Penny, i have tried what you have suggested. I tried to boot with just one stick of ram, and the CPU in. The same things happens, fans spin and LED lights up, but computer shows no signs of loading (i.e beeping or clicking). In addition to this, i have even tried to boot with just the CPU and no ram, and still with no luck. I put a PSU from another computer into this computer, and the same thing happened, ruling out a faulty PSU. The only things i suspect now is the CPU or the motherboard. I could pay 50$ to get a diagnose at a computer store which one is faulty, or i could spend 80 $ and buy a new motherboard and just fit it in and see how that goes. However, i was wondering if no HDD is present would this lead to the same symtpoms i've described? Also, how much chance is there that it is the CPU thats faulty, as opposed to the motherboard being disfunctional? I have read some articles on the internet, and it is apparently very hard to tell which one is faulty as they both have the same symptoms, save from swapping them out for another CPU/motherboard, however i do not have spares. And if i was to buy a new motherboard, what should i look for? I need a AGP slot for my radeon 9600 pro 256mb, and a inbuilt sound card at preferably the cheapest price.

If you're sure power (and all it's applicable connections) to the motherboard are good, then it's the motherboard or the CPU. I tend to think it's the motherboard as you should be getting beeps if nothing else. The beep "codes" tell you what, if anything, is wrong in the hardware setup. RAM problem, CPU problem, etc. No video is another reason I suspect the motherboard. Again, if you're sure power or connections isn't the problem. It is hard to call though without being able to swap out components, as you've read on the net.

No HDD will produce a boot error of "Operating system not found. Please insert bootable media" (or similar). (Just a note on this; The boot process would also be longer as it searches for IDE devices etc, so don't think it's hanging, it just needs more time.)

I can't advise you on the financial aspects of your situation. Only you know what and how much you want to spend on this. Not being able to test things myself, I would opt for the $50.00 component test. Motherboard and CPU costs are significant, and I'd rather be sure of where the money is going and not wasted on a component I didn't really need after all.

If you opt for a new motherboard, ensure it's compatable with your existing CPU and RAM, or else you'll have to "upgrade" these as well. Most new mobo's come with an AGP video card slot as well as onboard sound/video. You should get (with a new motherboard) a drivers CD and a manual. If they don't give you a manual, demand one, even if it's a downloaded file on a floppy, or demand the site where you can download it. The manual is important for all sorts of things, especially the pin configuration for your front panel connectors. (Power switch, HDD/Power leds, etc.) Take the old MoBO with you when you go shopping. (Record or map all connections to the old board before you disconnect, just in case. It only takes a few minutes and could save hours later on.) You also want to ensure it will fit properly in your system enclosure.

If you plan on doing the swap yourself, and you've never done this, here's a site to help you in your task. Review what's there before you take any action as it may help you further in determining the "CPU/Motherboard" decision.

Please keep us posted on the situation (so I'll know whether to close this thread or keep it open), and if you have any further questions.

And what are the symptoms of a faulty CPU? So basically im left with either a CPU or a motherboard thats faulty. To my understanding from past experiences, if the CPU is faulty then the computer atleast starts up and freezes at the windows loading page (however this was with a CPU with 4 bent pins and not a completely bad one which this one might be). And should i buy an ASUS/ABIT/ or INTEL board? any difference?

Oh yeah, by the way i lent my Video card and Ram to my friend, and he says they work. So we can rule out Ram or Gfx card. Is there much difference between ram that run at 266Mhz and ram that run on 400 mhz? Im planning to get new ram, but i dont know if the performance is worth the additional cost.

As I stated, it could be the mobo or CPU as the symptoms are closely related. Your guess is as good as mine based upon what we have to work with.

I can't advise you on what you need in a mobo other than what I've already stated. You'll have to compare the features etc of the mobo's and make a choice.

To realize the full potential of the RAM you purchase, the motherboard should support the RAM capabilities.

If the CPU went bad it would still POST right? That would mean its definately the Manboard correct? Had this happen to me once / gave the mobo a good reset (pull the batt for 5 minutes) and it booted ok. Not sure what happened but the reset fixed it...

A bad or no CPU would give an "irregular post". This can be a combination of different beeps, or no beeps. It depends on the manufacturer of the motherboard, and the bios which is on it. Again, without the ability of verifying components, my decision would be to have the testing done.

Note that if you reset the bios to factory defaults, beforehand you should record any changes you made for personal preferences or O/S requirements. Try the reset, it can't hurt.