In Need Of Diagnostic Help Please

[TAMELESSTGR]

Hello,

My name is Ken and I am having issues with my HP Desktop computer. The desktop was ordered new from HP in Feb 2013. It is out of warranty.

Description of problem:
This is a desktop that is primarily used for websurfing and photography editing used 3-4 times a week.
Last week when I powered the desktop up the PC ran for about 20 seconds and then turned off. After a few seconds it turned on again for about 20 seconds and then turned off. This happened about 7-8 times and finally Windows 7 home login screen came up. I logged in and immediately made sure all my files were backed up onto my external drive. Once I shut the PC off, I have not been able to boot Windows or get to the login screen again. There are no beeping errors, all fans turn on (PSU, CPU, Case Fan etc.)

Video of issue:

Process of Elimination:
I bought a PSU tester and plugged in the 24pin connector and the 4 pin connector from the CPU, all voltages were acceptable (See attached image) but the tester said my Power Good voltage was no good. I then bridged the power wire to a ground and powered the PSU up after removing it from the PC frame. Checking with a mulitmeter, all 24 pins showed correct voltage along with the PG pin reading 5v. Makes me question the tester I bought. Either way I bought a new 600watt PSU. Tested it with the 24pin and 4 pin connectors, gave a PG signal, so I installed it in the PC and the same problem exists. Windows 7 will not boot, nothing on the screen, I can't get to any F-button shortcuts at all.

Other things I have tried:
Replaced the motherboard battery - No Help
Checked the monitor - Working
Pulled the RAM chips out and re-inserted - No Help
Put RAM ships in open slots of motherboard - No Help

Things I think I should try next:
See if internal HDD's are functioning properly (Is there an adapter that I can use to plug the internal HDD into a USB so I can verify it's function on say my laptop?

I suspect the motherboard is the culprit, but how can I further diagnose?
Mothereboard Specs:
Pegatron IPMMB-FM Formosa Intel Z75 chipset

PC Specs: (see attachment for HP general specification)
HP Pavilion HPE h8-1360t Desktop PC (My individual build specs)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64
• 3rd Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3770K quad-core processor [3.5GHz, 8MB Shared Cache]
• 8GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM [2 DIMMs]
• 1TB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
• 1TB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
• 1GB DDR3 AMD Radeon HD 7570 [HDMI, DVI, VGA via adapter]
• 600W Power supply
• Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )(2x2)
• 15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB 2.0 (front), 2 USB 3.0 (top)
• Microsoft(R) Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word & Excel w/ ads. No PowerPoint or Outlook
• No additional security software
• No TV Tuner
• SuperMulti DVD Burner
• Beats Audio (tm) -- integrated studio quality sound
• Premium HP keyboard and optical mouse
• Adobe Premiere Elements & Photoshop Elements 10

All thoughts and comments appreciated, I'm a DIY type of person so I feel I can handle this.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[Toothless]

Your first issue is that its an HP. Your second is the horrid Pegatron board which sounds to be the issue.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Hi Ken i too suspect mobo, i dont think theres any kind of bebug display on that board though there are things like this you can slot in

search
motherboard diagnostic card, it will give you a display

you can use these to read from sata to usb

search
sata to usb

 

[rtwjunkie]

You will actually need an external HDD Storage device to check the HDD's on your laptop.

As to your motherboard suspicion, I confirm my suspicion as well. Twice I have had same symptoms as you, and it has both times been the voltage return on the motherboard.

Since you've tested/eliminated the PSU and the RAM My suggestion is to try a different PSU if you can borrow one, and try the RAM one at a time (I didn't see that you tested it that way).

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

How do I determine a replacement motherboard that is readily available and better than the Pegatron?

 

[INSTG8R]

How do I determine a replacement motherboard that is readily available and better than the Pegatron?

Your choice. I would go with a Z77 board and get the best out of that i7

 

[Toothless]

How do I determine a replacement motherboard that is readily available and better than the Pegatron?

Something that's compatible with the processor.

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

Just to clarify, I tested the old 600watt PSU when the problem started.
I put a new 600W PSU in as well and experienced the exact same problems.

 

[silentbogo]

If you are in a hurry and do not want to invest money than you already spent on that HP, just get a cheap H61 board, like this ASUS H61M-E:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-H61M-E...698939?hash=item43e51d1bbb:g:EVQAAOSwpDdVDXE-

Only $30 with free shipping will make your PC alive again. There are downfalls, dough: no USB 3.0 and no overclocking. But it will run your 3770K.

