PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!!

[Alfie]

The problem lies between the monitor and the video card,hence no signal display message.
If there are jumpers on the board,make sure they are set to default values.
Reseat the video card, make sure the cable is inserted the right way into video card.
Many times when you install AGP cards,they tend to ride up and a clean contact isn't made,this is more than likely your problem.
Another possibilty is a faulty video card,is it possible for you to test the video card on another computer?
Do you have access to another video card(AGP or PCI)?

[Paul Victorey]

Originally posted by Nuclear Krusader Thanx for the tips. I didn't know that the anti-static bag is capable of conducting electricity. And to think that I've been placing the MoBo on it!! Oh, boy!! I've been very lucky till now.

I believe what was meant is, don't place the Mobo on it if you're going to run your computer outside of the case. For parts storage or for putting parts on something, you WANT the surface to be conductive; it can't build up a local static charge, and the entire thing will be at the same voltage. Aluminum covered workbenches are semi-common in electronics shops.

Just don't give the thing any juice at all when it's on a conductive surface(remember that an ATX board will always have power unless you unplug it at the wall).

[breathtaker]

i am having a probelm with my computer to see here http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...363#post178363

i tried 1) Remove EVERYTHING from the case
2) Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. .DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can acually conduct electricity! We are going to try and assemble a running system outside of the case.
3) Install the CPU and heat sink.
4) Install the RAM (only install 1 stick for SDRAM, 2 for RDRAM)
5) Install the video card
6) Connect the monitor to the video card.
7) Connect the power supply to the motherboard.
8) Connect power to the power supply
9) Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
10) Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard

and still does not work

[highrisemech]

Breathtaker.
I suggest you reseat your video card also reset your cmos then try.
You can also look here at this trouble shooting guide for your particular board.

[breathtaker]

thx for the link but what is cmos ?

[highrisemech]

Check your manual there is a jumper for it. You should always do your homework before attempting a build. You can read about cmos at the home page of this site. You can also reset your cmos by removing the battery for three mins with the computer off then reinstallit then power up. In my opinion though you should locate this jumper and make sure it is not in the reset position.

[breathtaker]

what do you mean by jumper ? cause i removed the cmos for 3mins then installed and nothing still.

[highrisemech]

Breathtaker you should read the build your own tutorial at the home page of this site.

Try hitting the insert key during boot up.

Jumpers are small pins on the board with plastic or metal devices that go over the pins. This device is called a bridge. When the bridge is connected to any two pins, it completes the circuit between those pins, telling the computer what it need to know. Jumpers are much more common than switches, but they are harder to use. If asked to remove a bridge, always save it for later. A little trick is to leave the bridge hanging on one pin. The computer will think the bridge is gone, but its still there so that you don't lose it. Also, knowing the jumper settings for your device can be a chore. You must have the device's manual to do it.

[breathtaker]

i hit insert then the code went to 00 but on the site does not have that . also i played with the jumpers and still nothing.

[highrisemech]

You wat to reset the cmos buy removing the battery then reinstalling then hit insert during bootup. Also make triple sure that the video card is fully seated.

[breathtaker]

hmm i pressed insert and did not work now ill remove it again and then press insert.

[breathtaker]

just found out that my cpu is BAD is i just emailed mwave to replace it

[JimB]

So, I have reset the cmos and made sure (several times) that everything is seated (memory wasn't). Still it does nothing!

[highrisemech]

Jim B.
Does the fan in the power supply spin up? If not check the switch on it make sure it is set to 110 or 115. Also if the power supply fan does not spin you may have a bad power supply, which is not uncommon if it is a cheap one. Post your result.

[JimB]

The fan does NOT spin on but then it won't until the motherboard tells it to and since it is not participating I think the Motherboard is bad.

Thanks

[highrisemech]

Very good reasoning. Are you sure you are making contact with the proper start switch leads on the motherboard. I would try this board with another power supply or take the board to a computer repair shop and have it tested. If this is a brand new motherboard and if I were a betting man my money says that power supply is bad.

[NoCloning]

I tried starting up my machine after a normal shut down the night before. Someone hit a telephone pole about 4AM and I had a tripped A/C breaker, and a burned out stove top light bulb along with a dead PC. Before all this happened I had been hard pressed to explain why my Microsoft optical USB mouse was slowing down on screen. The cursor simply wouldn't move as much anymore. I replaced the mouse with a Logitech optical USB mouse, and it worked fine. I know I had my computer maxed out with 6 additional USB ports, lazer led, and 2 CD-ROMS. Still if there was a spike in the electric line, it could've fried the motherboard regardless of load.

I have a P-4 motherboard light on between rimms, which means the board is getting power from the old PS. I bought a new PS and have installed it already since I could not get the fan to spin on the old PS. My next move is to send back the motherboard to the vendor. The biggest hassle is of course going without my PC while I try and trouble shoot it. And even if you take it to say COMPUSA or Best Buys you will be on hold for parts.

[highrisemech]

Hi Nocloning,

In my opinion the cpu and ram are probably still good the rest of the system including the drives are probably shot. The reason why I say this is because I tore down a system that was fried by a spike and then tested each part. the power supply and the drives along with the motherboard were blown out but the cpu and ram were still good. This is most likely due to the fact that the motherboard circuitry blew before reaching the cpu and ram circuits.

