed too close to the rear wall of the system unit, then to install this expansion card you will have to apply sufficient force, which, if suddenly tilted or inaccurately moved, can damage the slot. In addition, there is a high probability of damage to connectors and slots with big amount contacts.
• Broken processor socket. Damage to a processor slot can occur for various reasons. As a rule, this is incorrect installation of the cooling system, careless actions when installing and fixing the processor, rough handling of the slot latch, etc. The processor slot itself is made of hard plastic, so the risk of breaking, for example, the plastic protrusion of the latch is quite high, especially if use force.
• Port burnout. Many users, if necessary (or without it), disconnect the cord of the keyboard, mouse, modem and other devices while the computer is running. This is extremely detrimental to the motherboard ports, especially PS/2, which experience a power surge. It is impossible to control this voltage, so ports not adapted for this often burn out. Sometimes even the USB port fails, which can cause damage to the device connected to it.
• Failure of IDE/SATA ports. An extremely unpleasant situation, especially if it concerns an IDE port, which cannot be replaced except by installing an additional controller. The cause of failure most often lies in a low-quality controller servicing this type of port. Purely mechanical damage to the port contacts also occurs, as mentioned above. Fortunately, the IDE controller is used less and less, as it has been replaced by a more powerful SATA controller.
• Microcracks in the board. Such cracks form in the multi-layer structure of the motherboard if it is not properly fixed to the chassis of the case. In this case, during any actions related, for example, to the installation of expansion cards or even the usual connection of a cable from a drive, the motherboard bends. Too much deflection causes breakage of the internal conductors, which cannot be repaired. In almost all cases this leads to irreparable results.
• Poor quality expansion cards. The computer market is overflowing with cheap components from unknown manufacturers that break down every now and then. It may happen that this is exactly your motherboard. It is difficult to predict what the consequences will be, but in this case it is absolutely certain that not only the device itself will be damaged, but also the slot in which it is installed, and in the worst case, the power management system of the motherboard, which may result in a burnout RAM and processor.
• The network adapter has failed. A network adapter (and sometimes two at once) has been an integral attribute of any motherboard since the standardization of the ATX format. A network adapter is required in order to include the computer in the local network and, most importantly, connect to the Internet. Often due to incorrect network construction or other reasons network adapter voltage surges threaten, which leads to burnout of the device’s incoming circuits, making it unusable. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cope with this malfunction, but thanks to the presence of a PCI slot or USB port on the motherboard this loss can be compensated by installing an additional adapter.
• Constantly resetting BIOS parameters and warning messages on the screen. This is perhaps the only malfunction that does not threaten anything serious other than spending a very tiny amount of money on replacing the battery that powers the ROM chip in which the BIOS is stored. In 95 cases out of 100, the cause of this hardware failure is too long a period of operation of the computer and the motherboard as well. Accumulator battery guarantees support for the non-volatility of the ROM chip for 2-4 years, so it makes no sense to make any claims about its operation after this period. You just need to replace the battery to save the motherboard from unnecessary failures.
• Action of viruses. Oddly enough, some of the software viruses can damage not only the operating system, but also the computer hardware, and to be more precise, the BIOS. And if in the first case the situation can be corrected by “treating” the computer antivirus program or, as a last resort, reinstalling the operating system and installed programs, then the second case requires a different approach. In particular, it is necessary to flash the BIOS chip using one of the methods that is most suitable for a particular motherboard.
• Poor quality food. To make their products cheaper, many motherboard manufacturers go beyond acceptable limits, using ineffective filters, stabilizers and other components that are necessary to ensure stable and high-quality power supply to the motherboard. For this reason, a sudden power surge can cause motherboard components to burn out. It’s good if only the stabilizer burns out on it, and not all its components, including the central processor installed on it.
• Overheating of components. This fact also occurs quite often. Components are more susceptible to overheating motherboards, which are equipped with passive cooling systems with insufficient heat dissipation area. During overclocking (that is, when manually increasing the operating speed), such a cooling system cannot cope with the task assigned to it, which leads to increased heating of the components. Unfortunately, this heats up not only the “culprits,” but also nearby areas of the board and components. The result is instability of the computer, freezing, system reboots and failure of expensive components. Although, if you react in time, such an outcome can be avoided.

This is far from full list troubles that can happen to the motherboard. You can deal with some of them yourself, others can only be corrected by specialists service center, and in some cases the motherboard cannot be repaired.