- Oct 21, 2013
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- 10,510
I'll begin by stating the obvious, this is my first ever build. This will become apparent as I continue. I put together the PC about 2 weeks ago, it wouldn't give me a splash screen, I went to Microcenter, RMA'd the motherboard under their advice, and attempted to put it together again tonight with the new motherboard, and with similar issues.
3 weeks ago, I ordered all the parts from various websites, and that weekend I put it all together. I first installed the PSU, CD drive, and storage drives into the case. I then placed the motherboard inside. I had taken time to make sure the standoffs were all in the correct places beforehand. However, I struggled with aligning the motherboard on the standoffs and with the I/O plate. There were 3 standoffs that stood beyond the size of my motherboard, and I bumped it into those a couple times. I also made contact between the standoffs and the underside of the motherboard before it was all perfectly aligned, although they were all millimeters away from the holes when that happened.
After installing the motherboard, I installed the CPU. After making certain it was lined up correctly, I placed it into its socket. I lightly nudged its side before it fell into place. I then placed the stock fan carefully onto it. After struggling for several minutes to latch the fan's clasps onto the motherboard, I, now pretty anxious, pulled off the fan to try and put it back on, in case I had placed it incorrectly. Unfortunately, the CPU came with it, thanks to the thermal paste. The CPU then quickly fell off from the fan, and landed in the bottom of the case, which I had turned right side up when putting in the fan. Experiencing feelings of pain and fear no man should know, I gingerly retrieved the CPU. I looked online and saw stories where the same thing had happened and everything had been fine, and also that AMD fans were notoriously hard to put in. Now feeling there may still be hope for me, I carefully replaced the CPU and spent about 10 minutes working at the fan before it finally latched on properly.
I made short work of the RAM, having checked my motherboard already for the correct 2 card configuration.
I then stuck in the video card, which also went without a flaw.
I connected all of the power cables to their respective slots, and connected the PWR and other cables to their correct pins, referencing my motherboard manual. One thing that I'd like to note is that the 24 pin power cable does not fully insert into the slot. No matter how much pressure is applied, the two hooks between the cable and the slot don't connect, and there is about a millimeter of space between the cable and slot. The replacement motherboard has the identical issue.
Anyways, After plugging all the cables in and connecting the various components (aside from the HDD, because I neglected that the motherboard came with 2 SATA cables, so I used them on the optical drive and SDD), I plugged in the PSU's cable, flipped it on, and hit the case's power button. All the expected lights and fans turned on, however the monitor continued to display the "no signal" message. I then went through the majority of the items in this thread: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems , however nothing helped.
The next day, I went to microcenter to acquire a case speaker to help me troubleshoot. They told me they didn't have them, so I left with another SATA cable and a PCIe usb3.0 card (this was because my front panel USBs were 3.0 and I only had 2.0 headers on the mobo). I called a family friend with a good deal of computer knowledge to ask if he had any case speakers, but he didn't. after opening up two ancient desktops in my house to look for one (no luck) I decided to bring my PC into microcenter to get professional help, feeling hopeless. I brought it in, everything still together, bag of manuals in-tow, and the employee told me my motherboard wasn't working. She thought everything was plugged in correctly, except that the I/O panel wasn't exactly aligned correctly. I RMA'd the motherboard, and the replacement just got here today. I also ordered a case speaker online, which arrived beforehand.
While waiting for the motherboard to arrive, the optical drive and storage drives remained in the case. The video card sat in its antistatic packaging on my desk, and nothing ever bumped into it. My CPU was placed in its original plastic case, thermal paste still on. I also made sure to check the pins, and all were straight except for one on a corner, which was very slightly bent halfway up. I didn't mess with it because forums said that if it wasn't horrifically bent, then the CPU socket would align it correctly, and it would be best to do that rather than bend it back yourself. The RAM sat in its original packaging, as did the USB 3.0 card. The heatsink fan sat in its original packaging, also with thermal paste still on.
Anyways, today, the replacement motherboard arrived. This time, I carefully placed my motherboard on its box in order to do an external build.
