ARGGGG!! first pc build need help!!!!

[andyb]

built a pc from scratch all new parts plugged it in turned it on, and it turns itself off after 10 secs!!!!!! any ideas???????? please help
this is a list of everything i bought and put in :-
Casecom KG-868 Black Mid Tower Windowed Gaming Case 350W PSU - 20 Pin USB2.0 Audio 8cm Fan
LiteOn LH-20A1S 20X SATA DVD±RW/DL Black Bare Drive - OEM
Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 256MB GDDR3 VGA TVO DVI-I AGP Graphics Card
Sony 3.5" Floppy Drive Black - OEM
Maxtor STM3320620AS 320GB 7200RPM SATAII 16MB Cache - OEM
Extra Value 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 667MHz PC2-5400 240pin Extra Value Ram
MSI P4M900M2-L Socket 775 P4M900 onboard VGA 8 channel audio mATX Motherboard
Intel Pentium D 925 3GHz Socket 775 800MHz FSB OEM Processor
Extra Value 12" Blue Dual Cold Cathode Kit

[EvoKyle]

people are gonna want to know the specs on the computer, so you should post those so they can help you better

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by EvoKyle people are gonna want to know the specs on the computer, so you should post those so they can help you better

Exactly...if we don't know what you're working with we can't help you.

Cricket

[freakitchen]

Follow the steps here to troubleshoot:

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

Before the computer switches off, do you see a display on the screen?

There's a discrepancy in your parts list, that video card you say is AGP, but the motherboard only accepts PCI-Express video cards. The board DOES have on-board video, though. Are you connecting the monitor to that?

Edit: I notice you're using an OEM processor, which won't have come with a heatsink and fan. Have you even attached one to the processor?

[HAL9000]

One quick thing to check... sometimes a sticky power switch can be the culprit... disconnect the power switch from the motherboard and try starting the computer by shorting the two pins momentarily.... if it works, then determine why the switch is sticking.

[andyb]

Originally Posted by Freakitchen Follow the steps here to troubleshoot: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409 Before the computer switches off, do you see a display on the screen? There's a discrepancy in your parts list, that video card you say is AGP, but the motherboard only accepts PCI-Express video cards. The board DOES have on-board video, though. Are you connecting the monitor to that? Edit: I notice you're using an OEM processor, which won't have come with a heatsink and fan. Have you even attached one to the processor?

No there is no display on screen, the monitor doesn't even have time to start up!!

i have connected the monitor to both ports and still the same!!

yes i have attached a heatsink and fan!!

Would the graphics card make the system shut down??

[kissfan]

Ok I see your case has a PSU supplied, can you tell us the Make and model exactlly.

So far I'm thinking this might be at fault.

Kissfan

EDIT : Also that VIA MB may be at fault....

[andyb]

Originally Posted by kissfan Ok I see your case has a PSU supplied, can you tell us the Make and model exactlly. So far I'm thinking this might be at fault. Kissfan

The psu is a CASECOM ATX350w

[HAL9000]

Originally Posted by andyb No there is no display on screen, the monitor doesn't even have time to start up!! i have connected the monitor to both ports and still the same!! yes i have attached a heatsink and fan!! Would the graphics card make the system shut down??

First of all, double check the power switch as I indicated above... secondly, SIMPLIFY.. if the machine has onboard video, remove your video card and get running on the bare basics first.

[kissfan]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 First of all, double check the power switch as I indicated above... secondly, SIMPLIFY.. if the machine has onboard video, remove your video card and get running on the bare basics first.

Agree here

But still could be a poor PSU or crappy VIA chipset.

Kissfan

[HAL9000]

Sure can, but lets eliminate as much as we can with the hardware available.

[kissfan]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 Sure can, but lets eliminate as much as we can with the hardware available.

Agree again

But the Casecom PSU is not on the approved list, and at 350w might not give enough juice to complete boot. Full model details would be nice.

Kissfan

[HAL9000]

Not arguing that... but if we strip to basics, including removal of the power switch, then there is no other choice but bad hardware at which time one only needs to determine if it is a power suppy (try swapping one from a running machine), RAM (same thing) or motherboard (I highly doubt processor, that is EXTREMELY rare)... the idea being to eliminate variables, not add them.

