New Build - What's DOA?

MG42Maniac · 4 Sep 2013 at 12:38

Hi Guys,

Having a total nightmare with a new build.

Components are:
i7 4770k
Gigabyte Z87X-D3H
K2 Mount Doom Cooler
8GB G.Skill
2x HIS 7950 ICEQ
850W XFX PSU

I can't get the damn thing to power up! I've got all the front panel connectors connected up okay as when I press the power button something does happen, video:

I've tried using my PSU from my other PC. I connected up just the 24 pin power and the other ATX 2x4 near the CPU (the other power bits were left plugged into the XFX) and tried to boot but got nothing. Plugged the XFX PSU back in and get as far as the video above.

The PSU from my other PC is fine so I don't think it's a PSU issue, though to be fair the fact I got no sign of a boot at all is a little disconcerting. Might needed to have completely removed the XFX PSU?

I'm leaning towards the motherboard being DOA but not sure how I can definitely and easily prove this? Could it also be the CPU?

One more thing is that I haven't got a speaker to listen out for POST Beeps, is this normal? In my last computer I had a little speaker I connected up to the front panel.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

stulid · 4 Sep 2013 at 13:29

Check the socket pins for any bent or damaged ones.

Is there a cpu fan plugged in? try it as maybe its shutting down when its not detecting a RPM reading.

Try one RAM stick at a time.

MG42Maniac · 4 Sep 2013 at 15:32

No obvious bending in the pins, I've got one of the fans connected up and I've just tried with one stick of RAM, all no joy. Thanks for advice though

I've just noticed these are coming from the front of the case but not sure what they are or where they plug in to?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/stai9wsuujw7htj/2013-09-04 15.30.59.jpg

Just had a closer look at the front connector markings on the actual motherboard and they differ from the manual. Have changed positions according to motherboard and still no joy.

Is the next stage checking the new PSU in my old PC and going from there?

Insomniak · 4 Sep 2013 at 15:49

Those connectors look like fan extension cables to me.
Have you connected the cpu cooler fan to the correct header on the mother board?

stulid · 4 Sep 2013 at 15:50

MG42Maniac said:
Is the next stage checking the new PSU in my old PC and going from there?

If you can that would be good.

MG42Maniac · 4 Sep 2013 at 16:08

Insomniak said:
Those connectors look like fan extension cables to me.
Have you connected the cpu cooler fan to the correct header on the mother board?

Yeah, it's in the one labeled up as CPU fan not the optional one.

stulid said:
If you can that would be good.

I'll give that a go tonight. In the interest of speeding things up can I properly test by just connecting up the 24 pin and ATX 2x4 along with the CPU fan and front connectors?

stulid · 4 Sep 2013 at 16:49

MG42Maniac said:
I'll give that a go tonight. In the interest of speeding things up can I properly test by just connecting up the 24 pin and ATX 2x4 along with the CPU fan and front connectors?

Sure if the system you try it on has onboard gfx.

MG42Maniac · 4 Sep 2013 at 18:27

New XFX PSU works in the old PC......

I've built a fair few PCs in my time so I'm pretty damn sure I've wired it up right. Could I be missing something obvious?

Only other thing is a dead motherboard but not sure how to conclusively prove?

stulid · 4 Sep 2013 at 18:29

Tried one stick of ram a t a time in all the slots?

You don't have any odd USB devices attached? keyboard+mouse only.

davido_labido · 4 Sep 2013 at 18:30

Could be the processor, I had similar once with a dead processor, no real way of testing it though really unless you have a motherboard with the same socket =\

Or it could be something shorting on the case? Try taking the motherboard out if thr case, putting it on a piece of card 1 stick of ram, no gpu (unless you dont have onboard gfx) and try turning it on then

MG42Maniac · 4 Sep 2013 at 19:09

stulid said:
Tried one stick of ram at a time in all the slots?

You don't have any odd USB devices attached? keyboard+mouse only.

Tried the RAM in different slots, no joy. Keyboard and mouse only.

I'm starting to wish I'd paid out a better motherboard with a power switch on the board as I'm still not 100% happy with the power switch. I plugged the XFX PSU back in, connected up but am getting nothing.

davido_labido said:
Could be the processor, I had similar once with a dead processor, no real way of testing it though really unless you have a motherboard with the same socket =\

Or it could be something shorting on the case? Try taking the motherboard out if thr case, putting it on a piece of card 1 stick of ram, no gpu (unless you dont have onboard gfx) and try turning it on then

I'll try taking it out of the case tomorrow. I've been trying to fix this on and off for hours and I can't find the mental power to keep going lol.

