MOBO is dying

[Frank4d]

My PC suddenly rebooted a few minutes ago. When it came back up Windows was running 100% CPU and could not access TaskManager, no Ctrl+Alt+Del, nothing... I shut it down manually and restarted. Power came on but would not POST, no beeps, no video, and HDD and DVD activity lights stuck on. I decided to reset the CMOS and still would not POST. I pulled the power cord and plugged it back in, now it works.

This has happened about six times in the past month. PSU is good, and so is the CMOS battery (measured them all with Speedfan and also with a voltmeter). CPU temp is around 40C and case temp is around 42C. Memtest shows the RAM is good. Substituted another video card, tried unplugging drives. Everytime this has happened the CMOS was corrupted. I am thinking the MOBO is about to die.

I have been putting off replacing the MOBO because I am running XP Pro OEM. New MOBO means reactivating an OEM license and convincing Microsoft CS that my MOBO died... and it just happened to die on Christmas day. Does anyone here have experience reactivating an OEM license after replacing a dead MOBO?

ECS PT800CE-A mobo (will buy Asus or Abit next time)
P4E @ 3.0GHz
2 x 512MB DDR3200 (that has never run dual channel with this mobo)

 

[Klync]

Wow, same problem I have. What mobo you have? I reset the bios and still no good.
I have this chaintech vnf4 only 3.5 weeks. I ordered from Newegg, so I should able RMA it.

 

[Frank4d]

Wow, same problem I have. What mobo you have? I reset the bios and still no good.
I have this chaintech vnf4 only 3.5 weeks. I ordered from Newegg, so I should able RMA it.

I had to pull the power plug and plug it back in to get it to POST.

 

[kirbyrj]

I've never had a problem with MS activating me. It's a PITA because you have to wait to talk to someone and then read off a bunch of numbers and stuff like that, but it's not a problem. I've done it with an old dead laptop that I reused the license for on a desktop. Just say the board died and you had to replace it and you have to reactivate. They shouldn't give you problems.

 

[xerus`]

I've never had a problem with MS activating me. It's a PITA because you have to wait to talk to someone and then read off a bunch of numbers and stuff like that, but it's not a problem. I've done it with an old dead laptop that I reused the license for on a desktop. Just say the board died and you had to replace it and you have to reactivate. They shouldn't give you problems.

Yup. I actually had my windows activation deactivate itself on its own on my older computer, and I just called them up and told them what happened. They gave me a new windows XP cd key to use without questions.