New build won't work

manveruppd · 28 Jan 2008 at 17:49

Posting on behalf of a friend who's putting together a new rig and has run into problems that I can't help him with. He'd post himself but he's only just registered and he's still stuck in the moderation queue.

Basically, he set everything up outside the case (on a wooden floor on a cardboard box, so nothing's shorting out) on my advice just to see if it POSTs ok before putting the mobo into the case. I checked that he connected BOTH motherboard power connectors, RAM, graphics card power connector, CPU fan etc., but nevertheless he's still greeted with a blank screen whenever he switches it on. I got him to take everything apart and put it back together again but nothing. I got him to reset the CMOS just on the off chance, but that didn't help. What bugs me is that neither his motherboard nor his case seem to have a speaker (although the mobo has the pins that you're supposed to connect a speaker onto) so we can't check the BIOS beep error codes!!! He connected his (normal) speakers just in case the computer was considerate enough to beep through them but it doesn't - just sits there, fans spinning, blank screen.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

Specs are: Asus P5B SE, 2GB Corsair xms2 DDR2, Intel 2GHz E2180, Asus 512MB EN8800GT, OCZ 600W PSU.

Kearney_1988 · 28 Jan 2008 at 23:30

my guess is that he has the same problem as me. Ive got a p5k board and they seem to be very picky about the memory used. Try using a low voltage memory and see if it helps

RichL · 29 Jan 2008 at 02:40

If it can't POST then try with 1 stick of RAM and if that doesn't work you should try some other RAM. Apart from that, check the cpu is seated correctly and if possible try another GPU.

manveruppd · 29 Jan 2008 at 13:15

Thanks all, he eventually solved it on the THIRD time I made him take it apart and put it back together!

I don't know what he was doing wrong, probably didn't plug in one of the power cables properly.

I'm still puzzled (and a bit miffed) at his not having a PC speaker, neither on his case nor on the motherboard! How are you supposed to listen to BIOS error codes without one?

split · 29 Jan 2008 at 13:44

Some cheap case just don't have them.
I got my daughter a case from the purple shirts place (long story why I had to use that place) and that came with a speaker attached to a 4 pin connector.
You can buy a Motherboard Testing Switch Set from a large electronics chain in the UK that includes one for £4.99...looks like this...

Handy for starting mobo out of case and includes..
• Includes: 1 x power switch
• 1 x reset switch
• 1 x power LED
• 1 x HDD LED
• 1 x speaker

The wires on my daughters are stiff so it sits upright away from the motherboard. (insert rude thought)
Can be handy at times.

manveruppd · 29 Jan 2008 at 13:51

He has an Antec 900 though, not a cheap case!!

split · 29 Jan 2008 at 14:10

I just read...
I believe the Antec 900 don't have a chassis speaker unlike the Aurora 3D. This can be pretty important should you find yourself in my shoes when the system won't boot up at all. So definitely keep this in mind ( I don't have a Antec 900 so please correct me if I am wrong on this, but I do have both Antec solo, and Antec P182b and it seems that Antec is doing away with chassis speakers on their cases)

Well if your that bothered, try googling for the thing in my above post.
Bit of a pain must admit tho...whats the sense in the motherboard doing diagnostic beeps if you can't hear them!

Shrapnel · 29 Jan 2008 at 15:22

Or would you like me to draw you a Map to find the item :-)

I've got an Antec 900 and was also surprised to find it didn't have a speaker.

manveruppd · 29 Jan 2008 at 16:30

Very very strange... guess I'll tell him to go buy one of those kits and keep it in his drawer for emergencies. I'll probably get one myself in fact!