I got a shuttle SN25P, and it worked great for months. It was my first time building a computer.

Then it started having troubles starting up. A red overtemp light on the motherboard would light up when I tried to turn it on, even when it was totally cold. After a few tries, though, it would start up. I looked for solutions, and found nothing conclusive, but there were suggestions that it was something that sometimes happened with a cofiguration like mine and the person who said they had he problem too said that it was something they were just living with, and it was fine.

Just recently though, the whole computer crashed during a game, and I've been trying to get it to boot properly ever since.

At first, it would show the XPC logo splash sceen, start to boot, get to the safe mode/ start normally screen, then after that, the fans would pick up, slow down again, then the thing would reboot and do the same thing (regardless of safe mode or not, or any other option).

I tried various things, I opened it up and reseated the processor an heatsink, in the process I had to remove the CD and HDD. I naturally checked all connections. When removing my heatsink, I removed one of my two sticks of RAM to access the fan plug.
I also tried some things in bios, but I never changed much, and nothing helped.

After some of my fiddling, the computer would get past the safe mode screen and get to the windows logo, but it would remain frozen at the very first frame, still faded, and not move.

I thought that was an improvement, but after more attempts to fix the computer, it reverted to the old repeatedly restarting problem, and now it does either, maybe there's some pattern that I haven't noticed.

I turned off the quick startup thing in the BIOS, and that allowed me to see a screen that said, after some other things, "memory test fail" at startup (but the screen doesn't always come up).

On some advice I found, I reseated my RAM, to no avail. Then I realized that when I took one out to get to my heatsink fan plug, I had screwed up the proper order of blue slot first, then black. I redid it properly, thining that I may have found the problem, but there was no change.

And that's where I am now. I think that it's likely some damaged component, that if I replaced, would fix the problem. But I don't know which. As I said, this is my first computer I've built and there is no component that I can be sure I didn't damage accidentally somehow.

FYI: whenever starting up to test the cmomputer after changing something, I plugged the Hard drive back in, but not the CD-ROM, for convenience in switching.
512 X2 mB ram
nvidia 7800gt
AMD Athlon 4400 Dual core

In looking for help, I've found many things that could help prevent a problem, BIOS updates, processor utilities and updates to improve fan cooling, etc that I realize I should have done before, but didn't know about. But I can't get those if my computer doesn't boot up, and even then, they are prventative, and won't help repair my processor if it's burned out or something.


Anyone recognize the symptoms? Frankly, at this point I'd be happy to hear that the answer is simply "get a new processor" or something. If it's a hardware problem, I can replace it, but I don't know which one to replace. Not to mention that if it's not a hardware problem, that'd be nice to know.

Two more things:
I used the computer for games mostly, that's what it was built for, and I took it places many times, safely and successfully it seemed.
Ever since fiddling with it to try to get it to boot up right, I have no longer had the problem of needing to try the switch and power button multiple times in order to get it to actually turn on. It turns on without fail now, just doesn't boot up.

Is this what you have: http://global.shuttle.com/Product/Barebone/SN25P.asp


I would either test or replace the PSU as a first step.


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...er&btnG=Search


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...r+supply+units

Yes, that's what I got.

I think that the problem could be the power supply, or specificaly it's compatability with the video card. And after finding a loose power connector to the video card and fixing it, the computer no longer always turns on. When I disconnect the two power cables to the card, it turns on fine, but otherwise behaves exactly the same. Somehow.

About replacing the power supply, if that is the solution, then that sucks, because the PSU is completely attached to the case, and it's not exactly possible to simply replace it. but if it must be done... I'm still looking for alternatives.

What's really bothering me at this point is that the symptoms won't stay consistent. Sometimes I can get to the logo screen, sometimes I can see that the memory tet failed before t starts not working, and sometimes it just goes through stupid reboot cycles.

Well the easiest tests would be the RAM and the hard drive. Not to mention a different Graphics Card (although your's is specified): http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_7800.html

One of those inexpensive PSU testers might be worth a try.

Do you know the manufacturer of your hard drive?

You will find the major brand diagnostics listed here:

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

With a few others listed here:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/


As to RAM:


http://www.memtest86.com/