New ITX build, powers on, nothing else happens

littlebum2002

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Nov 22, 2010
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OK, my build:

AMD A6-6400K APU processor (CPU + GPU for people like me who didn't know that)
ASRock FM2A88X-ITX+ motherboard (no embedded GPU)
GSKILL 8GB memory
Pico PSU
SSD


Anyway, I've plugged everything in, I plug in my PSU, I plug in my monitor, I turn it on, and nothing shows up. The PSU lights up, so I know it has juice, and the CPU fan turns on, so I know the motherboard is getting juice. So I'm trying to figure out what the problem is.

Also, please note: I am a beginner at this.I have built only 1 computer before, and it was a few years ago. Adding into that, the box for my processor got thrown away, and I don't THINK there should have been something in there ( a CD for drivers or something? That doesn't make sense. But I don't know) but maybe there is and I have forgotten. So it is entirely possible I've omitted a crucial step here, but I don't think I have.
(Is it possible to install a CPU wrong? I've toggled everything else in and out except that, but I don't want to toggle it because then I'd have to go buy more thermal putty)

Now on my last computers (and most computers even though I don't have experience) there are integrated graphics on the motherboard, so even if everything else is dead, you should be able to still get SOMETHING from plugging in a monitor and turning it on (I think). But this one doesn't have integrated graphics at ALL in the mobo, they're all in the APU. Maybe that means something? I have to do something differently? I tried plugging in a graphics card but nothing came out of it, either.
 
Solution
MD A6-6400K Richland Dual-Core 3.9GHz Socket FM2 65W Desktop Processor

Thermal Design Power -- 65 Watt

The Thermal Design Power (TDP) is the average maximum power a processor can dissipate while running commercially available software. TDP is primarily used as a guideline for manufacturers of thermal solutions (heatsinks/fans, etc) which tells them how much heat their solution should dissipate. TDP is not the maximum power the CPU may generate - there may be periods of time when the CPU dissipates more power than designed, in which case either the CPU temperature will rise closer to the maximum, or special CPU circuitry will activate and add idle cycles or reduce CPU frequency with the intent of reducing the amount of generated...

littlebum2002

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Nov 22, 2010
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My processor uses 65W, so is it possible that everything else together (no graphics card) uses over 55W?

I was under the impression that memory, mb, and hard drive budget about 1W apiece.
 
MD A6-6400K Richland Dual-Core 3.9GHz Socket FM2 65W Desktop Processor

Thermal Design Power -- 65 Watt

The Thermal Design Power (TDP) is the average maximum power a processor can dissipate while running commercially available software. TDP is primarily used as a guideline for manufacturers of thermal solutions (heatsinks/fans, etc) which tells them how much heat their solution should dissipate. TDP is not the maximum power the CPU may generate - there may be periods of time when the CPU dissipates more power than designed, in which case either the CPU temperature will rise closer to the maximum, or special CPU circuitry will activate and add idle cycles or reduce CPU frequency with the intent of reducing the amount of generated power.

I agree that a pico PSU-120 is not strong enough to start the system. A similar motherboard, Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI, states in the manual:
it is recommended that a power supply that can withstand high
power consumption be used (300W or greater). If a power supply is used that does not provide the required power, the result can lead to an unstable or unbootable system.
 
Solution

littlebum2002

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Nov 22, 2010
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Well, regardless of the power supply, that isn't the issue. I plugged my "normal" psu in and it's still doing the same thing.

(I think it's 350W but it might be more. And it's 24 pin). So there's another issue here.

But on the psu issue, these itx boards were literally made for low power consumption. Most cases, mine included, won't even fit a 350W power supply and instead are made for these picopsu's, which top out at 180W.

This is the build I followed, and his psu is smaller than mine

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/26-home-theater-computers/1410670-mini-itx-100-fanless-htpc-mpc-hc-lav-madvr-1080p-ok-13w-power-under-win7.html