A7N8X-E deluxe -- fans on when power connected, no post

[MrNatural]

I bought my son a Sandisk e280 mp3 player, and his 4-year-old computer wasn't able to recognize it (player works on other computers). Sandisk support said it was a USB power problem. I found a few posts around the 'net that suggested that changing the USB jumpers from +5VSB to +5 would give USB more juice. I tried this last night, and as soon as power is re-connected to the system, the A7N8X's light comes on and all fans (including CPU fan) turn on -- without touching the "power on" button. The computer does not boot. Pushing the power-on & reset buttons does nothing. I switched the jumpers back to +5VSB, but that had no effect: the fans still run as soon as the power-rocker is flipped.

I tried pulling the battery and jumpering the CMOS, but again this changed nothing. I also disconnected the power-on switch, to no avail.

I've built a number of systems over the years, including this one, and have never fried a motherboard before. Does it sound like this one is gone? Is there anything else I could try?
Thanks!

[JTKWalesUK1981]

i wouldnt have thought so but anything is possible.

Try unplugging ALL usb devices and reboot pc.

[MrNatural]

Thanks. There were no USB devices connected during that process.

I just pulled the motherboard out of the case, stripped down to RAM and processor. Again, as soon as power is connected, the A7N8X-E's light comes on and the CPU fan spins (without shorting the power pins).

I wish I had a way of knowing whether a) the motherboard b) the XP 3200+ or c) both were dead. I would replace the mobo -- probably with something different; I guess whatever I can find -- if I knew the proc was okay.

[JTKWalesUK1981]

u have a friends system u can test em in?

[mydian]

Take the CPU out and see if it still happens.. Should say CPU fail or something with no CPU installed I would think. I'd hardly suspect the CPU in this situation.. sounds like a dead mobo..

[MrNatural]

Alas, no similar hardware available to test with. I guess I'll gamble that the XP3200 is still good, pick up another board and try the proc+RAM on it. Looking at a MSI KT6 Delta.
Thanks all.