First build problems

[Morambar]

So I have been having an issue that I cant seem to figure out. I have hooked everything I have up correctly, I have consulted several guides to make sure that I have done things right. This is my first build so I am definitely a novice. When I turn the computer on the cpu fan doesn't spin, the lights light up but it doesn't beep even if I don't have any memory connected. I returned my mobo and got it replaced but I still hae the same issue. Does anyone have any idea what I should do next? My parts are below:

Mobo:
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82e16813128358

PSU:
Antec earthwatts EA430 430W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.0 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371006

CPU:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Yorkfield 2.66GHz 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115057

GPU:
EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130339

I can't remember what my memory is but it works.

[orbrit]

Does the CPU fan spin freely if you flick it with your finger? Often they ship all obstructed by the wire.
Make sure all your connectors are in. Both connectors from the psu to motherboard- 24 pin and 8 pin, CPU fan to motherboard, PSU to PCIe video card connector, SATA hdd and optical drives.

Try just 1 Dimm in the primary slot (refer to manual). Memory has to be installed in specific slots in a certain order.
http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList...p45-ud3p_e.pdf
Start with those things and report back please.

[David M]

The minimum requirement for a 9800GTX is a 450 watt power supply (min 24 amp/12 volt rail). Your PSU is 430 watts. This may or may not be the problem actually. Disconnect all the loads that are not necessary just to get your computer to post like the hard drives, all your RAM except for one stick, your optical drives and your case fans.

Reset your BIOS by pulling your CMOS battery and then see if your computer will at least post. If after doing this it does post then your PSU is probably underpowered.

If this does not work then its time to pull your parts and see if your hardware will post and boot outside of your case....but get yourself a more powerful PSU anyways. You don't want to be at the ragged edge of barely adequate or possibly inadequate. I would consider returning your 430 watt PSU and purchasing a 550 watt PSU so you have some breathing room.

Run this power supply calculator for your system..
http://educations.newegg.com/tool/psucalc/index.html

[orbrit]

Good catch on the PSU/GPU specs - shouldn't prevent it from posting though as peak power draw won't happen until under extreme load, but definitely worth monitoring - I'd advise a kill-a-watt meter to see what your idle and under load wattage loads are.

[glc]

PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!!

[Morambar]

So basically I am an idiot and didn't realize there were two different places that I needed to connect power to the mobo. I did that and it fired right up. Thanks for your help.

What power supply do you recommend I buy? I dont want to spend more then around $80.

[quartet-man]

I'm going to take a stab and say this, but PLEASE wait until someone with more knowledge than I says yes or no or recommends a different one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139004

[Doom]

Quartet-man's link is groovy. For the most part, Corsair PSUs are seen as very reliable. I've built with them exclusively and have had great experiences.

When dealing with power supplies you don't need the most expensive one, but you do need to ensure that you spend enough to provide 1) a very reputable unit and 2) enough power to meet all of your system needs. Luckily the link provided above meets both and is inside your stated budget, but trying to cut costs on a PSU is often a mistake that can hurt the longevity of your system.

[quartet-man]

Originally Posted by Doom Quartet-man's link is groovy. For the most part, Corsair PSUs are seen as very reliable. I've built with them exclusively and have had great experiences. Luckily the link provided above meets both and is inside your stated budget, but trying to cut costs on a PSU is often a mistake that can hurt the longevity of your system.

Well, it wasn't so much "luck" as I used the Power Supply sticky for brands, and searched Newegg for one in the price range, and power needs as well as budget. Thanks though for checking it out and confirming. I feel better to have a more experienced set of eyes to make sure I didn't miss something or was unaware of something.

I agree on skimping. I deal with sound systems, and have heard stories from pros about people spending good money on good equipment and then skimping on cables to save a few bucks. One told me about a church that bought top of the line equipment, but bought extension cords and somehow made cables out of those for their speakers I believe. Then they wondered why things didn't sound good. To me that makes about as much sense as buying a classic car, spending a ton on an engine and paint, but not repairing rust properly and painting over it. People sometimes tend to overlook or take for granted the less glamorous or unseen things and at times those end up being some of the most important, albeit "less fun." They might spend more on things that look good, or are used more directly (such as drives, monitors etc.) but fail to realize the importance of the basics. This ends up costing more in the end with labor, replacement costs, lost productivity and sometimes damage to the more expensive components. Also, it leaves less room for the future expansion. I believe in doing it right the first time and being done with it (as much as possible.)

[Morambar]

Thanks so much, you guys are so helpful. So I am thinking on getting an upgraded CPU heatsink. It seems that the Zalman products are the best. After your statements on getting the best stuff I may bite the bullet and buy one but I wanted to get your oppinion on a cheaper option first.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835200014

[quartet-man]

Depending on the cost and usage, I don't get the best as far as cutting edge technology because it is too expensive. What I try to do is get quality components (within what I can afford, justify and need with the future needs in mind) and the sweet spot meaning the most bang for the buck.

At times I have gotten things with features I didn't need thinking I might need them in the future. At times I might have gone a little overboard in this way. However, I probably more regretted the few times I skimped on things a little more and ended up not getting what I wanted or needed a little in the future instead of biting the bullet and doing it right. Fortunately, I only did this a time or two after I should have known better. So, it is a little trick in getting it just right, but I never went too far either way.

In particular with the computer, damage can happen by skimping on power supplies in particular which makes it more expensive than just having to buy another and being out the price of the first one. You can damage the other components or cause problems with the operation of the computer and have trouble figuring out what the problem is.

[Morambar]

Ok so this is in kind of a different direction. I bought the suggested PSU and it seems to be working nicely. Now however every time windows tries to start my system blue screens. I can get into the bios no problem and fiddle with things but windows wont start without blue screening.

After reading some things it seems that my RAM might be bad or incompatible. So I went on newegg and the RAM that I have which is from Adata isnt listed as one of the sets that is compatible with my board. Should I just go ahead and buy new RAM? Or do I have a different issue?

Thanks in advance.

[glc]

Please provide a link to the ram you bought.

[Morambar]

So I bought brand new Kingston RAM and I still have the same issue.

Any suggestions at all?

Kingston ValueRAM 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR667D2N5K2/2G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820134046

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by Morambar So I bought brand new Kingston RAM and I still have the same issue. Any suggestions at all? Kingston ValueRAM 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR667D2N5K2/2G http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820134046

did you install them in the correct channel and socket? one dimm in DDR2-1 and one dimm in DDR2-3