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There are two issues with swapping parts at this point. First is that you don't know what's cooked, and what might do damage to new components as you add them. I'd guess that you're looking at a fried CPU and mother board.
I'd probably try the PSU, HDD, and Video card in a new board / cpu combo if they were cheap (used maybe), but you have to decide how much risk each one poses when putting it in a new machine.
The largest problem is actually finding matching parts, or spending money on more parts for that generation of components.
It's a Socket 1336 chip and 1066 memory so they aren't compatible with current gen parts.
There aren't a lot of sources for new boards and CPUs for that generation (Amazon does have a couple), so you'd have to decide if buying a replacement for a 5 year old board / CPU is worth it, especially when you can buy a current generation board and CPU for the same amount.
Pruzhany, you can't salvage anything? Even the memory cards? I ask this again because I've spent thousands of dollars on this computer. To say that nothing but the harddrive can be salvaged is really depressing.
Wouldn't it be better to buy the replacement motherboard for a $100 to try to get the computer working again before I throw everything out?
I've always used Nvidia graphics cards, so I didn't know anything about your ATI RADEON HD 5970 until I just researched it. That is a monster card needing a 650 watt power supply per factory recommendation. My hunch is that that card took out your original P/S and perhaps more on the motherboard.
But you have a new 750 watt P/S, right? No reason to believe that one is bad and unsalvageable. Nor is there any reason to toss anything else except for that video card and the motherboard. Do you really need that much graphics power? If not, I'd get a much less power hungry - and cooler - card and reduce your risk of more meltdowns.
The other components are not big power consumers and the worst they are likely to do is not work. Very little chance bad RAM is going to take out anything else with it.
I take it you've tinkered enough to be comfortable changing a M/B? If so, then the only other major consideration may be getting a Dell computer, with its branded OEM Windows license, re-activated with a new M/B. Maybe it's not a big deal....I don't know, since I've always done my own builds from scratch.
That is a monster card needing a 650 watt power supply per factory recommendation.
Now that I think about it, the computer did turn a green shade sometimes, especially when I was playing 3D games. I didn't think much of it at the time but I must have been burning the computer out all these years with that 525 watt supply. I'll toss out the graphics card, motherboard, and PSU and save the RAM and harddrive.
Skunk Workz, I'll look into a new computer, too. I guess now would be the best time to upgrade.
Thank you everyone. I learned a lot a lot more about computers from all this. I feel confident enough to start building a new computer from scratch.
Now that I think about it, the computer did turn a green shade sometimes, especially when I was playing 3D games. I didn't think much of it at the time but I must have been burning the computer out all these years with that 525 watt supply. I'll toss out the graphics card, motherboard, and PSU and save the RAM and harddrive.
Skunk Workz, I'll look into a new computer, too. I guess now would be the best time to upgrade.
Thank you everyone. I learned a lot a lot more about computers from all this. I feel confident enough to start building a new computer from scratch.
Sounds like a plan.
You'll get more bang for the buck and have fun in the process. Best of luck.
Yeah if the video card says a certain watt is minimum best get a power supply 100 watts or more above.
That card not only draws power through the pci slot but also has a input jack that has to be feed directly from the power supply. It takes up two slots on the motherboard.
You were 150 watts below the minimum so that power supply was just struggling and the system was just overtaxed.
There are certain websites that you can custom design a pc to either buy from them or just make a list of components and it will tell you what the recommended/minimum power supply would be.
Some power supplies are manufactured to deal with multiple video cards and can provide enough power to three or even four video cards. In particular if they need a direct connection to the power supply instead of just drawing power from the slots on the motherboard.
So I applied the coolant today. After I did it the computer kept resetting whenever it reached the windows startup screen until it shut off. The graphics card also sounded like a lawnmower and static noises were coming from it.
Then I tried starting without ram and it still shut off. However, now the computer won't recognize the ram when I put it in again. Thus it won't boot at all anymore. The more I fiddle and try to fix the computer, the worse it performs. It's time to accept the computer is just messed up.
