motherboard (i think) problem

[crankuptheska]

A couple months ago I built my first computer (from a barebones kit), and everything worked fine for about a week; I installed Windows XP OEM, accessed the internet, etc.. Then, one day, I turned it on, and it would not advance past the motherboard screen (the one that has the option to go to BIOS or POST.) The keyboard did not work, so I could not access the BIOS or anything... it just sort of froze. I then sent my motherboard back to the manufacturer for repair, as I thought that the motherboard was the problem. I received it back last week with a 'serviced' sticker on the bottom, but no description of what they did. I attempted to re-assemble my system last night, and I am having the same problem. Does anyone know what's going on?

Maxtor 160GB EIDE HD 7200/8MB/ATA-13
Intel Celeron 350 3.20Ghz 533FSB Socket 478
MSI PM8M-V Socket 478 Motherboard
Ultra 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz CL3 RAM
LiteOn 16xDVD Burner
XFX GeForce MX4000 128MB DDR AGP w/ TV Out
Ultra 350w V-Series PSU
8 Ch 7.1 HighPerfm Surround Sound 3D PCI Sound Card
Ultra Aluminum Cooling Fan Skt 478 upto P4 3.06GHz
Ultra 3.5 Floppy Drive with All-In-One Reader

[rjfvillarosa]

When you went on the internet did you do all the windows updates?
Are you running antivirus and malware scanners?
have you tried assembling the machine with the minimum amount of hardware, just ram, video, keyboard and mouse?
Disconnect all the IDE devices and see if it will boot to just the BIOS screen (some motherboards will not boot even to BIOS with no hard drive connected)

[crankuptheska]

yes
yes
i'll try it

[rjfvillarosa]

Try disconnecting one thing at a time to see if an optical device is causing the problem.
Have you got a spare stick of RAM you can try?

[crankuptheska]

No, I don't.

I just finished trying what you suggested (disconnecting everything except the RAM) and am having the same problem.

[rjfvillarosa]

There is one more thing you can try and that is "an out of case build". Basically this means assembling your machine outside of its case and therefore eliminating the possibilty that the mother board is shorting to the frame of your case, but you say that the machine ran OK for a week, so that suggests that it is not shorting otherwise it wouldn't have started up originally, can you check to make sure that nothing has moved or a fibre washer hasn't crushed and is no longer insulating your mother board from the case?
Have you got a spare PSU you can substitute quickly just to eliminate it?

[crankuptheska]

No, I've got no spare parts of any kind.

And my board does not use fiber washers, I don't think... It has a built in metal ring around each screw hole.

[flanzig1]

Check the I/O sheild at the back of the computer. If it is not installed correctly, it may not allow the keyboard to be fully plugged into the motherboard.

[crankuptheska]

took it to a computer guy. turns out my ram was bad. sorry for wasting your time, and thanks to all of you who suggested stuff.