Partial failure of mobo or CPU?

[xbskid]

So my computer has been working just fine for the longest time (since about the last time I posted on these forums, though I can't remembe when), until yesterday when I packed it up to bring to work to test the component video on a 42" plasma. I got it to boot once or twice sucessfully, and it seemed fine. Later that day, I went to test an old, somewhat corroded Gateway DVD drive the only showed up as a CD drive in XP. It didn't work properly, so I uninstalled it. After that, however, when I wanted to show off my video card a bit, my RAID controller stopped detecting my second drive (I don't have a RAID array set up; I only use it as a secondary IDE controller), and it wouldn't boot to the hard disk that it did detect. I started pulling out cards and disconnecting devices, and resetting the CMOS multiple times, putting my hard disks on the main IDE controllers, but I couldn't get to the point where a device was to boot. More specifically, the computer would POST, do a memory check, detect devices, go to the RAID device detection, and plop me at the IRQ table, and then hang. It would not proceed to boot from a floppy, the hard disk, or anything. If you left it, the computer would reboot itself as if you hit the reset button. Occasionally when accessing the BIOS setup menu, the computer would also reset itself. After consulting with an accquaintance online, and verifying the voltages on the power supply with a known-good PSU, he came to the conclusion that it was either a motherboard or CPU failure. If I can find some thermal paste, I'll be able to verify the CPU by swapping it with a 2700+. If anyone has any suggestions, insight, or input, I'd be very thankful.

 

Extra notes: Yes I've tried a different video card (known good), and yes I've tried with a single stick of memory.

[medianOCer]

The corroded DVD drive caused some kind of problem and/or corruption of your BIOS?

Hopefully not any kind of damage to your board, or the components on it. If the DVD

drive is in the condition that you mentioned, would there also be issues with the PCB

of the DVD drive and maybe some internal and electrical problems with it also, which

could have been the cause of the problems you're now having, possibly. Probably?

[xbskid]

From what I could tell, it was just the casing on the drive that was partially corroded, but it unfortunately didn't function as intended. The computer did boot successfully when connected to the DVD drive, though I'm not sure if disconnecting it caused any damage.

[medianOCer]

Did you reflash your BIOS, in case the drive caused some type of BIOS corruption issues?

Hopefully your MB didn't get damaged and/or other components connected to it.

 

Of course you'd want to make sure you're savvy with BIOS flashing before getting into that,

but that might be something to look into and see if it would help with the problems you're

having.

[xbskid]

The last BIOS update was June 2003, which is what I've had since I've gotten the board. I have not flashed the BIOS within the past 6+ months.