Boot Loop While Breadboarding... First Build, Need Help

[firstbuildnewbie]

Please help, Tom's Hardware. I turn to you because of all of the threads and articles I've read from here while on this strange journey and I'm at my wit's end. (And apologies for stepping on any toes because of board etiquette and such, but I'm doing my best.)

I'm trying to put together a new build but I have a power cycling problem -- where the fans will spin up for a few seconds, stop, then spin up again a second later. I have it down to the bare minimum of PSU, Mobo, CPU, and RAM laid out on my table and it's still doing it. My monitor's not showing any activity (but it knows the computer is there, is it gives me a "no source" message when I unplug it). I've tried both one RAM stick and two at a time, in every slot. I even tried resetting the CMOS by removing the battery.

I've been wrestling with this all week now. This was supposed to be a Christmas present for my wife. I went through the checklist in the stickied "no post" thread, but nothing's helped. I thought I knew what I was doing, but you don't know what you're getting into until your first build.


Components:

Motherboard: Gigabyte Z68AP-D3 (I've heard that these have a perennial boot-loop problem? Is that true?)

CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K Sandy Bridge Quad-Core

Power Supply: XFX Pro Core 650W (Only connected to the motherboard, on the 24-pin and the 4-pin CPU socket)

RAM: Crucial 2x8GB DDR3-1333 SDRAM (Recommended by Crucial)


Everything else from the rig (DVD, HDD, and video card) I've unplugged until I can get this taken care of. Could anyone walk a newb through his first rodeo? I haven't even gotten to the software/BIOS setup yet, and after all the money I've put into what was supposed to be a thoughtful gift, I can't turn back now.

Much thanks.

 

[Raiddinn]

I would hesitate to blame it on the motherboard. These problems, in my experience, are almost never about the motherboard.

These problems, in my experience, are usually RAM related.

Are you sure you have it pushed in all the way?

Try taking one of the sticks out and staring it with just one.

If that doesn't fly, then switch the stick that is in around in the slots and try each of the others.

If none work, switch which RAM is in and try the other one in each slot.

Let me know the results.

 

[firstbuildnewbie]

I've tried each of the sticks in each of the four slots in sequence and I get the same result every time.

Does this mean I have a bad RAM kit? That's a shame, that sucker was expensive =/

 

[Raiddinn]

Crucial makes better RAM than probably any other company out there, and I have never really heard of anybody having problems with crucial RAM that is on the QVL of their motherboard before.

That said, I wouldn't say their RAM is immune to problems.

Might I ask why you wanted the whole 16 GBs in 2 slots?

 

[Raiddinn]

BTW, try taking out the battery for 30 min and putting it back in. It could help or it could do nothing.

I would guess that the 8 GB sticks were too much for the board if it were me.

Are you sure it is supported by the board and on its QVL?

Call Micron and ask about it or something.

 

[firstbuildnewbie]

The original component suggested for my build turned out to be 204-pin laptop memory -- imagine my confusion =/

By the time it arrived and I realized the mistake I was so mad at having to order replacement parts I just went to the Crucial Advisor for the mobo and ordered what it told me to. I thought it was a bit excessive, but here we are...


CMOS battery is chillin. I'll pop it back in in a bit.

 

[firstbuildnewbie]

Also yeah, 8GB sticks don't appear to be on the QVL =/

It seems Crucial has led me astray. I'll have to find some smaller sticks and order a refund, I guess?

 

[Raiddinn]

The tool always suggests 8 gig sticks, there is a button under that where it says "show all" that will give you another couple dozen types with lower amounts and much lower prices that will also work.

8 GB sticks are very rare and expensive.

Anyway, I never knew anyone that tried it before, mostly since it is cost prohibitive and nobody really needs 16 GB. Those who do are usually using a 4 slot motherboard and they can get it with 4 GB sticks.

Sorry to hear about the laptop RAM thing. Sorry more if it was one of us that suggested it. Sorry infinitely more if it was me that did it.

 

[firstbuildnewbie]

Nah, you're off the hook, as is the rest of the board. I don't think I should name names, though, as they're going to get a very angry message from me in a day or two =/

Thanks for helping illuminate the problem, Raiddinn.

 

[Raiddinn]

I do what I can.

 

[firstbuildnewbie]

Yup, that's what it was. Bought a couple 4GB sticks and it works fine now. Thanks again, friend.

 

[Raiddinn]

Glad I could assist. Sorry the 8 gig sticks didn't work out. Can you return them?