At first when I set the CPU in its socket, it didn't drop in, so I immediately removed it and checked all the pins, which were fine. I lined it up again and this time it dropped in. I closed the latch, and placed the heatsink fan carefully on top. It went fine and latched into place without too much effort this time. I then installed both sticks of RAM and then the video card, both of which went fine. I inserted the speaker, and then all the power cables. The 24 pin connector had the same issue as before.
I connected the PSU and turned the PC on by shorting the PWR pins, which turned out to be very simple. All of the fans and lights turned on, but to my horror there was no POST beep or on-screen information. I tried connecting the speaker flipped over, I tried each stick of RAM, I tried no RAM, I tried no video card, I tried no speaker, I tried no monitor, I tried nothing but CPU and fan, I tried each of those things in all possible combinations, and still nothing. I tried every single thing listed in the thread listed earlier, and nothing has worked. No matter what I do, I get no POST, only fans and lights. The only things in the thread I have not done is test with another PSU (I don't have one), short the PSU with paperclips, or test it by measuring voltages (I don't have the tool).
I have always been taking many precautions against ESD, either touching the case (metal) literally every 10 seconds or literally leaning on/holding the case. I haven't detected any smoky smell coming from any components, and everything appears to be in good condition, no cracks or chips, nothing.
If ANYONE can please help me with this I'd be extremely grateful. I realize how horrifying my mistakes sound, but I'm trying. This is killing me, when I try to boot and get nothing it straight up makes me dizzy. I just want to figure out what the problem is, I've put so much of my money into this.
FULL SYSTEM SPECS:
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131872
CPU: AMD FX-4100 Zambezi 3.6Ghz AM3+ 95W Quad Core Processor FD4100WMGUSBX
RAM: Kingston HyperX Blu 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1600MHz PC3-12800 Memory
Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150605
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139048
SDD: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1ZTZOG/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1
HDD: Western Digital WD10EZEX 1TB HDD SATA3 3.5" Desktop Hard Drive
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 24x SATA DVDRW DVD Burner Dual Layer
Case: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GXZ8MM/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_3
OS: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0094NY3R0/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_2
Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153
Speaker: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201032
One last thing: The monitor is not the issue, I've used it with other devices, same connection, same cable, worked fine.
PLEASE HELP
3 weeks ago, I ordered all the parts from various websites, and that weekend I put it all together. I first installed the PSU, CD drive, and storage drives into the case. I then placed the motherboard inside. I had taken time to make sure the standoffs were all in the correct places beforehand. However, I struggled with aligning the motherboard on the standoffs and with the I/O plate. There were 3 standoffs that stood beyond the size of my motherboard, and I bumped it into those a couple times. I also made contact between the standoffs and the underside of the motherboard before it was all perfectly aligned, although they were all millimeters away from the holes when that happened.
After installing the motherboard, I installed the CPU. After making certain it was lined up correctly, I placed it into its socket. I lightly nudged its side before it fell into place. I then placed the stock fan carefully onto it. After struggling for several minutes to latch the fan's clasps onto the motherboard, I, now pretty anxious, pulled off the fan to try and put it back on, in case I had placed it incorrectly. Unfortunately, the CPU came with it, thanks to the thermal paste. The CPU then quickly fell off from the fan, and landed in the bottom of the case, which I had turned right side up when putting in the fan. Experiencing feelings of pain and fear no man should know, I gingerly retrieved the CPU. I looked online and saw stories where the same thing had happened and everything had been fine, and also that AMD fans were notoriously hard to put in. Now feeling there may still be hope for me, I carefully replaced the CPU and spent about 10 minutes working at the fan before it finally latched on properly.
I made short work of the RAM, having checked my motherboard already for the correct 2 card configuration.
I then stuck in the video card, which also went without a flaw.
I connected all of the power cables to their respective slots, and connected the PWR and other cables to their correct pins, referencing my motherboard manual. One thing that I'd like to note is that the 24 pin power cable does not fully insert into the slot. No matter how much pressure is applied, the two hooks between the cable and the slot don't connect, and there is about a millimeter of space between the cable and slot. The replacement motherboard has the identical issue.
