Help needed for system not booting

michty_me · 3 May 2012 at 19:59

Hi all,

My bits arrived today for my new system.

I've put it all together (A few times now) but it won't run properly.
I bought a i5 2500k cpu
Gigabyte Z77-D3H Motherboard
OCZ 550W supply
Crucial M4 SSD
8gb Vengance RAM

I have had it all together and switched it on expecting to see the BIOS but it fires up for approx 15 seconds then switches off, Switches itself back on for 15 seconds and keeps doing that cycle.

I've tried just having the main components hooked up but nothing seems to be working.

As I mentioned, I have had it in bits several times trying to figure out what the cause may be. I've also just tried clearing the CMOS but to no affect.

Any idea on what I can try next? I'm hoping I haven't got any bad components :confused:

olivier renault · 3 May 2012 at 20:11

Make sure your rams are set into a slot pair (slots work in pairs). Make sure they are seated correctly.

Make sure your CPU fan is connected at the right place and in the right way (hard to muck up though

). Check if it's spinning when booting up.

Try different usb ports, or ps2 ports for your mouse and keyboard.

Try the barebones outside the box. Put the motherboard on the motherboard cardboard box, and just use CPU, cpu cooler, motherboard, PSU, memory, keyboard, mouse(?) and a monitor. Use the screwdriver shorting trick to simulate the power on button.

If outside the case works, double check your front panel connectors. Like if you haven't swapped the power on with the reset button. Check for case shorting your motherboard at the back (bad stand off, backplate).

You don't need the SSD to boot into bios, as well as the graphics card, so you can try without those.

And check you have the 24 pin and CPU 4 pin connectors well seated.

If your motherboard has some LED's, debug digit codes, or beeping codes, look them up (beeping requires the case speaker to be connected, if you have one).

You can also remove the front panel connectors and short the 'power-on' pins on the motherboard with a screwdriver.

If you have another PSU, try it.

Failing all that, take out the cpu cooler and cpu, check for bent pins on the motherboard.

michty_me · 3 May 2012 at 20:19

olivier renault said:
Make sure your rams are set into a slot pair (slots work in pairs). Make sure they are seated correctly.

Make sure your CPU fan is connected at the right place and in the right way (hard to muck up though ). Check if it's spinning when booting up.

Maybe you need a case fan plugged into the motherboard? Not sure about that but usually no.

Also double check your front panel connectors. Like if you haven't swapped the power on with the reset button.

You don't need the SSD to boot up, as well as the graphics card, so you can try without those.

And check you have the 24 pin and CPU 4 pin connectors well seated.

If your motherboard has some LED's, debug digit codes, or beeping codes, look them up (beeping requires the case speaker to be connected, if you have one).

You can also remove the front panel connectors and short the 'power-on' pins on the motherboard with a screwdriver.

If you have another PSU, try it.

Failing all that, take out the cpu cooler and cpu, check for bent pins on the motherboard.

I have just tried using one RAM stick to see if I had a faulty bit but same issue. Both are in a paired slot.

All connectors are well seated, Checked the front panel connections and all are correct.

Only thing I have noticed is the CPU fan kicks on as soon as you push the power button but stops after the initial burst.

olivier renault · 3 May 2012 at 20:22

hmm is it plugged at the right connector? Sometimes case fans do that. A quick power burst at boot and they get slowed down.

Best is to take everything out and try outside the case.

michty_me · 3 May 2012 at 20:27

I've disconnected everything again and just had the power button connected. Only had the Motherboard connected along with the HDD and the same issue.

I was watching the CPU fan and once it stopped spinning after the initial start up it sits there and 'twitches' like it is wanting to start but doesn't.

olivier renault · 3 May 2012 at 21:12

Difficult to say. Could be PSU, CPU fan. Unless you swap those components and try, I don't know.

markthedz · 3 May 2012 at 21:55

not sure if this helps but i had the exact same problem yesterday when i built my first pc

What did it for me was the RAM, one of the ram was faulty. how i found out was by plugging 1 ram then booting, and then replacing it with the other ram and booting again.

michty_me · 3 May 2012 at 22:15

After a bit of testing and dis-assemble then re-assemble, I think I may have it sussed. I found one of the pads on the CPU had thermal paste on it. After I stuck it backtogether, I am now in the bios. Trying to copy my Win7 dvd to USB so I can get that installed now. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.