Problems with a new build

[trademark.designs]

Hey, just found these forums searching for help with my problem, and this seems to be the place to ask, so here 'goes:

Building a decent budget PC for my girl (so she can play warcraft ;) ), here's the specs:

Gigabyte GA-8I945GZME-RH Mobo
Intel PD 830 3ghz Dual Core 800 FSB
1gb Ultra DDR2 PC2-4200 SDRAM (2x512)
Seagate 120g HDD
Sony DVD+/-RW DL
3x80mm case fans
ATI Radeon x1300 256mb
RaidMax 380w crappy PSU

The system is booting up and POSTing fine, but after a few seconds (the time varies, but not longer than 30 seconds after power on) the system powers back off. I've completely dis-assembled the system to try booting it with no drives, vga card, or fans, but same result. On screen display is indicating the CPU and memory are being detected correctly. It's been a few years since i built a computer so I'm sitting here scratching my head on this one. I can't find any shorts - pulled the mobo out of the case to start it up sitting on it's box - still no difference. Anyway, any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Alaron]

Welcome to PCM.

Do you have a good power supply laying around you could try? The RaidMax could be a dud.

[glc]

Good old Tiger Direct parts.........good luck.

[trademark.designs]

Yeah, good ol' Tiger Direct. I kinda new I'd have a few problems going in, but I figured I'd at least get it to boot! I didn't have a spare PSU, so I took my Antec 480 out of my computer to test this new build, but to no avail. The same thing happens. And the time it takes to power off get's shorter and shorter the more times i try to power it up. If i let it sit for a long time it will stay on for 30-45 seconds, but after a few tries in a row that goes down to about 10 seconds. Could this be a short somewhere? I've disconnected everything other than 1 stick of the memory, and even disconnected the front panel controls and am using a screwdriver to trip the power switch, and it's still turning off. Any pointers as to where to look for this short will be appreciated, if you agree that it might be a short somewhere.

[glc]

Maybe you didn't snap the heatsink all the way in and it's overheating? Is that a retail processor or an OEM with Tiger's junk aftermarket heatsink? You *do* have a heatsink installed, right? (Sorry, I had to ask, no offense)

[trademark.designs]

No offense taken, I've had to ask people the same type of questions now and again. Unfortunately no, not the intel box heatsink, it's an aftermarket one, but seems beefy. Actually screws down to a plastic backing plate, and to me feels very firmly attached. Before installing it I made sure to spread a thin layer of thermal compound on the cpu as well. Fan on the heatsink is spinning fine as well. I'll double check to make sure it's firmly seated on the cpu though.

[glc]

Did the heatsink have a preinstalled pad (if so, was there plastic protection that needed to be removed) or a patch of compound? If so, you may have TOO much material.

[trademark.designs]

oh no, it's much much better than that. i'm so angry. on the mobo there are a few capacitors (or whatever they are, not to up on the electronics lingo) and some coils that the base of the heatsink can not clear, near the top of the cpu socket. so the opposite site of the heatsink was seated, but the top wasn't. In the brief time i had the computer on in the BIOS i got to the temperature readings - the cpu was hitting 120C within seconds. And just to assure everybody, i had the heatsink on the right direction - it won't line up with the screws to mount it the opposite way. somebody should probably tell good ol' tiger direct that their package deal won't work ;). Oh well, off to the store to pick up a better heatsink. Thanks for the help though!

[glc]

They won't listen and they won't care. That heatsink probably fits fine on the usual MachSpeed and other PC Chips built boards they usually peddle with that combo - I'm sure those turds are quite shy of regulating caps and coils. Gigabyte is not my favorite maker either, but at least they don't TRY to build cheap boards.

You can buy a factory heatsink direct from Intel - I think it's about 30 bucks though. Those fit on anything.