I've searched this forum and the FAQ section I guess you would call it and have found similarites with the problem I'm having. But I'm not 100% on if they are the same so decided to make post.

Computer Specs
Windows Xp Service Pack 2
Asus PN532-SLI Deluxe (not sure if thats the right model number)
Intel 3.6Ghz
600 watt PSU
8800 GTS EVGA (switched 6800 in after pc starting acting up thinking was a vid card issue)
2 GB RAM
160 GB Hard Drive
Sound Blaster Xfi Sound card

Problem:
First to start I've had this set up for more then a year and its worked fine so havn't added anything new to cuase the problem. Fans all work Hard Drive acts normal for a sec or two then does nothing (makes the loading noise when you turn on pc then just idles) everything runs on the PC , CD drives open , fans on vid card work, keyboard and mouse light up. As far as the "POST" thing don't really recall there ever being any beeps my pc made. Only thing I COULD call a beep orginates from the Harddrive and its ONE long beep sound which I've heard it make ever since I've had it.

But onto the problem it started a day or two before I didn't think to much of it THOUGHT at the time it was a driver issue. What would happen was that the PC would freeze on me. Sometimes alittle bit after the desktop came up and other times 30 mins or more, sometimes not at all. So made me think was just a driver problem and I did a system restore and brought it back to a few days ago.

PC went a day without it having any problems thought problem was solved. Turned PC off next day tried to boot pc loaded up went to the XP load screen and froze. Still didnt think to much about, restarted it and then it wouldn't show any image on the screen.

Naturally I thought guess 8800 gone bad so I put a old graphics card in (6800) and still got the same problem even switched PCI-E slots nothing. Then tried to see if it was my moniter went and got an old working moniter and tried it, got the same results. So pretty conviced of it not being a vid card issue I start thinking maybe it was the hard drive but thats just my uneducated guess. Would I still get a screen to come up on Moniter if I had Hard Drive unplugged? If so I still didn't once I removed it totally (IDE cable and power supply).

I've tried multiple things unpluggin everything and only having essitentails powered up and in Motherboard (no cd drives, sound card,etc) still had the same result. Removed one RAM at a time tried each in a different slot still had same result. A few new ones I'll try out that I got from the site one being try to onboard mobo vid the other was "power cycling" turning pc off and on real quick to try and jump start it.

But the thing that gets me is that some times very rarly now say 1 out of 100, and its usally after I had left it alone for a while I can get a screen to come up but havn't had as much success recently. Some times its just the Mobo screen (grey screen has Mobo name on it) and it'll just freeze there. Other times I've been able to get the XP screen and either have it Freeze or have moniter go black and have the yellow light on. Had it get as far as the desktop once and go to no signal and stop. Each one of these times the second it froze or went to stand by on moniter the hard drive had stoped and sat idle ( could tell it was runing but not loading).

So I really have no idea what is wrong, wether its a bad CPU which is possible I guess never used the stock one that came with it used a much bigger and one that cooled it down better but left my pc runing quiet a bit (5hrs at a time sometimes). Or if its a powersupply issue or Hard Drive issue ( if somebody could give me characteristics of what a bad hard drive would be like so I could compare it with mine it be nice not sure if its the problem but what I'm hoping it is) or if its a bad Mobo.

Thanks for time reading I know its a bit of info but thought I'd put down as much I could.
Welcome to the CH forums.

We sometimes have to nudge new posters into giving even sketchy details of their problem system, your first post could be hung out as an example that lots of info is good info. Thanks.

I suggest you backtrack just a little and run RAM diagnostics program Memtest86 from Memtest.com and run the hard drive manufacturers diagnostic program which is usually AVAILABLE from the manufacturer's site.

Do you have temperature monitoring hardware/software installed, if so are the temps within the processor and chipset specs (I think the correct model number is P5N32-SLI) which are shown here.Thanks for the reply

Some thing I forgot to mention was that sometimes instead of freezing it would just automatically restart.Also the model number that you posted is the correct name of the motherboard I have.

But about those programs,I don't have any way to run Memtest or the hard drive diagnostic program or and have no hardware or software that would be able to check temp specs.. I'm using a pc from school to post and have no back up at home to try any of those programs out on and the pc thats having the problem doesn't let me get anywhere to do so.

I tried the steps that were mentioned in the FAQ section the the power cycling, the taking out of the battery and putting it back in, the resetting of the CPU. All of which had no change, I checked the CPU out didn't look damaged at all no bent pins, no burn't marks or anything just the temp paste stuff on top of it to help keep it cooled down. Same with the battery looked like nothing wrong with it.

Took the liberty of cleaning out my machine was dusty I don't suppose that could cuase hardware to go bad? It was pretty dusty all over the pc.

Something wanted to add if I had no hard Drive plugged in and just had vid card and mobo and fans, etc hooked up would I get a message on my pc to show up on moniter. Some thing like "No hard drive found" or anything, cuase if so I don't get that when I have the hard drive unplugged get nothing on screen on start up the same as it is when hard drive is plugged in.

Thanks for reply since I don't have anyway to use the programs is it probably just best for me to spend the money and have a place like Geek Squad at best buy check it out?If you can burn CDs on that PC go here http://www.ubcd4win.com/downloads.htm and download that and burn it to CD.
Boot from that CD and run the hard drive diagnostics. It should tell you for sure whether your hard drive is bad or not.
I recommend running all of the diagnostics on there.Hi,
I am not really good in Computer but its good to contribute.
I had once that problem with Asus motherboard playing up from the boot.
I try resetting the CPU, RAM, Hard disk but didn't work and somehow when i replaced the cpu fan with the other of the same type and it works.

Thanks



Thanks guys for the help I took it down to best buy for them to look at mobo went out on it. So decided to just get new pc guess get to find out all the problems that other people with vista have been having now . I don't know much about dual core cpus but what I ended up getting was HP with AMD x64 dual core 5600+, 3gbs ram DDR2, 640 GB HD for $749 not sure if that was a good deal or not though is it? But anyway I'd like to thank all that helped out replys were real quick and glad I found this site.