CPU?

hi my name is lance and i was recently working on a clients computer and found it to be very tricky………ok when i turn the machine on i open it up all lights come on even the motherboard green light, its a dell desktop by the way but i get no video on my monitor so i thought it was a integrated graphics port problem so i installed a AGP graphics card that works unplugged the cmos battery and then turned it on but still no signal?????? all the lights are coming on as if normal but just not booting up…….when i turn the machine on i put my ear by the hard drive it makes a couple noises and just stops then…….i think thus is from the molex connector that supplys power to the hard drive right when it turns on but it doesnt sound like its loading anything……and i noticed that 4 green lights stayed on in the back of the motherboard ABCD they all light up….?? so im thinking everything that pligs into the motherboard is good but i tought the cpu is bad becase nothing is getting processed upon startup….but the thing is that when i open it up and turn it on all the fans are running….cpu,power,system fan too?"???? and usually when a cpu go`s out the fan also goes out too???? ive heard this from alot of people but is there any way that the cpu jus gave up on life??? really tricky couldnt really figure this one out ar i might have just didnt know if i was right my guess is it is the CPU thats the only conclusion i was brought to maybe yall can help??:) id appreciate it thank you lance……………

Is the Monitor that you are attempting to use as "known-good" monitor. (it displays when connected to another PC?) Do you get "any" display on the monitor? (Boot sequence or Dell splash screen or even a blinking cursor?) Are you able to boot into SAFE Mode? CPU's do die eventually, but so do other board components such as RAM and graphics adapter. It's easier to inspect and re-seat RAM sticks. Have you already done so. Have you tried running with just one RAM stick? (rotate through all of them individually) Have you physically inspected the MoBo capacitors for bulge/leak? Have you physically inspected and re-seated all other connectors (IDE, molex, etc.) ? I don't know what makes you think the HeatSinkFan would die if the CPU was malfunctioning. HeatSinkFan draws power from the MoBo, usually from a 3 or 4 pin connector. If the MoBo is receiving power the fan will probably spin. Since you have the case open and have removed/re-seated the CMOS battery, consider simply replacing the CMOS battery (it's inexpensive) It's possible that CMOS battery not powering the BIOS memory/settings would stop the boot in its tracks, since the machine won't know where to find components. Download and burn Linux Puppy (using another machine) Then attempt to boot from the bootable Linux Puppy CD. If hardware is healthy, Puppy will boot from the Optical Drive, bi-passing the HD and installed OS. Let us know if that works, as it would help rule-out hardware issues.

yes my monitor is good …….no i got no display what-so-ever on my monitor……….cant boot into safe mode cant see anything just black………..i have reseated the ram,moved them around attempted to boot with 1 ram stick still nothing……….i have inspected unplugged and pluged back in all connectors,,molex ,ide ,fans ,cpu power, ect……..i replaced cmos battery with known working one still black……….i have installed a agp graphics card thinking it was the onboard integrated graphics still nothing…………….cant boot from any other device cd usb ect……….because i cant see anything?????? really wierd

This is a dicey one, so caution and care is advised. Dell has historically used proprietary PSU and/or connectors to the MoBo. So it is not always possible to swap in a generic PSU. Do you have a spare Dell PSU that you could substitute into this problematic machine?

no i dont and is the kinda dells that have that really small compact psu too:{

really wierd

Maybe not so much "weird", but rather just plain "broken".

With today's technology, whole replaceable components make it easier for technicians to "repair" a machine.
But when it comes to some problems, the good old fashion multi-meter plus schematic diagram may be the only successful "diagnostic" method.
Then, of course, it becomes a cost-benefit issue.

If this project is a "labor of love", then by all means dive in and enjoy the adventure.

Otherwise, the owner/user may be better advised to seek total replacement of the machine, before racking up too many expensive bench hours.

Some other shop and savvy tech may have an instant easy answer, but I would hesitate to send a customer off on such an odyssey of shop, to shop, to shop.

Sorry I don't have a better answer.