replacing motherboard but doesn't work

  • Thread starter Thread starter 4light
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4light

I bought a computer for parts off of ebay
and am trying to replace the motherboard.

my computer is Inspiron 8100 and so is the
ebay one.

power comes on and sounds like it's trying
to spin up but the screen doesn't power up
and I can't hear the hard drive working.

ideas?
 
u need to remove everything unnecessary such as cd DVD roms etc .. if it
boots up then replace one component at a time till the problem re-accurse
.... if that does not work you may have a bodgy (bad) power supply
 
I bought a computer for parts off of ebay
and am trying to replace the motherboard.

my computer is Inspiron 8100 and so is the
ebay one.

power comes on and sounds like it's trying
to spin up but the screen doesn't power up
and I can't hear the hard drive working.

ideas?
Click to expand...

Some clarification would be helpful. If I guess right, your Inspiron
died of a bad motherboard, and you went to ebay to get a cheap parts
box from which to fix it. If it was advertised as a parts box, it's
entirely possible to have TWO dead motherboards.

It's also possible, that instead of a dead motherboard, you have a dead
screen. Or the screen connector is loose.
 
thanks guys for your help, I appreciate it.

yes, I bought a cheap box off of ebay for parts...
it was stated that the motherboard was good.

My laptop wouldn't power up or show any
led lights at all. The damage was caused by
kicking the cord and catching the laptop as
it started to fall. (on the lid). No apparent damage
anywhere and the fall was only maybe 8 inches when
I caught it. Took the motherboard out and had a look
at it...no signs of damage but I didn't know what else
to do but to try the new Motherboard since other posters
indicated that kicking the cord easily breaks the motherboard
on these Dell Inspirons.

At least now by putting the
ebay used one in, I have the lights come on.... but
still no sound from the hard drive and no display at all.
 
Ah, putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Time to verify the working condition of all your parts.

For the hard drive, there's a cheap adapter that allows you to mount a
laptop hard drive in a desktop PC. Ask at your local computer store.
(not Best Buy or clones, a real computer shop)

The only thing to try with the screen is to see if the screen from your
parts box will light up in your laptop.

It's STILL possible to have two dead motherboards, if seller only
presumed his motherboard was working.

PS: Did you attempt to power on the parts box before plundering it? If
so, what happened?
 
the parts box didn't have a keyboard or hard drive.
I tried my keyboard and hd in it and the led lights
came on but there was no sounds of any activity
happening. I then tried my cpu in it... that
seemed to be an improvement and at least it made
a high pitched sound like it was trying to activate
the hd but the hd didn't make any sounds like it
was working.

so, I can't power up anything... neither the box
or my laptop.

since the power doesn't come on at all in my laptop,
it seems that would rule out the problem being the
hd don't you think???? (unless it's the hd AND something
else)

I'm not sure what to do next. What else could I possibly try?
 
So far,

o You transplanted your CPU, hdd, and keyboard into parts machine (no
go)
o You transpanted parts motherboard into our machine (no go)

That leaves the screens, Try your screen on parts machine, and vice
versa.

The hard drive isn't the main problem, it would'nt prevent the screen
from ligthing up. But that does'nt mean its alive. Since your labtop
crashed, literally, it's a possibility.

Main thing is to get the screen alive.

Let us know how it works out.
 
I should say here that I haven't actually
put the ebay motherboard in my laptop
yet because I figured I could test it by putting
my good parts(I think) on it one at a time. I haven't actually
transferred parts to my laptop. Here's what I have done:

- taken both laptaps completely apart
- put my hd in the ebay one
- put my video car in the ebay one
- put my mini pci card in the ebay one
- put my keyboard on the ebay one(it didn't have one)
- put my hinge cover in the ebay one(it didn't have one)
- put my memory module in the ebay one

when it tries to power up several of the led lights come on
for a split second then 2 led lights plus the power light stay
on for 5 seconds before going off.
 
Have friend who has older dell laptop and was having similar problem as you.
Lights would come on, then everything dies. His problem was one of the
memory sticks had gone bad. Replaced that and working fine now.
 
I did try the one from my laptop which should be good (I hope)
so now the ebay one has had a chance with it's existing stick
and with my stick.

so that I don't have to put every piece back together
again each time I test it...

what are the minimum parts that I need to be hooked up
so that I can tell if it's working?

I'm guessing no:
I gather I don't need the hd (since bios screen should come up anyway
right?)
I don't need the keyboard (right?)
I don't need the palm rest assembly and CMOS ???
I wouldn't need the display if I had the hd in cause I can listen if
the hd is churning, yes?
I don't need the video card in do I?
of course I don't need the battery and cd player
 
I did try the one from my laptop which should be good (I hope)
so now the ebay one has had a chance with it's existing stick
and with my stick.

so that I don't have to put every piece back together
again each time I test it...

what are the minimum parts that I need to be hooked up
so that I can tell if it's working?
Click to expand...

RAM, video, CMOS, and ( Screen OR external display)


I'm guessing no:
I gather I don't need the hd (since bios screen should come up anyway
right?)
Yes.


I don't need the keyboard (right?)
Yes


I don't need the palm rest assembly and CMOS ???
Click to expand...

You'll want the CMOS battery.
I wouldn't need the display if I had the hd in cause I can listen if
the hd is churning, yes?
Click to expand...

No, You HAVE to have the display. Hearing the HDD churning deosn't tell
you much.
I don't need the video card in do I?
Click to expand...

You Do need the video card.
 
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