Need Help. Problems building computer - UPDATE

[Enix]

Ok, Im building a computer for the first time and have been having lots of trouble.
Heres what Im working with so far:

Epox 8k7a+ Main board
AMD XP 1500 (1.33 Ghz)
128 MB PC2100 DDR Memory
Antec 350 watt power supply

Im only giving those components because the problem is somewhere in there.

Whats Happening:

I try to turn the computer on and sometimes I get no power at all. Other times all of the fans and lights come on, but the monitor is not getting any signal.

At the moment, I cant even get the fans and things to come on.

I dont think it is the power supply because this is the second one Ive tried and am having the same problem (unless I havent adjusted something on the power supply right).

Things I have questions about that might be part of the problem

* Do I need to make an adjustment to the VCore Jumper? Right now its just on default. I havent been able to find any good info on how to adjust it.

* The cables that connect the front panel of the computer (the on/off switch, harddrive lights, etc.) are differnt from my Compaq computer. On the Compaq it is just one bunch of cables that you connect to the motherboard. With the new case, the cables are all seperate. I think I have them all hooked up right, but the LED lights arent coming on in front. Also I dont have a cable labled Power on, but there is one that is labled "DC Sw". I assume that is the power switch. There is also place for "IR Connector" but I cant for the life of me figure out what they are for. The instruction manual with the motherboard isnt very helpful.

Please give any help you can. Im not a hardware genius, but have done alot of computer upgrading and have been researching for some time. Am very frustrated and discouraged right now too.

Thanks for any help you can provide.


UPDATE:

Ok, I have an update.

After monkeying around with the computer all night, Ive found that if I unplug the power supply connector to the motherboard and plug it back in, I get a brief flash of light from the LEDs and fans and then it no power at all. If I unplug the power supply connector to the motherboard and plug it right back in, does the same thing. If I dont unplug it and put it back in, it just stays dead.

Now, when I remove the CPU, and do the same as above, fan and lights will stay running and the POST LED has code FF which my manual tells me means "Boot Attempt" (but of course it wont boot because theres no CPU in). But if I put the CPU back in, I go back to the same thing as was happening above.

Does this mean the CPU is fried? Or is there some safeguard that is shutting the power off so it doesnt fry something?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Enix on 01/11/02 11:10 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Matisaro]

Since your nick is enix, and the dragon warrior series is the best [-peep-] rpg series of all time.


and I took half my name from dragon warrior 4's villan necrosaro.


I will help you.



Unfortunatly, the issues you describe are the text book case of a doa ecs k7s5a, look no further, your motherboard is dead, you have to replace it.


I am sorry for the bad news, I myself went through 4 of those pos mobos before giving up, however my case was extreme in its unluckiness, most times when someone gets a bad k7s5a the first rma will result in a new working board.



Good luck.


"matisaro dances a strange jig, enix loses 6mp"

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

 

[tlaughrey]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of PSU are you using?

<i>Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.</i>

 

[BunnyStroker]

Sorry, got to disagree.

I have an 8k7a+

Let's just say I'm a bit...suspicious...of the people who automatically claim that the board is dead if it won't boot.

Case in point: I was installing a new soundcard yesterday. While I was installing, I must have bumped vid card in AGP slot. When I went to boot, got classic "dead" mobo scenario - first nothing, then long beep, no video + post "FF", etc. Simply going through my mobo and checking all physical connections fixed the problem. Note: This happened when I first put it together as well.

Check everything. Go through step by step, checking all power-fan connections, AGP slot, PCI slot, IDE channels, PS-Mobo connection, etc.

If you do all this and it still doesn't work, then you might have a faulty mobo.

But anyway...

You shouldn't need to adjust your Vcore jumper. Leave it set to auto. Worry about it and overclocking once you actually get the system running at spec.

The leads for power on, hd activity, etc are separate, as you say. Use the manual! The explanations for how they should be connected are a bit unclear - make sure to orient them correctly.

If neither fans nor LEDs are coming on, then your PS probably isn't connected properly to mobo, OR your power on lead is inserted incorrectly. Check both.

Good luck!

<b>ßunn¥§troker 0wn§ j00!</b>

 

[dhlucke]

I'm totally confused. Where did the ecs k7s5a come into this?

<font color=red>God</font color=red> <font color=blue>Bless</font color=blue> <font color=red>America!</font color=red>

 

[khha4113]

Test your mobo outside the case first to see if it boot (preventing short to ground).

Good or Bad have no meaning at all, depends on what your point of view is.

 

[svol]

The IR connector is for a optionel Infra Red interface.

My case has so many fans that it hovers above the ground .

 

[Enix]

Ok, I have an update.

After monkeying around with the computer all night, Ive found that if I unplug the power supply connector to the motherboard and plug it back in, I get a brief flash of light from the LEDs and fans and then it no power at all. If I unplug the power supply connector to the motherboard and plug it right back in, does the same thing.

Now, when I remove the CPU, and do the same as above, it will stay running. But if I put the CPU back in, I go back to the same thing as was happening above.

Does this mean the CPU is fried? Or is there some safeguard that is shutting the power off so it doesnt fry something?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Matisaro]

Holy [-peep-].....he said eopx, not ecs...ignore my above post.

::walks away wondering how that happened::

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

 

[khha4113]

Now, when I remove the CPU, and do the same as above, it will stay running. But if I put the CPU back in, I go back to the same thing as was happening above.

What do you mean it running? Did the fans spin or any LED light? Have you tried it outside the case because your problem sounds like the motherboard touching the case causing short. If you did and it still doesn't boot, try clear its CMOS.

Good or Bad have no meaning at all, depends on what your point of view is.

 

[Enix]

what do you mean it running?

Sorry, shoudl have made that more clear. With the CPU pulled out, I can turn it on and all fans will spin and all LEDs will light up and it will stay running until I turn it off. No error beeps. The motherboard I am using has a little digital display for the POST that will give me an error code if it is having problems, but the only code it is giving me with the CPU pulled out is that it is attempting to boot.

I did pull the motherboard out and held it in my hand and tried turning it on with the CPU installed. Still has the same problem, as soon as I hit the power button, for half a second everything comes on and then everything loses power. Dont get power back until I unplug and replug the power supply connector to the motherboard.

Ill look at the CMOS. Thanks for the help!

 

[Unolocogringo]

I think that paticular motherboard has the cpu fan sensor that will not let the motherboard boot unless a fan with RPM sensor is attached to the cpu fan header. It sounds like this might be your problem.

I aint signing nothing!!!