In personal computers, the motherboard is the central circuit board that holds many of the crucial components of the system. It essentially provides the electrical connections needed for the different parts of the computer to communicate. Motherboards have no moving parts, so failure is rare. Physical damage to the motherboard is the biggest cause of failure, so it is important to know whether or not damage has been done to the computer. Motherboard failure is rare. It is more likely that your computer problems are coming from a defective power supply, hard drive, or memory. However, it is important to know the signs of broken motherboards.
Key Signs of a Broken Motherboard
1. The computer does nothing when you push the power button. This is more likely to be a power supply problem, but a defective motherboard is also a possibility.
2. The computer goes to a screen that says something is wrong with the motherboard. For example, it may say “BIOS failure” or show random numbers that do not match your processor or system temperature.
3. A certain computer component that is known to be working (such as an HD or memory chip) shows failure when you hook it up. The motherboard is the source of all internal computer communication, so this failure may be related to a defective motherboard.
Signs that the Issue is NOT with the Motherboard
1. You see an error message to the effect of: operating system not found
2. There is any kind of screen prompt.
3. The power supply fan turns on, but nothing else happens. This is likely to be a processor failure.
4. Everything seems fine with the computer, but you cannot see anything on the monitor. This is probably a display or video problem.
Find A Computer Professional
If you do have a broken motherboard, it may need to be replaced. Consult with a computer repair professional to determine whether the broken motherboard is salvageable. TalkLocal is a great tool to connect you with high quality computer repair professionals in your area. Use Talk Local to be connected with the right professionals in just minutes, for free.
