On Power on, Nothing happens..please help!

XataX

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My configuration is the following:

Intel Core 2 Duo - E6600 2.4Ghz
GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Enhance ENP-5150GH 500W ATX12V Rev.2.2 (24/20+8/4+6), 80+ RoHS, Quiet PSU
Patriot Signature Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model PSD22G667K - Retail
SAPPHIRE 100168L Radeon X1900XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 CrossFire Video Card - Retail
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 300GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Retail
NEC 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE/ATAPI Model ND-3550A - OEM
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-WW Black/Silver Aluminum Bezel, SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Hanns·G HC-194D Black 19" 8ms LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 700:1 Built in Speakers 0.294mm Pixel Pitch - Retail
Saitek PK02U 2-Tone 104 Normal Keys USB Standard Eclipse II Keyboard - Retail
Artic Silver 5

I started building my system today.

First, I attached the PSU to the case, then mounted the processor and heatsink with 2 RAM sticks in dual channel configuration mode. Then I mounted the motherboard into the Case on the standoffs. Attached the 20 pin and 4 pin power connectors and added the graphics card to PCI-E slot. Connected the PCI-E power connector to the graphics card and then connected Power/HDD LEDs and other such connections.

Then I tried to power up the system. The blue power LED of the Centurion lights up for split second and then there is nothing. If I disconnect the PSU from the mains and attach it again and power up, the same thing repeats. No fans spin, no other response from the system.

Am I doing something wrong here? I could use some help now. I feel as if my $1.4k has gone down the drain and feel very dissappointed...can someone please help..?

Sorry for the long post.

Let me know if anyone needs more information.
 

shaba230

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PRINT THIS AND FOLLOW STEP BY STEP

use only one piece of ram in single channel (look in your book for which slot is dimm1 and make sure it says that on the motherboard in really small print too)

disconnect all power except that to your motherboard and video card/pcie slot

remove all the cables from the motherboard except the power cable (this means no sata etc cables connected to the motherboard)--of course leave the power SW attached the the mainboard though, but disconnect the rest

try to power on, does the cpu fan spin?

yes...connect everything else one by one

no, follow on:

did you hear any beeps, if so post here

remove the video card and the power with it

remove the cpu fan, and the cpu from the socket.

review the cpu installation guide provided, make sure u installed it with the triangle (arrow) matching up with the socket and cpu.

reinstall the cpu fan (no need yet to put the whole artic cooling and what not on there, we just want to get it to spin then we'll worry about all that.

(so you should have cpu and memory only, nothing else...with just this if the mb is working the fan will spin)

if it STILL doesn't spin then you have bad PSU( THE MOST LIKELY PROBLEM...should have probably mentioned this from the start but its good to go through what i said first), memory, bad board, or a bad cpu.

i would test replacements in that order.

good luck
 

XataX

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Thanks Shaba, I will try the steps you have outlined after I come back from office tonight, and let you know about the outcome.

One question...Is there any way to test the PSU without attaching any other components...I mean, test it independently..like just by connecting to the mains...If I do so...shouldn't the PSU fan spin?
 

shaba230

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sure is, gota get a circut checker or voltmeter though...you could probably pick up a cheap 3 dollar one at your local walmart/bs type store that will just tell you if it is outputting anything at all, but it wont actually tell you if it's outputting the right voltage..for that you would need a voltmeter(a bit more expensive) + some little extras.

and no, the psu will not spin until the motherboard has told it to turn on, and the motherboard can only tell it to turn on if it receives the communication from the power switch on your case. so for this to occur u need a working motherboard and a properly connected switch, along with a working cpu and *possibly* working memory (depending on your MB) installed (for the motherboard to even want to turn on)

speaking of.....check that first, make sure you put the power switch leads it in the right spot on the MB...that might be the nice easy fix :)
 

XataX

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speaking of.....check that first, make sure you put the power switch leads it in the right spot on the MB...that might be the nice easy fix :)

Okay, on reading this, a silly question popped into my mind...
Is there a +ve/-ve leads for the power switch connection...since the power switch conncetor on the case has no such markings....
 

ikjadoon

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Do you mean the PW SW connector from the case to the motherboard?

Yes, that switched aroud can cause this problem. Make sure you've got it on right...With mine, I just did trial and error 'til it turned on, lol..

~Ibrahim~
 

XataX

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Do you mean the PW SW connector from the case to the motherboard?

Yes, I did.

Yes, that switched aroud can cause this problem. Make sure you've got it on right...With mine, I just did trial and error 'til it turned on, lol..
~Ibrahim~

I really hope this is the case.

Since the power LED turns on for an instant when powering on..what else could be wrong?

Thanks for all your replies. I really appretiate them.
 

ikjadoon

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Gotta say some type of connection problem...It's the most common problem.

All your parts look compatible. Have you tried booting with just one memory stick?

Have you tried Shaba's steps as if yet?

~Ibrahim~
 

XataX

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Gotta say some type of connection problem...It's the most common problem.

All your parts look compatible. Have you tried booting with just one memory stick?

Have you tried Shaba's steps as if yet?

~Ibrahim~

No, I haven't. I am at office right now. But, as soonas I get home, I will get to it and try different combinations for the case connectors to the motherboard and then if that doesn't work. I will follow it up with Shaba's steps i.e. booting with one RAM stick and keeping my ears on the PC speaker..
 