Anyways, After plugging all the cables in and connecting the various components (aside from the HDD, because I neglected that the motherboard came with 2 SATA cables, so I used them on the optical drive and SDD), I plugged in the PSU's cable, flipped it on, and hit the case's power button. All the expected lights and fans turned on, however the monitor continued to display the "no signal" message. I then went through the majority of the items in this thread: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems , however nothing helped.
The next day, I went to microcenter to acquire a case speaker to help me troubleshoot. They told me they didn't have them, so I left with another SATA cable and a PCIe usb3.0 card (this was because my front panel USBs were 3.0 and I only had 2.0 headers on the mobo). I called a family friend with a good deal of computer knowledge to ask if he had any case speakers, but he didn't. after opening up two ancient desktops in my house to look for one (no luck) I decided to bring my PC into microcenter to get professional help, feeling hopeless. I brought it in, everything still together, bag of manuals in-tow, and the employee told me my motherboard wasn't working. She thought everything was plugged in correctly, except that the I/O panel wasn't exactly aligned correctly. I RMA'd the motherboard, and the replacement just got here today. I also ordered a case speaker online, which arrived beforehand.
While waiting for the motherboard to arrive, the optical drive and storage drives remained in the case. The video card sat in its antistatic packaging on my desk, and nothing ever bumped into it. My CPU was placed in its original plastic case, thermal paste still on. I also made sure to check the pins, and all were straight except for one on a corner, which was very slightly bent halfway up. I didn't mess with it because forums said that if it wasn't horrifically bent, then the CPU socket would align it correctly, and it would be best to do that rather than bend it back yourself. The RAM sat in its original packaging, as did the USB 3.0 card. The heatsink fan sat in its original packaging, also with thermal paste still on.
Anyways, today, the replacement motherboard arrived. This time, I carefully placed my motherboard on its box in order to do an external build.
At first when I set the CPU in its socket, it didn't drop in, so I immediately removed it and checked all the pins, which were fine. I lined it up again and this time it dropped in. I closed the latch, and placed the heatsink fan carefully on top. It went fine and latched into place without too much effort this time. I then installed both sticks of RAM and then the video card, both of which went fine. I inserted the speaker, and then all the power cables. The 24 pin connector had the same issue as before.
I connected the PSU and turned the PC on by shorting the PWR pins, which turned out to be very simple. All of the fans and lights turned on, but to my horror there was no POST beep or on-screen information. I tried connecting the speaker flipped over, I tried each stick of RAM, I tried no RAM, I tried no video card, I tried no speaker, I tried no monitor, I tried nothing but CPU and fan, I tried each of those things in all possible combinations, and still nothing. I tried every single thing listed in the thread listed earlier, and nothing has worked. No matter what I do, I get no POST, only fans and lights. The only things in the thread I have not done is test with another PSU (I don't have one), short the PSU with paperclips, or test it by measuring voltages (I don't have the tool).
I have always been taking many precautions against ESD, either touching the case (metal) literally every 10 seconds or literally leaning on/holding the case. I haven't detected any smoky smell coming from any components, and everything appears to be in good condition, no cracks or chips, nothing.
If ANYONE can please help me with this I'd be extremely grateful. I realize how horrifying my mistakes sound, but I'm trying. This is killing me, when I try to boot and get nothing it straight up makes me dizzy. I just want to figure out what the problem is, I've put so much of my money into this.
FULL SYSTEM SPECS:
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131872
CPU: AMD FX-4100 Zambezi 3.6Ghz AM3+ 95W Quad Core Processor FD4100WMGUSBX
RAM: Kingston HyperX Blu 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1600MHz PC3-12800 Memory
Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150605
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139048
SDD: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1ZTZOG/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1
HDD: Western Digital WD10EZEX 1TB HDD SATA3 3.5" Desktop Hard Drive
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 24x SATA DVDRW DVD Burner Dual Layer
Case: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GXZ8MM/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_3
OS: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0094NY3R0/ref=pe_385040_30332190_pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_2
Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153
Speaker: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201032
One last thing: The monitor is not the issue, I've used it with other devices, same connection, same cable, worked fine.
PLEASE HELP
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