First build, no POST

[misscelestia]

I need a little help here - I have read the FAQ I got a barebones system from TigerDirect (I know, not the favorite) and I am not able to get a BIOS anything - no POST, no beeps, nothing. I get power just fine - the CPU fan works, the drives have power. I have even gone so far as to get a replacement motherboard, just in case (concerned about DOA). Here are the specs (please note, this pc is for my parents and will barely even be used, and I was not too concerned with it being amazing or anything):

MSI PM8M-V Socket 478 Motherboard
Intel Celeron 345 3.06Ghz 533FSB Socket 478
Elixir 256MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz
Elixir 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz
Ultra 350w V-Series PSU Black

I also have an older hard drive I will be using as well as a floppy & CD drive (all have been tested in other systems and function).

[rjfvillarosa]

Have you tried the "out of case" build described here?
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

[misscelestia]

Yes, I did. I did that with the new motherboard first, since it seems to be the most reliable way to start. Thank you for replying so quickly

[rjfvillarosa]

Even though that power supply is in the list of good units, do you have another you could swap in to test?
Can you also try booting up with both sticks of ram removed and also one stick at a time?

[misscelestia]

I have used another power source, with the same result. I also have tried no RAM, then one, then both. :/ I'm really stumped.

[rjfvillarosa]

Have you tried with booting with the harddrive connected? I have come across mobo's that will not boot without a harddrive installed.

[misscelestia]

I have tried to boot both with and without the hard drive - I was actually hoping to get a BIOS error beep without it, just so I knew something was going on. However, both with & without the HD produced the same result - power, but no BIOS.

[rjfvillarosa]

I take it you no longer have the first mobo?
Can you remove the CPU and check you didn't bend a pin when you installed it? and apart from that you have covered almost everything apart from a substitute CPU.

[misscelestia]

I do still have the first mobo they sent. As far as I can see, the CPU is fine - no pin problems, it went in just fine. I wish I had a CPU that I could test with, but I guess now my next step is to try to get a new CPU?

Thanks for all the help

[rjfvillarosa]

Do you have the same problems with the original mobo?
If so I think you can be certain that the CPU is dead.
You have connected every cable correctly??

[misscelestia]

Yes, the exact same problem with the other mobo - I felt so stupid when I had the same problem with the new one As far as I can tell I have all the cables right - I have checked them over and over, and I have read my mobo manual many times and it all looks correct.

How common is a DOA mobo or CPU? I feel like I must have done something wrong, and dead parts are rare, but I have followed every procedure to the letter.

[Jamaicanblud]

Hey I have been having similar problems for weeks and I got some new memory and everything worked out fine...there is a strong possibility it could only be your memory(there might be incompatible issues). Try and tell me what happen

[Kareeser]

Make sure you have all power connectors plugged into the motherboard from the PSU

There is a twenty or twenty-four pin plug, and an auxiliary 12V power connector (2 by 2 connector) that connects to a slot near the CPU.

Do you have both connected?

[misscelestia]

Yes, I have both power cables plugged in on the mobo, as well as to the drives (when I have used them).

[rjfvillarosa]

Just a couple of lame questions.
Did you apply the heat sink pad correctly or was it already on the heat sink?
If there was no pad did you use good thermal paste?
Did you ever attempt to start the machine without the heatsink/fan assembly installed?
I ask these questions because just a few moments without heatsink protection can kill a CPU.

Now we need to establish if the CPU is the problem (do not rule out the idea that both those mobo's could be DOA).
Have you got another skt478 you can try to test with?
Do you have access to a skt478 machine that you could put that CPU into to test it?

[misscelestia]

The heatsink fan came with thermal paste, and I used it, enough to cover the CPU without going over the edges (I checked). Sadly, I do not have another 478 to try.

[rjfvillarosa]

The last thing you can do now is to clear the CMOS chip using either the jumper or removing the mobo battery for 30 minutes, I honestly don't think this will help but it's one last attempt to get it working before returning the CPU for replacement.

[misscelestia]

I tried that one too, no luck.

[rjfvillarosa]

Oh well time to return the CPU as defective.
At least you gave it a good go before hand.

[misscelestia]

Thanks to everyone for all the help - here's hoping that I don't have to come back when the new CPU arrives

[rjfvillarosa]

Come back and tell us how you get on.
Just one last question, when you did the out of case build did you short out the "power on" pins with a screw driver?

[misscelestia]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa Come back and tell us how you get on. Just one last question, when you did the out of case build did you short out the "power on" pins with a screw driver?

I'm not sure what you mean, exactly. Power on pins? Screwdriver? Please clarify

[rjfvillarosa]

Miss.. it's 8.00 am here and i have to go out for a few hours, please don't RMA that CPU untill we have spoken.

[misscelestia]

Sorry - I had a 12 hour workday and other things.

[rjfvillarosa]

I want to go back over the "out of case build" with you, the out of case build means exactly that, you build the computer up with the motherboard outside of the case on your work bench and laying on a nonconductive surface with the minimum amount of hardware connected to it, just enough to make it boot up.
In order to switch your out of case build on you need to identify the power switch pins on the motherboard and short them out with a screw driver, the idea behind this excercise is to make sure the motherboard is not touching the frame of your case in a place it should not, grounding or earthing the motherboard like this can in some circumstances stop your machine from booting up.

[misscelestia]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa I want to go back over the "out of case build" with you, the out of case build means exactly that, you build the computer up with the motherboard outside of the case on your work bench and laying on a nonconductive surface with the minimum amount of hardware connected to it, just enough to make it boot up. In order to switch your out of case build on you need to identify the power switch pins on the motherboard and short them out with a screw driver, the idea behind this excercise is to make sure the motherboard is not touching the frame of your case in a place it should not, grounding or earthing the motherboard like this can in some circumstances stop your machine from booting up.

I am terribly sorry for the delay in my reply - I feel like an idiot, after all this trouble I noticed a pin completely MISSING on the CPU. So, I have a new one now.

EDIT: I got the first BIOS screen I'm off to configure this beast!!!

EDIT #2: All is well here!!!! Thank you everyone for all of your great suggestions - this has been quite a learning experience