I hope I've just set something up incorrectly as I really hate the tedious RMA process.

stulid · 4 Sep 2013 at 19:14

Use a screwdriver or something metal to short the two pins.

hlxbravo · 4 Sep 2013 at 20:54

Do you have a friend who may have compatible mobo/cpu....and be kind enough to let you swap them out to eliminate these ??

MG42Maniac · 5 Sep 2013 at 08:10

stulid said:
Use a screwdriver or something metal to short the two pins.

Just tried that before I went to work, get the same result as before, a small attempt at a POST but that's it. I should add that it keeps trying to boot and failing over and over till I cut power.

I'll try taking the motherboard out and running it outside the case when I'm back from work and if that fails surely the motherboard or CPU is dead?

hlxbravo said:
Do you have a friend who may have compatible mobo/cpu....and be kind enough to let you swap them out to eliminate these ??

Sadly no one on Has well, they are all running Ivy or Sandy.

Threepwood · 5 Sep 2013 at 08:20

Test wether your power supply actually turns on as Stulid suggests. If it does, deconstruct and build out of the case (you really should do both of these things before a final build within the case).

oceaness · 5 Sep 2013 at 08:28

Long shot, but could try clearing CMOS, I know you haven't even managed to get it to post fully let alone change any settings but you never know.

Got any other DDR3 ram sticks? Borrow a stick from a mate maybe?

Assuming you've tried davido_labido's suggestion and removed the GPU and used on-board graphics?

MG42Maniac · 5 Sep 2013 at 09:10

Threepwood said:
Test wether your power supply actually turns on as Stulid suggests. If it does, deconstruct and build out of the case (you really should do both of these things before a final build within the case).

I've tested the new power supply on my old X58 setup and it booted up fine as you'd expect. What I have not done is test my old Corsair TX-650W on the new build but I'll try that tonight.

Yeah, I realised I should have tested it outside of the case when I had everything connected up and it wouldn't boot

oceaness said:
Long shot, but could try clearing CMOS, I know you haven't even managed to get it to post fully let alone change any settings but you never know.

Got any other DDR3 ram sticks? Borrow a stick from a mate maybe?

Assuming you've tried davido_labido's suggestion and removed the GPU and used on-board graphics?

I've tried clearing the CMOS via the pins but to no avail.

I've got some sticks of DDR3 from my X58 setup, I'll try those tonight instead.

I've literally got the following setup for testing:

XFX 850W PSU plugged into only the 24 pin connector and the 2x4 Aux Power.
i7 4770K with K2 Mount Doom cooler, only primary fan plugged in.
1 stick of G Skill RAM.

That's it, very minimal to allow me to test quickly.

Roady · 5 Sep 2013 at 11:18

Verify the clear CMOS 'pins' are correctly jumpered (if it requires a jumper)

Might be worth checking (in mobo manual) and also on the board itself to see if there is any confusion over the CMOS reset. I've seen 'reboot loops' caused by corrupted/failed updates of BIOS/CMOS.

I've seen it on older equipment where the 'clear CMOS' jumper was incorrectly labelled in the manual, also seen faulty jumpers which don't work/short so CMOS would be constantly cleared/reset every power-off.

MG42Maniac · 5 Sep 2013 at 12:00

Roady said:
Verify the clear CMOS 'pins' are correctly jumpered (if it requires a jumper)

Might be worth checking (in mobo manual) and also on the board itself to see if there is any confusion over the CMOS reset. I've seen 'reboot loops' caused by corrupted/failed updates of BIOS/CMOS.

I've seen it on older equipment where the 'clear CMOS' jumper was incorrectly labelled in the manual, also seen faulty jumpers which don't work/short so CMOS would be constantly cleared/reset every power-off.

I'll take the battery out just to be sure. I'm going to perform the following tonight in one last ditch attempt to solve the problem:

1) Take out CMOS battery
2) Try outside of the case
3) Try old RAM
4) Try old PSU
5) Check CPU pins

If no joy after all of that or it's not obvious what the problem is (bent CPU pins etc) I am just going to Return the Motherboard and order another one.

MG42Maniac · 5 Sep 2013 at 21:38

**** YES!! It's working! I basically dismantled everything as if I was starting from scratch and built it outside of the case and kept adding bits till I had a fully working PC inside the case. I have a feeling CPU was not installed the correct way round. I've only progressed so far as loading up the BIOS but all seems fine. I've got to show the Mrs some attention now as I've totally neglected her these past two nights so I'llhave to load the OS on tomorrow.

Massive thanks to everyone that helped out