I think i messed up my computer

[JonFox]

Hello. I am not very knowledgeable w/ computer hardware. This is why i came, seeking professional insight.

So, here's my problem:
This is going to sound stupid, but today i accidently kicked over my computer and once it fell on its side, it froze. So i hit the restart button. Next thing i know, nothing happens and the moniter is blank. I hear none of the usual beeps of a normal startup. My computer was built for me by a friend. One time i was installing a cooling case for my memory, and the same thing happened. This was a year ago, so i dont remember much, but my friend came over and he said he needed to reset/clear something. So anyway, my friend is on vacation now so today i opened up my computer and looked around for some kind of button to press. Naturally there is none, and i am confused by it all. So i spent tonight digging around the internet for clues, and i learn a few things. I finally just found the online manual for my motherboard, which turns out to be a n2pap-lite w/ nforce2 chip. Anyway, it tells me how to clear the CMOS, and im like bingo that must be what my friend did that one time. Here's where things get really bad, and "here" refers to 20 minutes ago. OK the manual is specific to tell me to unplug the power and then take out the ATX plug before doing so. I follow instructions, and i clear it. did it work? no. Do i feel like i did it wrong? yes. So i do it again. Only this time i think to myself, what if i just keep the power on for a few seconds while i do it? It made sense to me, that i needed some power. Then, a minute ago i found a website talking about clearing the CMOS in different ways. What stood out most was that it said if i cleared it with the power on, i can damage my motherboard. At this point my jaw literally dropped. Now im back at square one, 3 hours ago.
Suggestions? Advice? Money?
my thoughts as of now: so the cmos probably wasnt the problem. But if it wasnt then, it probably is now. I guess ill have to get a new motherboard... If i cant be helped with this one, then i would like advice on what to buy. Should i get the same one or are there better ones? why does this have to happen!!!!!!

picture of my motherboard, n2pap-lite:
http://www.ocinside.de/assets/mainbo...lite_u_big.jpg
my computer: amd 2500 barton, been overclocked
radeon 9600 128mb
winxp, sp2
thats pretty much all i know

please help, thanks !! aaaahhhhh

[spyder003]

Originally Posted by JonFox so the cmos probably wasnt the problem

Probably not. The first thing I would have done, would have been check all the connections, and make sure everything is still seated ok. You can still try that now, but if you cleared the CMOS with the power on, it might be pointless.

[Propain]

Was the computer ON when this tragedy happened? if so then your hard drive is probly gone to hard drive heaven, try and borrow another one and see if it boots up with it.

sincerely yours

Bawb

[enhanced08]

i would also guess the HDD died. it is the only moving part besides fanes inside a computer. when you move them the read/write heads bounce off the spinning platters and can damage them. thats why you should never move a computer while its running. shut it down first then move it.

[WalterK]

It's really impossible to know exactly what went wrong when you knocked the computer over...could be the HDD died as Propain and Enhanced08 suggest, could be something like the vid card or RAM came unseated, or any one of a number of other things. I'd start by removing and reinserting the RAM and the various cards, beginnning with the video card. I'd also check the cable connections between the motherboard and the drives, as well as the power connections to the drives. Make sure the switch on the rear of the power supply is in the "on" position. I'd check the front panel connections, too, to make sure in particular that the power switch wire is still connected to the motherboard. If you don't feel comfortable in doing all this stuff, take it to a computer guy to see what's really broken. Otherwise, you could find yourself buying random parts to fix something that isn't broken.

HTH

[Panama Red]

Moderator note:

I edited your title. Vulgar language, even the hidden kind, is not tolerated here. Please don't do it again.