Yes, another new build that wont start up

[Zombiefruit]

...But I've already done a lot of testing so you don't have to go through the generic steps of basic tutorials for me. I wanted to build a new system for my grandfather as his is quite slow. I've built one other computer before that went smoothly and I foolishly assumed that this one would be the same. Here are the specs:

Intel i7 920
4GB DDR3 Mushkin Ram (3rd DDR3 spped, can't remember)
Gigabyte EX58-UD3R Motherboard (I think this is the problem)
Antec Truepower 650W PSU
Asus EAH4550 512mb
1TB Seagate HDD (5900 rpm version)
Generic Antec Three Hundred Case

I put all the stuff together, careful to keep myself grounded by touching the PSU of a turned on computer. Everything went together smoothly, I plug it in and I see a flash of an LED, a whizz of a fan and then nothing. Less than one second of juice. Now here are the specific symptoms:

PSU fan spins but stops first.
CPU fan spins.
Case fans spin.
No lights on the Mobo on.
No display.
No sound (beeps or otherwise)

I have tried:

Switching RAM into all slots, separately and together.
I have re-aseated the CPU and heatsink twice.
Checked that the thermal paste was evenly spread.
Tested the PSU in another computer, which I knew was working. The computer turned on. Used the PSU from the working computer in the new computer, nothing happened.
Took the whole system out and built a bench system on the Mobo box. Nothing.
Reset the CMOS. Nothing.
Took out the GPU, re-seated the GPU, etc. Nothing.
Prayed to every god I could think of to get my computer working. Nothing.

Any suggestions? Sadly, it's Canada Day tomorrow and all the stores are closed to returning any parts will be hard. I will have to do that on Thursday. Still, if anyone has any suggestions that would be great.

Regards,

Kieran.


EDIT: And I checked the mounting posts in the case. All are good.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by Zombiefruit Took the whole system out and built a bench system on the Mobo box. Nothing.

Did you use the minimum amount of hardware when you did the "out of case build"?

[Khalil]

Only suggestion I have for you and don't take this the wrong way, I am simply trying to help you, take the motherboard, CPU and RAM back and get Asus P5Q Pro and Q9550 with 4GB of Corsair DDR2 Memory. That is if your grandfather needs a mean machine. If all your grandfather does is surfs and emails then all this is way over kill.

[Zombiefruit]

Originally Posted by Khalil Only suggestion I have for you and don't take this the wrong way, I am simply trying to help you, take the motherboard, CPU and RAM back and get Asus P5Q Pro and Q9550 with 4GB of Corsair DDR2 Memory. That is if your grandfather needs a mean machine. If all your grandfather does is surfs and emails then all this is way over kill.

Ha ha, I was actually looking at the Q9550 before, but I wanted to use the new socket as I want to be able to upgrade the computer in the future, not replace it. I'm not even sure that I could take everything back.

And yes, stripped down the computer to bare minimum, 1 stick of RAM, CPU and PSU. I'm pretty sure that it's the mobo now.

And I do know it's overkill, but I want something to last. Although, anything would serve it's purpose. A q9550 would probably last as long as this one. It's only another $100 though for the whole system basted around the 1366 and he gets money off so he doesn't mind.

[vtfanmv5]

Originally Posted by Zombiefruit Ha ha, I was actually looking at the Q9550 before, but I wanted to use the new socket as I want to be able to upgrade the computer in the future, not replace it. I'm not even sure that I could take everything back. And yes, stripped down the computer to bare minimum, 1 stick of RAM, CPU and PSU. I'm pretty sure that it's the mobo now. And I do know it's overkill, but I want something to last. Although, anything would serve it's purpose. A q9550 would probably last as long as this one. It's only another $100 though for the whole system basted around the 1366 and he gets money off so he doesn't mind.

Poor choice if you're looking for a future-proof socket. 1366 will be pretty much obsolete in two months or so, there's no future upgrade path from there.

Anyways, that system should last you a good long while, provided you get it working

[Zombiefruit]

Originally Posted by vtfanmv5 Poor choice if you're looking for a future-proof socket. 1366 will be pretty much obsolete in two months or so, there's no future upgrade path from there. Anyways, that system should last you a good long while, provided you get it working

Hmmm. Do you mean because of the rumors of the new socket for the i5's?

TBH, he surfs the web and sends e-mails, so it is quite an overkill. Maybe I'll look into to changing to a Q9550.

[vtfanmv5]

I don't think they're just rumors now, but yes. I just built an i7 machine a month ago though, so I'm not too worried about the socket change. By the time I want to upgrade, I'll be going for a mostly new system anyways. Which sounds like the position he'd be in, if he ever even needs to upgrade.