Attached the 20 pin and 4 pin power connectors and added the graphics card to PCI-E slot. Connected the PCI-E power connector to the graphics card and then connected Power/HDD LEDs and other such connections.

You didn't mention whether or not you connected the additional 4-pin plug for the CPU at the top of the board. Just a shot in the dark... could be that easy. Also, you can bridge the power switch pins with a screwdriver to test for a faulty case switch.

You may have to recheck the motherboard standoffs and ensure that none are grounding on the back of the motherboard. Let us know when you get home and do a some of the suggested diagnostics.
 

XataX

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When I mentioned that I had connected the 4 pin power connector, I meant the CPU power connector.

Gigabyte-965P-DS3 has a 24 pin power connector on it and an additional 4 pin for the CPU. Whereas the PSU has a 20+4 pin combination. So I conneccted the 20 pin PSU cable to the 24 pin connector leaving the pins 11.12 23 and 24 empty and connected the 4 pin cable to a connector near the CPU on the m/b.

What do you exactly mean by, "You may have to recheck the motherboard standoffs and ensure that none are grounding on the back of the motherboard."? Do you want to say that the standoffs must not touch the motherboard. If this is the case, then how am I supposed to mount the m/b into he case? I thought that the m/b was to be mounted on stand-offs screwed into the case and then the m/b was held on the standoffs using screws that go into the threads of the standoffs themseleves.
 

ikjadoon

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I think I found your problem.

You've got 24-pin, 20+4 Pin, and P4 4-Pin confused. That motherboard requires a total of "28" pins connected. Connect all 24 pins to those 2 rows of 12. Then, on the PSU, there is ANOTHER 4 Pin connector, completely detached from those 24, and that gets connected to the connector near the CPU. Do you get me?

~Ibrahim~
 

sdxn2000

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Nice to see such helpfull posts.

It is good that someone thought to ask how many pins were (un)used (I was going to suggest checking that before I saw the 2nd last post). I had a similar issue when I forgot to attach a 4-pin P4 connector once.

It's pretty common for PSU's to die, so if nothing powers up (after swapping the PSU for the right type), check your PSU (if you have access to a PSU tester), then check your motherboard for blown/leaking/bloated capacitors.

Hope it works!
 

XataX

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Eek! I screwed that one...

Gotcha Ibrahim, thanks a lot :)

Hey, I need some credit here too! :lol: I was getting to that in my last POST!

Anyway, plug in your 20-pin+4-pin into the mobo power and plug in the 4-pin CPU power.

[/high_five_ikjadoon]

Okay, I owe you my thanks too, if this works :)
I am feeling very very excited..can't wait to get home...
 

ikjadoon

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In reality, everyone in the thread should be thanked. I got lucky, but pritchett was getting there, all good suggestions.

~Ibrahim~

[/return_high_five]
 

XataX

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Okay, I'm at home now...

The 20+4 pin cable doent seem to fit securely into the motherboard. The problem is the plastic protusions at the ends of the 20 pin and 4 pin connectors do not allow me to connect thse securely. This is probably because I split the 4 pin part out to connect to the CPU power. Now I dont know what should be the correct orientation of the 4 pin part of the 20+4 pin connector.

Also about the separate 4 pin power connector for the CPU, I found 2 4 piin connectors on the PSU attached together. The wires are color coded as yelloe and black i.e 2 yellow and 2 blacks..DoI use one of these as the CPU connector?

I tried connecting assuming the above and trying to fit the 4 pin part of 20+4 pin in the only way it can go and I saw a brief red LED glow on my gfx card and power LED glowed for the same amount of time. But no fans were spinning...am I still on the right track?

Awaiting your replies till I proceed further

Thanks again to all ofyou.
 
The separate power connector that has two 4-pin cables is for your CPU. Some motherboards have a 4-pin plugin, some have a 8-pin plugin (I use the 8-pin plugin). It's split up to be a universal connector kind of like the 20-pin plus 4-pin main power connector instead of having just a 24-pin connector. I don't think it matters which one you use on the 4-pin connector on the board, but I could be mistaken. It should be keyed so you can't plug in one of them if that's not the case.

If your computer still doesn't start and you are certain that you have the right plugs going where they need to go then you need to follow the original advice in this thread to troubleshoot why it won't boot.


EDIT: I just look at the manual for my motherboard (with an 8-pin CPU power connector) and it does look like they ARE keyed differently. So, you need to find the 4-pin connector that matches the key of the motherboard plugin for CPU power.
 

XataX

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Phew! okay...the system powered up...

Just one quetion before I stumble on my next hurdle :p
On powering up the CPU fan lies idle for about 2-3 seconds..then starts spinning after the 1st beep...is this normal?

I always thought that CPU fan started running almost immediately as the system was powered up...

Now I'll connect my LCD and see if everything is fine so far...then proceed with IDE/SATA connections..
 
WooHoo! Don't you love it when it powers on for the first time? You feel like Dr. Frankenstein: "It's Alive, ALIVE!!!"

Back to your question about the CPU fan, it really should start up when the board powers up. I'm not familiar with Gigabyte motherboards, though. See if it continues to do this after you update the BIOS, maybe they've fixed it by now. Anyone else know if it's not supposed to do this?
 

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