Ideally you should go for Z77 board or, if you are not into overclocking, a decent B75.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Open-Box-AS...hash=item4d3b3cd11d:m:m7DafaN0wVZZUbw7Dmt7u2w

And, as it became a tradition for all of my motherboard suggestions: do not buy Elitegroup! They may appeal as a cheap $35 replacement on an H77 or B75 chipset, but they make absolute sh#t for the past decade. I don't think I know a single person with an ECS motherboard for any platform that survived more than a year after the warranty. Most broke even before that and underwent a couple of trips to service center (thankfully free of charge).

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

I don't even know what overclocking means lol. Not in a big hurry, but don't want to spend where I don't need to.

Something like this ASUS Z77-A Intel LGA1155 Motherboard is within budget reason to me.

http://frys.com/product/7994280?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I would need to remove / reinstall my graphics card and CPU chip into a new motherboard correct? By the looks of that board all the slots and ports would match up to my case.

 

[silentbogo]

That's an ATX board. You need a smaller micro-ATX board to fit into your HP case.

Z77 in microATX form factor boards are still quite expensive and hard to find, so if I were you, I'd buy a B75:
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-B75MD3H&c=CJ

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

I'd prefer to go to Fry's for example, there is 1 located 5 minutes from my work. So if I go to the motherboard section, filter on core i7 + mATX I get the following results:

http://www.frys.com/product/8378947?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
http://www.frys.com/product/8536689?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

[silentbogo]

These are the only 2 boards compatible with your system that Frys has:
http://www.frys.com/search?cat=-69574&pType=pDisplay&fq=100344 Intel_1155-100350 mATX

Both are H61 and both sold-out.

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

ok, so the proper socket is the 1155 and I need an mATX

 

[Toothless]

Go to the egg my friend (newegg)

 

[Hugis]

If I was you I'd get a z77 atx board and get yourself an ATX case, job sorted

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

Will this B75 work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331706323229?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Another question, my wireless LAN card, is that part of the HP motherboard, or it that something that I just need to plug into the new motherboard?

Can anyone tell me what this guy is for? It looks like it leads up the frame to the front section where I have additional headphone jacks.

 

[brandonwh64]

Can anyone tell me what this guy is for? It looks like it leads up the frame to the front section where I have additional headphone jacks.

That is your wireless/blutooth

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

Thanks, that's a critical piece that I need to have in my replacement mobo, does the board in post 17 that I found have this feature?

 

[brandonwh64]

Thanks, that's a critical piece that I need to have in my replacement mobo, does the board in post 17 that I found have this feature?

no it does not

Also I am having a hard time finding a mATX board that has a miniPCIe slot in socket 1155. I did however find a ITX motherboard but do not know if you are up to using something like that.

 

[TAMELESSTGR]

Shoot, is there a way to add on bluetooth in another way?

Edit* Did some Google searching:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LWE14TO/?tag=tec06d-20

 

[INSTG8R]

I don't even know what overclocking means lol. Not in a big hurry, but don't want to spend where I don't need to.

Something like this ASUS Z77-A Intel LGA1155 Motherboard is within budget reason to me.

http://frys.com/product/7994280?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I would need to remove / reinstall my graphics card and CPU chip into a new motherboard correct? By the looks of that board all the slots and ports would match up to my case.

That's a shame that board wouldn't fit in your case it was a good choice!

 

[XSI]

And, as it became a tradition for all of my motherboard suggestions: do not buy Elitegroup! They may appeal as a cheap $35 replacement on an H77 or B75 chipset, but they make absolute sh#t for the past decade. I don't think I know a single person with an ECS motherboard for any platform that survived more than a year after the warranty. Most broke even before that and underwent a couple of trips to service center (thankfully free of charge).

i know 2 ppl with ECS MB going strong for 6 years. one on intel i3 2130, another amd apu 3xxx series.

 

[P4-630]

i know 2 ppl with ECS MB going strong for 6 years. one on intel i3 2130, another amd apu 3xxx series.

I also had a ECS motherboard before, never had any problems.

 

[silentbogo]

I've built 5 office computers on LGA1155, 3 of which died after a little over a year of moderate use (10 hours, 5 days a week). Good thing those are cheap and easy to find. Plus my mITX Haswell rig gave up 3 months into deployment (mobo was used though). Occasionally I buy broken motherboards either for parts or repair, and a lot of them (more than 60%) are Elitegroup boards suffering from a wide spectre of problems: from power to chipset issues.

My personal statistics may be significantly biased, because Elitegroup is the cheapest brand and in Ukraine people almost always buy the cheapest stuff. But just to be on the safe side I'd still go with either ASRock, MSI or ASUS.

BTW, I still have an old ECS K7VTA3 board (Socket A, VIA KT333), which is still working like I bought it yesterday. Disassembled my FreeBSD rig last month when my friend asked for an AGP videocard, RAM and HDD.