Still can't get new built computer to boot

[Rusty1]

parts:
Amd athlon processor cpu
speeze socket A/370 cooling fan up to 1.4 Ghz
Seagate 40.8GB EIDE HD
Us modular premium 128MB PC100 DDR 16x64 266MHZ
Soyo K7ADA DDR socket A barebone

I have replaced the processor and then I replaced the power supply and still no boot up.
We have pulled the mobo from the case and performed test. The fan motors on the mobo come on as soon as we turn on the switch on the back of the case. The only thing hooked up is the speakers, this thing has amind of its own. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Nuclear Krusader]

Have you already tried the PCM troubeshooter?

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=12753

[Cricket]

Hi Rusty1,

Try booting the computer without the RAM installed and see if you get any BIOS. If you don't get any beeps from the system speaker, the motherboard may be defective.

Cricket

[Rusty1]

I have already done the PCM troubleshooter and have had no success. I have also took the ram out and nothing. I have also noticed an odor coming from the computer.
How can you tell if the motherboard is faulty?
This computer is driving me nuts. Can somebody please help me?

[TimPoet]

Hang in there, Rusty, you're doing just fine. Just a setback is all.
When you originally posted the only thing setup is the speakers, did you mean the tiny pc speaker or the ones that for your sound system?
Becuz Cricket was referring to the beep you can get from the pc speaker if it's hooked up.
Describe the smell as best you can for us please....
I diagnosed a system by doing Hal's famous new build troubleshooter like you did and when I swapped out as much extra compatible parts as I could to check if it was that particular component that was bad, I went to a local computer repair shop and spent $35 for them to test the psu, cpu and mobo to see which was bad. It was the mobo.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Rusty1 I have also noticed an odor coming from the computer.

Sounds like something got fried (CPU, RAM, etc...) or possibly the power supply had a meltdown of one of the capacitors.

You'll have to visually inspect (and smell) the parts to determine which one is gone.

Cricket

[Rusty1]

The tiny pc speakers were the ones that were hooked up, but no sound. It odor is like an electrical burn smell.

[Force Flow]

Could the smell be the thermal paste on the cpu/heatsink? It kind of smelled like that near my cpu.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Rusty1 The tiny pc speakers were the ones that were hooked up, but no sound. It odor is like an electrical burn smell.

The PC speaker would be just 1 small round speaker (not a pair of speakers) either hooked up to the front panel header (where the power button, reset button, HDD LED and PWR LED are connected) or it would be a small piezo speaker already built into the motherboard. This is the speaker the BIOS beep would come from.

Can you tell where the burnt smell is strongest? The CPU? The power supply? The RAM sticks? Somewhere specific on the motherboard? Does anythink look burnt? Have you removed the heatsink to inspect the CPU yet?

Cricket

[Rusty1]

I am a little bit confused about the speaker hookup part. I just have a pair of small regular speakers for the computer. Do I have to use a special kind of speaker to test it. I am not sure exactly where you are saying it has to be hooked up. Can you explain it to me in little more detail. Right now I am not getting a odor anymore. Sometimes when I go to do the test with the motherboard out of the case and I turn on the power switch on the back of the computer the fans on the motherboard with come on without me shorting out the power. That would include the fan to the cpu.

[Cricket]

Hi Rusty1,

On a computer, there are two different types of speakers used. The rectangular speakers you have hook up to the soundcard or motherboard in the back of the case and will play music and system sounds (Windows Start and Exit sounds as well as all the pings, dings, and whistles that happen with certain Windows events).

The other speaker is the PC speaker and it's only used by the system to communicate to you through beeps. Normally, when you start up your system and everything is working correctly, you get 1 POST beep (Power On Self Test). If you get more than 1 beep, that usually indicates a problem. See this page for a list of BIOS Beep Codes. The PC speaker is 1 small round speaker that either connects to the front panel header or is a small round piezo speaker already installed on the motherboard.

Look through your motherboard manual to see where the PC speaker connects to (normally, this is the front panel header where the wires from the front of the case connect to).

Take a look at the motherboard and see if there is a small round thing on it somewhere...about half an inch high and half an inch round with a small hole in the center...that's the piezo speaker.

But since you aren't getting any beeps, you either don't have a piezo speaker or your motherboard is dead.

Cricket

[Rusty1]

I do not see a place on my motherboard for the piezo speaker or a place on the front panel header for a speaker hookup. So what do I do to hear the beep codes?

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Rusty1 I do not see a place on my motherboard for the piezo speaker or a place on the front panel header for a speaker hookup. So what do I do to hear the beep codes?

Take a look at the attachment, it's a page from the SOYO K7ADA motherboard manual showing the location of the front panel header and the pins you would connect a PC speaker to.

Cricket

[Rusty1]

Does this speaker hook into the prongs where the speaker line hooks in. If so I do not have a speaker that can hook into that. Where can I get one?

[Cricket]

Hi Rusty1,

Normally, the PC speaker is either attached to the front of the case by the front fan holder or is part of the front face plate.

Take a look at the wires coming from the front of your case (from the power switch, reset switch, etc...) and see if there's one that says "speaker".

What case are you using anyway?

Cricket

[newme]

is there one in the front of your case, a little one ,not sure but i thought all cases come with them( faster than me cricket)

[Rusty1]

There is one that has the name speakers on it. The case is a Soyo. Hope this helps.

[newme]

well you want to plug that into the pins on your board,the diagram cricket gave you shows you where to plug it in.or use your own manual.you will notice it is 17>20 on the diagram

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Rusty1 There is one that has the name speakers on it. The case is a Soyo. Hope this helps.

Connect the one that says "speaker" to the front panel header pins labeled Speaker (refer to the attachment of the motherboard manual in my previous post).

Is that a SOYO barebones system?

Cricket

[Rusty1]

ok, I have connected it. It is a barebones system. This is my first attempt at a build. Next time, I will order my parts separately.

[Cricket]

Hi Rusty1,

If you still aren't getting any beeps, try turning the connector around 180 degrees. The speaker connector has to be connected a certain way.

If you still don't get any beeps, the motherboard may be defective, or the CPU...or even the power supply.

What brand is the power supply?

Cricket

[Rusty1]

We have tested the system with the speaker wires in both positions there were no beeps. We have replaced the processor and power supply which is a Enermax EG365P-VE. What do you think it could be? We suspect the motherboard. Thanks for all the help.

[Cricket]

Hi Rusty1,

If you've tried a known working CPU in that motherboard and still not gotten the system to start up, then it does look as if the motherboard is defective.

Contact the vendor.

Cricket