[kissfan]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 Not arguing that... but if we strip to basics, including removal of the power switch, then there is no other choice but bad hardware at which time one only needs to determine if it is a power suppy (try swapping one from a running machine), RAM (same thing) or motherboard.

My experience is that it is very rare for a power switch to be at fault, but concur that in the best interests, it should be tested.

Sorry don't mean to undermine, your suggestions.

Kissfan

[andyb]

i've tested the power switch thats ok!!
what next???

[HAL9000]

Have you stripped it down to basics... should be motherboard, processor with heatsink, memory, power supply.... don't add any cards to the system... it would also be best to have it out of the case.

Originally Posted by kissfan My experience is that it is very rare for a power switch to be at fault, but concur that in the best interests, it should be tested. Sorry don't mean to undermine, your suggestions. Kissfan

The only reason that I mentioned that is when I worked in a warehouse, we had one case style that was notorious for sticky switches.

[andyb]

right i've removed the graphcs card! and tried again, it started to bot up with a message on screen then shut down again!! it will only stay on for a few seconds!

[HAL9000]

OK, if it is out of the case and reacting like that, then yes, I would question the power supply. If you have another one available, or are able to take one out of a running machine, I would try that first.

[andyb]

would it be the size of the psu?? (350w)

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by andyb would it be the size of the psu?? (350w)

Not so much the wattage but the quality of the power it's sending to the system. Good quality power supplies provide clean stable power to the system. Cheap low quality power supplies tend to send dirty power (or power that isn't stable - ripple) to the system and unstable power can cause all kinds of weird problems.

Cricket

[andyb]

i've got a connector coming out of the psu with 1 red 2 orange & 3 black wires in it!!
does it belong anyway or is it a spare?? i can't find anywhere for it to go??

[Cricket]

Is it an in-line connector? 6 pins in a row? If it is, that's a power connector for server motherboards...don't worry about it.

Cricket

[andyb]

Originally Posted by Cricket Is it an in-line connector? 6 pins in a row? If it is, that's a power connector for server motherboards...don't worry about it. Cricket

yeah it is!!! cheers

i've been messing with the wires coming from the psu disconnecting 1 and retrying, now theres one thats a block of 4 with 2 yellow and 2 black wires, when its unplugged the tower doesn't shut down but nothing appears on screen? but when i plug it back in it does the same as before????

[HAL9000]

That block is required for proper operation, it is direct power for the CPU... if you're having issues like that, I'm definitely leaning towards the power supply being the problem.

[kissfan]

Have you disconnected the Opticals, it is not unusual for a faulty CD/DVD Rom/RW etc to display these kind of issues.

You do have ALL the MB power connections in place I assume.

Kissfan

EDIT : Beat me to it HAL, this is going more and more to the PSU.

EDIT II Just reread the thread and I'd like confirmation on that Vid card, from what I can research the board has OB graphics, and being a VIA ChipSet, I bet that it might need disabling in BIOS, but it could be an idea to try and boot with just OB graphics and see how we go.

[andyb]

well i give in!!!! i've tried again started from scratch and still the same i,ve even tried a different psu from my old pc and its still the same!!! thanks anyway to you all who gave me your input i appreciate your help!!!

[flanzig1]

One thing to make that match is the main power connector, the mother board probably has a 24 pin connector and if the PSUs only have a 20 pin, then you may have the incorrect type of PSU.
Another thing, the heatsink that you put on will need a small amount of thermal compound between the heatsink and the face of the CPU.

[glc]

Shutdowns after a short period of time can be indicative of a heatsink that is not properly installed - Intel processors will shut down when the temperatures reach a limit.

[Dave O]

My most recent build, I had a similar problem. Shut down just at the point you enter bios. It turned out to be a problem with my Zallman four pin cooler and the mobo. The bios setting for the fan was wrong. The bios was seeing that the fan wasn't moving, so it would shut down. What I did was spin the fan with my finger, the computer would boot. I could get into the bios and change the settings. WARNING electricity and fingers don't mix . On your own head be it!

[andyb]

cheers for that! but if the monitor isn't connected it stays on?? sometimes when its connected the monitor doesn't work and it also stays on! but if the monitor does come on then it shuts down??