[raftero]

did just what hal said and it posted first time,and thanks for the tip about the little triangle i found it and like glc said put every thing on same way sure beat trial and error.

[bonzai]

What do you mean by when u say make sure the motherboard isn't being shorted out anywhere when being placed in the case? My motherboard uses studs, which are metal. And I assume that my case is metal. I screw the studs in into the case, then put the motherboard, aligning the holes with the studs, and screw em in with metal screws. Am i shorting out the motherboard like this??

[Alfie]

bonzai,
The metal studs are aligned with specific holes in the motherboard,these act as grounding posts for the motherboard.
A motherboard will short when the circuit connections(solder points,etc.) make contact with the case.
The standoffs serve the purpose of keeping the motherboards circuitry from making contact with the case.

[Theed]

System Specs:
1ghz AMD athlon k7
Soyo k7VIA mobo
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz - sound
Diamond Viper 200D - video
supramax 56k modem
linksys 10/100 ethernet
16x toshiba dvd
3.5" floppy

Problem:
I was away from my computer and when I returned it was turned off. Each time I attempted to turn it on I recieved no response. At first I thought it was the chip and/or mother board that had been fried on me. I sent both back to the manufacturers and both companies said both products were working fine. I then realized how stupid this was and I simply tried a new power supply... problem solved. Well, after a few minutes of this computer working it simply just craps out. What I mean by this is that it can freeze while booting into windows (yes it's win98se box, my gaming machine). Or it can also do it while in windows, or just after it cleared the bios. It usually takes longer for it to occur after the computer has been off for awhile shorter if it's been on. I have no possible idea to the cause of this. Basically the ONLY thing that has changed is the power supply and now it doesn't work. There isn't a problem with this power supply because it's a 250 watt atx ps that I transplanted from a p2 233 of the exact same wattage and both are atx, so I do not believe it to be a ps problem.

Also, I do not believe it to be a conflict between windows or the hardware because I have never updated any drivers or versions of windows in the 8 months this computer ran flawlessly.

[HAL9000]

The power supply could still potentially be a problem. The AMD chips are fussy about power supplies and I would recommend a quality 300w instead of the 250. While the old one may have been a 250, it may have been of better quality and met the power demands of your system. This is all of course assuming that nothing else has changed in your system (hardware or drivers).

[Theed]

Yep, I noticed earlier today in retardation, that tigerdirect, whom i bought the barebone from slipped in a 300W ps of the same company instead of the 250W they wrote down on the invoice... I just never bothered to look... so I'm going tomorrow and throwing down as much money that is required to buy a 300W or higher... I'm just mad and happy at the same thing that I found this out... thanks for the help though.

*walks off a cliff in stupidity*

[Alfie]

It's not the 300watt that counts,but rather the quality of the power supply,make sure you get a good one.
Antec,Sparkle,highpower,etc.

[Theed]

Grrrrr.... After waiting 2 weeks for my power supply to come in with high expectations they were immediately shot down when after about 10 minutes the problem repeated itself.

The only possibilities I see are that there could be a problem with the motherboard, cpu, or hdd (this is highly unlikely because when I put another hdd into this computer I get similar errors).

So.... that leaves me with the mobo or cpu and quite frankly if it is either of these I am going to go nuts. Why? do you ask. Because about 7 months ago I sent both back because I thought the problem was with them, to their manufactuers, and both replied they are working 100%.

Anyone have any NEW suggestions?

[highrisemech]

Theed,
Obviously you have an intermitant problem which needs to be isolated. Now that you changed out the power supply and your 100% sure this is good, we can eliminat this as a problem. Also you said you sent the cpu and motherboard back and as well you were subsequently told these were good.

Well lets look at the vaiables here.
Where is the board mounted? Are you sure it is not shorting to the case? Is the fan turning on the cpu? Have you tried another stick of known good ram in bank#1? Either way you have to go through the basic process of elimination until you zero in on the culprit. Me I try everthing that is known good on the board until I finally blame the board.

[Theed]

Originally posted by highrisemech Well lets look at the vaiables here. Where is the board mounted? Are you sure it is not shorting to the case? Is the fan turning on the cpu? Have you tried another stick of known good ram in bank#1? Either way you have to go through the basic process of elimination until you zero in on the culprit. Me I try everthing that is known good on the board until I finally blame the board.

I reseated the board in another case today with 4 risers and each screw has 3 washers on it so I do not believe anything could be shorting out, I did check the back to make sure and I cannot find anything touching.

Yes, the fan on the cpu as well as the case fans are turning. And if it makes a difference all led's light up; power, reset, hdd.

And, yes I did just try all ram slots with a ram stick I am sure is good and I still recieved the same similar errors.

[highrisemech]

Post a thread with the exact errors and problems you are having so that we can better zone in on your particular problem. I have a few ideas floating in my head but I think you would be better served posting a seperate thread so that we can get responces from the other members as well.

[Theed]

I moved it to here (clicky)