Need Help! Having trouble with new build.

[OlympusHAXXX]

I just put a computer together with these parts and it doesn't start up or do anything when I plug in the power cord into the PSU and hit the On button on the case. Anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

GA-EP45-DS3R
Q6700 with a DTEK Fusion V2 mounted on it
Corsair DDR2-800 4 gigs(2 sticks)
PC Power & Cooling 750 watt PSU
EVGA 9800 GTX with a self installed EK full coverage waterblock
Seagate Baracude 750 gigs- SATA
1 DVD-RW- SATA

I have tried taking everything out case and putting it on the table to test for grounding issues within the case and it still didnt work. THese are all brand new parts so I hope its not a defective part.

 

[shadowthor]

The 24 Pin and the 4 Pin (or 8 pin) is plugged into the mobo right?

 

[roadrunner197069]

^1

 

[OlympusHAXXX]

The 24 Pin and the 4 Pin (or 8 pin) is plugged into the mobo right?

Yes

 

[shadowthor]

Any beeps from the motherboard? If there are beeps, look and see what the beep code is in the motherboard's manual.

 

[OlympusHAXXX]

Any beeps from the motherboard? If there are beeps, look and see what the beep code is in the motherboard's manual.

No beeps

 

[shadowthor]

Is the switch on the psu switched to on?

 

[houstonserenity]

Hate to over simplify things but lets check basics like the wall socket is it working have you tried another electrical item in that socket?

Second power strip see if its working mite have a tripped fuse or something.

The PSU does the fan spin on it when it is plugged in.

Then RMA the MoBo.

 

[OlympusHAXXX]

Hate to over simplify things but lets check basics like the wall socket is it working have you tried another electrical item in that socket?

Second power strip see if its working mite have a tripped fuse or something.

The PSU does the fan spin on it when it is plugged in.

Then RMA the MoBo.

The fan does not spin on when the PSU is plugged in. I know the wall socket is fine. Does this mean its a bad PSU?

 

[jsc]

OK. The PSU fan doesn't spin.

Check to see if the the PSU voltage selector switch (if it has one) is set to the proper line voltage - 115 volts in the US, 230 practically everywhere else.

Disconnect the PSU from everything. Use a bare paperclip and short the green wire to either black wire beside it. The PSU fan should turn on when you plug the PSU into the wall and turn on the power switch (if it has one) on the back.

Don't worry about shock. It's alow voltage, low current control line.

If the fan doesn't spin, the PSU is probably bad.

 

[warezme]

Since its a new build, take it down to the basics. Before you RMA the PSU try this to rule out the possibility of a short. This will cause your computer to not power on either. Have only the mobo, two sticks of RAM (dual channel config), your video card and boot HD only. Everything else leave unplugged, extra drives, CD-ROM, Floppy, extra cards all unplugged. If it still doesn't post, unplug boot HD, if it still doesn't post, take out memory, if that doesnt post take out video card and last thing to remove if that doesn't post is take out CPU. Even with all these things removed if your mobo and PS are good, it will attempt to post and give you beep code errors indicating missing mem, cpu, etc.

The reason for these steps is over the years I have had everything from a video card that was to tweaked in its slot because of bad case design that would cause the system to not post to a short in a floppy drive which made it look like the Power Supply or motherboard where bad when in fact they where fine. Taking your system down to the bare bones is the only real way to get at the individual parts that may be causing the issue. Good Luck

 

[jsc]

If it still doesn't post, unplug boot HD, if it still doesn't post, take out memory, if that doesnt post take out video card and last thing to remove if that doesn't post is take out CPU. Even with all these things removed if your mobo and PS are good, it will attempt to post and give you beep code errors indicating missing mem, cpu, etc.

System will not POST without the CPU. The POwer up Self Test is one of the executable routines stored in the boot ROM (technically EAROM - Electrically Alterable ROM, otherwise you couldn't flash a BIOS). No CPU, no execution, no POST, no beeps.

Back to the PSU: having the fan start up does not necessarily indicate a good PSU.

For more details on troubleshooting a dead new build, see:
http://www.tomswiki.com/page/Troubleshooting+a+New+Build

 

[OlympusHAXXX]

If the fan on the Power Supply doesn't even go on when i plug it in and turn it on does that mean the PSU is dead?

 

[random_2]

I haven't taken the time to read through this thread completely, but has anyone mentioned the fact there is a switch on the back of the power supply that needs to be turned on before the PSU will do anything???? Just a try...you wouldn't be the first builder to forget about this switch in the heat of the first boot

 

[jsc]

I haven't taken the time to read through this thread completely, but has anyone mentioned the fact there is a switch on the back of the power supply that needs to be turned on before the PSU will do anything???? Just a try...you wouldn't be the first builder to forget about this switch in the heat of the first boot

Yes, I did. And I mentioned the voltage selector switch.

