Computer won't turn on

Dave Hedgehog

Dave Hedgehog

Dave Hedgehog

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Joined
5 Aug 2010
Posts
57
Location
Birmingham
I've just built a new computer, but it won't turn on...the fans start for a second or two, and that's it. It was really expensive, so I'm very worried!

I've got a Gigabyte Z68X-UD3P Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 motherboard, Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3 memory, an Intel Core I5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) socket LGA1155 processor, an MTI ATI Raden HD 6959 2048mb GDDR5 PCI-Express graphics card and an arctic 700 PSU.

I've spent all day looking for an 8 pin adaptor to fit the motherboard, so it does run through 2 or 3 adaptors to get power to the ATX 12v socket.

I'm quite worried about turning it on again and frying it...I'm fairly sure it's earthed fine because the case was already in use with my old motherboard, and worked fine. I didn't move the brass standoffs, so they should all be placed fine.

Any ideas? :confused:
 
well the PSU is crap, so thats a start.

have you added the addition power to the CPU near the socket?

Have you put both 6pin pci-e connectors in?

what if you have one of the brass standoffs where there isnt a hole? so its shorting out the board.
 
stulid said:
well the PSU is crap, so thats a start.

I do need to replace it, but I'd like it to work for a while first!

have you added the addition power to the CPU near the socket?

The 8 pin I have added is through a chain of 5 other cables to get to the socket, if that's what you mean?

Have you put both 6pin pci-e connectors in?

Yes, the graphics card is fully connected.

what if you have one of the brass standoffs where there isnt a hole? so its shorting out the board.

I'm pretty sure there isn't but I'm going to take it apart and check now
Click to expand...
 
The 8 pin I have added is through a chain of 5 other cables to get to the socket, if that's what you mean?

??????????? pic?
 
stulid said:
The 8 pin I have added is through a chain of 5 other cables to get to the socket, if that's what you mean?

??????????? pic?
Click to expand...

Just checked the motherboard earthing, its fine. No spare standoffs, every screw is into a standoff.

The ATX_12V_2x4 socket is the one we are talking about, yeah? It goes through a whole string of adaptors but I'll take a picture and post it up when it's all reconnected.
 
Features:

Support latest Intel ATX 12v and AMD
24 (20+4 pin)
6 pin PCI-Express Power Connector
Support NVidia SLI Technology
8 (4+4) pin supports two sockes server
Super Quiet Technology: Smart fan control function
Over Voltage Protection (OVP)
Over Power Protection (OPP)
Short-Circuit Protection (SCP)
80mm fan to maximise airflow
100% Hi-pot, Chroma and Burn-in function


Connectors:
Universal 24pin (20+4pin) Main ATX power
4 pin ATX12V power connector x1
3x 4 pin Molex Connector(for HDD, CD-ROM)
2x Floppy connector (4pin)
4x SATA Hard Drive Power connector
1x 6pin PCI-Express Connector (via 4pin Molex Adaptor)
4 pin Molex to 8 (4+4) pin + 12V Power Adapter
Velcro Cable Tie x2

The above is what you should use, connected to a 4 pin molex. Whether a molex connector will deliver the current required is debateable. Disconnect other stuff from that cable with molex connectors and try that.

EDIT noticeed that the GPU and CPU 8 pin are both on the molex cable.

Check you have pushed all connections fully home.

Clear the cmos by removing the battery or shorting pins, this may help.
 
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Okay, I've taken a picture...
imag0130uc.jpg
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

I think that should work? Anyway, I've taken the graphics card out, so thats why there is two yellow and black cables disconnected.

Can I hurt anything from clearing the CMOS? I'll try that next.

Thanks for all the help so far
 
Are you connecting the GPU and drives and the ATX adapter for the cpu, all of the same bunch of molex connectors? probably killing the psu rail?
 
stulid said:
Are you connecting the GPU and drives and the ATX adapter for the cpu, all of the same bunch of molex connectors? probably killing the psu rail?
Click to expand...


ditto, my thoughts, off a not very competent PSU. Need a high single rail PSU ideally

Arctic 700 has two 22A 12V rails or 264w max per rail
 
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stulid said:
Are you connecting the GPU and drives and the ATX adapter for the cpu, all of the same bunch of molex connectors? probably killing the psu rail?
Click to expand...

Erm...yes. The cable from the PSU is a black molex, which connects to a female molex, with an additional cable which powers a case fan, then goes into another molex, with another additional cable for another case fan, and there are several other molexes with provide 6 pin adaptors x 2 which plug into the graphics card. Then it goes into the ATX socket through several conversion cables. The PSU didn't come with an 8 pin adaptor...

Is that likely to be the problem? Will it have damaged anything if it is?

(Thank you again)
 
Get a decent PSU is my thoughts.

A PSU that costs less than £20 for a claimed 700w is never going to cut it, just look at all the decent PSU's OCUK sell, they are all £60 or more for 700w (except the OCUK swift/crusader rubbish)
 
The problem with that picture is that you have'nt fitted the main 24 pin plug. You also should'nt be powering the auxilary 8 pin off a molex. Your cpu cooler is the wrong way around as it will be fighting that big exhaust fan for air. Turn it around so that it's pushing air towards the exhaust fan.
 
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stulid said:
Get a decent PSU is my thoughts.

A PSU that costs less than £20 for a claimed 700w is never going to cut it, just look at all the decent PSU's OCUK sell, they are all £60 or more for 700w (except the OCUK swift/crusader rubbish)
Click to expand...

I thought that might be the solution. If i get a new PSU, will everything else be fine? Or is it likely that I've damaged things?

pastymuncher said:
The problem with that picture is that you have'nt fitted the main 24 pin plug.
Click to expand...

I took that out to check the brass standoffs...it is plugged in when I'm trying to use it.
 
Dave Hedgehog said:
I thought that might be the solution. If i get a new PSU, will everything else be fine? Or is it likely that I've damaged things?
Click to expand...

Hopefully, but theres only one way to find out, a quality PSU will protect the parts when there is a spike or similar and will safely shut down and recover, a cheap psu will just die with smoke and sparks.
 
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Hi,
I fitted a new Corsair 800W gaming PSU today, and everything seems to work fine. But, my hard drive now seems to be failing. The computer will just state 'boot error, please insert system disc', or loop through the start-up process. It tried system repair, but this failed. Luckily I bought a new hard drive and this works fine, Windows has installed and the graphics are great. I'd at least like to get the data from the old drive though...

I wondered if anyone had any advice?

Thanks.
 
Dave Hedgehog said:
Hi,
I fitted a new Corsair 800W gaming PSU today, and everything seems to work fine. But, my hard drive now seems to be failing. The computer will just state 'boot error, please insert system disc', or loop through the start-up process. It tried system repair, but this failed. Luckily I bought a new hard drive and this works fine, Windows has installed and the graphics are great. I'd at least like to get the data from the old drive though...

I wondered if anyone had any advice?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Plug both hard drives in and select the new hard drive as the boot drive...

Then when you get into windows copy the file(s) you need over.
 
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