Core i7 What am I doing wrong?

[marknw]

Over the last month Ive been trying to put together an i7 system using different components and each time Ive run into the same problem.
I power up the system,the lights flash,the fans spin but the system wont POST.

So far Ive tried with a gigabyte x58 extreme motherboard and an asrock x58 supercomputer,Ive tried with a c0 and a d0 stepping CPU.Ive tried PCI express and an old fashioned PCI graphics card.Apart from the RAM (OCZ DDR3 triple channel kit),the power supply (OCZ 1000w) and the CPU fan (stock intel came with the retail CPUs) there is no other hardware.The system is just breadboarded onto a sheet of cardboard at present to make sure there are no shorts.
One other thing Ive tried.I have an old POST test PCI card Ive tried in both motherboards and each time the card has flagged no cpu.That may mean something or nothing with the age of the card because the LEDs on the x58 extreme give no information beyond a quick flash indicating they have power.

This is proving very frustrating and I hope someone can help

 

[shortstuff_mt]

READ before posting about boot problems!

#2 on the checklist is the most common mistake and would explain why the motherboard doesn't think a CPU is installed. It could also be a problem with the RAM, so pay special attention to those steps also.

 

[marknw]

Thanks shortstuff_mt but I have been through all the steps in the sticky for each motherboard/cpu combination (hence the system being just a breadboard).
I accept it could be a problem with the RAM and I think trying to get some replacement tri channel will be my next step.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Did you try each stick of ram by itself in each RAM slot? Are you using the RAM slots starting with the one further away from the CPU (the white RAM slots on both motherboards)?

 

[kufan64]

The RAM is the most likely source of the problem. In case you haven't already done so, try just one stick in the first slot to see if it will POST. If none of the three sticks in the first slot POST... then I wouldn't know what to think.

Contrary to popular belief, triple-channeled memory doesn't NEED multiples of 3 to function. The same is true of dual channel momeory not needing to be installed in pairs. Dual/Triple channeled memory just performs better and more efficiently when they work in pairs/threes respectively. You'll get a POST from just installing 1 stick in the first slot, and you'll be able to easily identify the bad stick.

shortstuff knows his stuff... no pun intended.

 

[Crashman]

Over the last month Ive been trying to put together an i7 system using different components and each time Ive run into the same problem.
I power up the system,the lights flash,the fans spin but the system wont POST.

So far Ive tried with a gigabyte x58 extreme motherboard and an asrock x58 supercomputer,Ive tried with a c0 and a d0 stepping CPU.Ive tried PCI express and an old fashioned PCI graphics card.Apart from the RAM (OCZ DDR3 triple channel kit),the power supply (OCZ 1000w) and the CPU fan (stock intel came with the retail CPUs) there is no other hardware.The system is just breadboarded onto a sheet of cardboard at present to make sure there are no shorts.
One other thing Ive tried.I have an old POST test PCI card Ive tried in both motherboards and each time the card has flagged no cpu.That may mean something or nothing with the age of the card because the LEDs on the x58 extreme give no information beyond a quick flash indicating they have power.

This is proving very frustrating and I hope someone can help

With Core i7 motherboards, it's also important to put the memory in the "wrong" slots compared to previous boards. The 2nd slot away from the CPU socket is actually the "first" memory slot.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Are you using the RAM slots starting with the one further away from the CPU (the white RAM slots on both motherboards)?

With Core i7 motherboards, it's also important to put the memory in the "wrong" slots compared to previous boards. The 2nd slot away from the CPU socket is actually the "first" memory slot.

That's 2 votes for making sure the RAM is in the correct slots.