[Zombiefruit]

Originally Posted by vtfanmv5 I don't think they're just rumors now, but yes. I just built an i7 machine a month ago though, so I'm not too worried about the socket change. By the time I want to upgrade, I'll be going for a mostly new system anyways. Which sounds like the position he'd be in, if he ever even needs to upgrade.

Yeah, he'll most likely run this beast into the ground. He's running a P4 with 512mb of RAM and a 39GB HDD to give you an idea of the amount of usage he gets out of computers.

[glc]

he surfs the web and sends e-mails

For that, a P5KPL-CM with onboard video, 2gb DDR2-667, a 320gb hard drive, and a E5200 is even overkill. It sounds like you are building a gamer for yourself here.

[Khalil]

LOL that is what I was thinking too G

[Zombiefruit]

Now let me explain the logic behind getting him an i7:

I put together 3 different virtual systems.

A cheapo, lowest-of-the-low Core 2 system.
A system built around the Q9550.
A system built around the i7.

He said he didn't care about price (pension, and a business expense) and he wanted the best.

That left the Q9550 and the i7.

Do you want to know the difference between the two systems? This is the difference in price between RAM, CPU and motherboard.

$123

I went with the i7 as I expect it to last around 6 years for him, at least. 4 fans in the case, 45nm chip, good heatsink and the i7 will last forever.

Plus, in 4 years when he needs more RAM, where am I going to find DDR2 ram? This way he has room for 16GB of DDR3, enough to keep him going for ever.

I'm not worrying so much about future-proofing, but creating a system that will last as long as the hardware does.

How many years before we see basic applications multi-threaded and optimized for 8 cores?

[Khalil]

Big thing here is the i7 by no means is the best, far from it.

[glc]

I have a friend/old customer that wants a new system - "the best" - and is willing to pay through the nose for it. She is really pushing me for an i7 and I'm refusing to build it at this time. I just do not trust the X58 chipset. It's difficult to get stable. I am trying to put her off till 1156 and the P55 chipset is out.

[Zombiefruit]

Oh I know it's not the best, but from what I've read it seems to be much faster than the Q9550, and for $123 CANADIAN, I think the i7 is the right choice.

I'd side with you guys if I was building a computer that I wanted him to be able to upgrade along the way, as the 1166 (not sure if that's right) socket is for more mainstream users.

But I think it will last him a long time.

What problems have you read about? The only ones I have heard about are the problems with the Gigabyte bios, but those were supposedly fixed in the F4 bios.

I want this system to be stable, for sure. He wont be overclocking, I might a little but I don't want to do anything unnecessary and decrease the lifespan.

Anyways, going back tomorrow to get a new Mobo I guess, as I'm 90% sure that it's the problem.

Thanks for your help and input guys. I really appreciate it.

EDIT: Worded the second paragraph badly. I meant that if I built a system for him that I wanted him to upgrade along the way I'd wait for the 1166 socket.

The 1366 socket is fine if I don't expect he'll upgrade as he wont need to worry about the market of CPU's.

[Khalil]

Sounds to me like you have it all figured out not sure how we can help you! Good luck.

[Zombiefruit]

Originally Posted by Khalil Sounds to me like you have it all figured out not sure how we can help you! Good luck.

Thanks

And thank you guys for questioning my choices, as I find it very hard to critique myself. I find it challenging to look at everything from a perspective located outside my own. This makes it hard to be sure that I am making the logical choice.


Regards,

Kieran

[Masaki 7-11]

Originally Posted by vtfanmv5 Poor choice if you're looking for a future-proof socket. 1366 will be pretty much obsolete in two months or so, there's no future upgrade path from there. Anyways, that system should last you a good long while, provided you get it working

Socket 1366 will not be obsolete in two months or so, as Intel will use Socket 1156 for their low end and mid range CPUs and keep Socket 1366 for their high end CPUs.

Regarding the computer not starting up, I would bring either the whole computer or just the motherboard/cpu/ram/video card to a local computer shop to get the parts tested, there is a pretty good chance that one of your parts needs to be RMAed if you are having this type of problem with an out of case build.

[glc]

Masaki, Socket 1156 is going to support i3, i5, and i7.

[Zombiefruit]

Somehow it was the PSU the whole time. Even though my old computer worked with it, the new computer didn't seem to like it. I got a corsair 750w instead for $20 less, because when the guy charged us for the stuff, he forgot the cpu but was came back, so he liked us

I'm using the new PC right now and it's unbelievably fast, quiet and cool. The air coming OUT of it is cold... weird.

Thanks again guys.

[nicolaus corelius]

try prime95 or orthos. that'll raise up the temps.

[LeftyAce]

I'm using the new PC right now and it's unbelievably fast, quiet and cool. The air coming OUT of it is cold... weird.

You didn't hear? Intel now includes refrigerators with their processors.

But seriously, the Core series are really cool running....especially just sitting in the BIOS where there's nothing going on.