What I want to know is what parts should I save when I'm throwing out the computer? If I tried to use the current ram, power supply, and graphic card on a new computer, would it fry the new computer too? Since apparently this computer is damaged, does that mean I should throw out the whole computer? Or should I just try to buy another motherboard (I found a refurbished one for $80)?
If it were my computer, I would continue to investigate the problem.
First ... did you follow the directions for correctly applying the thermal paste?
(a) thoroughly clean the heatsink and CPU using alcohol?
(b) apply a very thin coat of thermal paste to the heatsink, and a very thin coat to the CPU?
(c) apply additional paste as per the thermal paste instructions?
If you applied thermal paste correctly, then try running the Dell Diagnostics program as mentioned here:
Immediately at the Dell logo screen, starting tapping the <F12> key once a second until the One Time Boot menu appears (if the computer boots to Windows turn the computer off and try again)
This Diagnostics Utility will provide an error code which you can then research.
If you have trouble running the Diagnostics Utility, you might want disconnect/remove everything from your PC except your Power Supply, motherboard, CPU, graphics card and keyboard, and strip it down to a "bare-bones" system.
If the graphics card isn't working, try a different graphics card.
Then remove other components:
(a) remove RAM
(b) disconnect hard-drive (power and SATA cables)
(c) disconnect DVD/CD drives (power and SATA cables)
(d) remove other PCI cards
Then turn your PC on, and as it starts up, immediately press <F2> on your keyboard to enter the BIOS
Then if the computer remains on while in BIOS, you've confirmed that the motherboard and CPU are functioning properly (at least without other components involved).
Then you can turn the PC off, and re-try the Diagnostics Utility.
Then next step would be to re-attach / re-insert one component at a time (while unplugged), and plug it back in, and re-boot the PC after each part is re-inserted.
If one of the attached PC components is causing your problem, it will be the last part you put in before the problem returns.
Always be sure to unplug the Power Cord anytime you work inside your PC.
Also see PAGE 29 of the User Manual for "beep" codes:
And see PAGE 40 of your User Manual for more info on using Dell Diagnostics:
As we bring this thread to a close and we are, more or less, in agreement on fried components why would you keep older RAM when there is faster RAM available and why would you recycle the HDD if SSD prices have dropped dramatically? The only part I'd recycle is the COA. As to the new build, make a list of what you want and a list of alternates. Then I'd use the following links to catch the parts on sale or have rebates.
If I spent thousands of dollars on a computer, I would not give up on it so easily.
I would perform the tests like I mentioned above.
If you took the time to actually read the link to the manual you supplied, you would seen that the beep codes signified video card or video chip errors. Thus over time it overheated the motherboard. It had nothing to do with the processor. As the motherboard was being overheated it was also being shorted which meant higher voltages were being sent to components. Thus now all the components are suspect to cause future failure in a new system.
As to the cost of the computer, it's negligible compared to the cost of the a video card. In my current build I use a GTX 680 and it sells currently for $700. IMO a Dell should not be used a gamer's machine. It looks nice but that is not what matters. Whats inside does. If you want to see the true value of a Dell, just go to craigslist. Its the most common computer people are trying to get rid of. Go to a tech shop and its the most common computer being worked on. Yet their market share has only been 10-15%. But if you look at BTO (no name) computers they comprise 40% of the market.
Pruzhany, I'll check into that when I'm making my new computer. If there's something much better and cheap, I'll just buy new parts. This is also the first time I've heard about SSD so I'll do some research on that as well.
RD5050, yes I followed the instructions for the coolant. It still didn't work. I've tried everything you've listed and I can't get to the diagnostic utility because the computer keeps malfunctioning, resetting, and getting worse each time I move anything. It would make sense that I fried the motherboard with my low power supply. I know what to check for next time I buy a graphics card.
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