 

[hyperjoe]

Has anyone suggested making sure that the power switch jumper is properly connected to the Motherboard? I know I had hissy fits trying to figure out which direction (+ & -) to put the jumper from my case to the motherboard. I got it right the first time, but it doesn't mean he/she did.

 

[quaduser]

I have a power supply (OCZ Stealth Stream) whose fan DOES NOT turn on just by plugging it into the wall.

I need to connect it to a motherboard and then power on the mobo -- only then does the PSU start rotating its fan.

Bottomline -- some PSUs wait for a signal from the mobo before turning on the fan. No PSU Fan rotation does NOT mean broken PSU. Could still be broken mobo.

 

[warezme]

System will not POST without the CPU. The POwer up Self Test is one of the executable routines stored in the boot ROM (technically EAROM - Electrically Alterable ROM, otherwise you couldn't flash a BIOS). No CPU, no execution, no POST, no beeps.

Back to the PSU: having the fan start up does not necessarily indicate a good PSU.

For more details on troubleshooting a dead new build, see:
http://www.tomswiki.com/page/Troubleshooting+a+New+Build

Sounds like you know everything and don't need anyone's help.

Since taking out the CPU was the LAST option I mentioned and instead of trying any of the options before that and you simply jumped at what you assume is the impossible. Here is a what POST does, essentially it tests the components of your system are valid. If one is missing or defective you will get a beep error. This is what I was trying to help you figure out to rule out a component fault.

"Just to clarify what people are typing here. When you refer to POST, it means Power on Self Test. Yes, the three essential components for a CLEAN post are CPU, RAM, VGA. If these are installed, and the system board sees them as good then you will receive ONE beep after POST is complete. If any of the three components are missing, you receive POST errors indicated by a series of beeps. These POST error beep codes vary depending on the BIOS manufacturers programming.

If you remove all three of these and still do not receive POST error beeps, then there's something wrong with the system board, uninstalling/reinstalling might clear it up. It will not damage the system board to attempt to power up without the three essential components, but it might damage the system board if you have a bad components installed when you start it up."

I would say good luck, but it appears you don't need it.

 

[jsc]

hyperjoe,

The power and reset switches are not polarized. Either way is OK. The connectors for the power and HD LED's are polarized. If they do not come on, reverse the connectors.

warezme wrote:
"Sounds like you know everything and don't need anyone's help."

By no means. Weak on AMD systems (the IMC) which means when Nehalem comes, I start over again. Networking - if I cannot fix it with wizards, help files, and books, I ask for help. Weak on graphics cards. No experience with SLI or Crossfire. I pretty much follow recommendations from places and people I've learned to trust. Never built a RAID array. No experience with Vista. Multimedia - I can rip DVD's and make mp3's. Finally bought a digital camera two months ago. Programming - OOP is ... puzzling.

On the other hand, I built - from scratch - my first computer back in the late '70's. (Actually, if you wanted your own computer in the mid '70's, that's what you had to do.) Wirewrapped an RCA 1802 based micro for a friend who wanted to run Forth.

Oh, and more than 45 years as an electronics hobbyist and more than 30 years experience with military computer and radar systems. That's what I am doing in Saudi Arabia now.

Here is a what POST does, essentially it tests the components of your system are valid. If one is missing or defective you will get a beep error. This is what I was trying to help you figure out to rule out a component fault.

Yes, indeed. That's what the POST does. And if you have a dead computer, you can remove components until, at some point, hopefully, it starts to sort of work again. A friend of mine describes it as pulling the legs off a spider. But sooner or later, you are left with the body of the spider, in this case, the motherboard, CPU and HSF, and PSU. At this point, the only sure thing is to test by substitution. You need the CPU to run the POST.

I just happen to have an eVGA 680i motherboard presently unused. (Had strange stability problems with a highly OC'd Q6600.) One reason I like this board is because it has a builtin beeper, power and reset switches, and a really nice 2 digit hex display to help troubleshoot POST problems.

With known good PSU plugged into main power and EPS connectors, I turn on the PSU switch on the back, and the little blue LED illuminates, indicating 5 volt standby power. Press the power switch and the PSU fan spins up, MCP fan spins, and I get the yellow and green LED's indicating main 5v and 12v power to the motherboard. No beeps and the hex display is blank no CPU.

OlympusHAXXX and quaduser: Apologies here. I was not clear enough. Yes, plug in a bare PSU into the wall, turn on the switch in back if it has one, and the PSU fan should not spin up. You can use a bare (not painted) paperclip to turn on a PSU by shorting the green wire on the main PSU connector to either of the neighboring black wires. That's what the front case power does. It applies a ground to the green wire through the motherboard when the switch is pressed.

OlympusHAXXX: Any progress on your problem?