New PC Build Won't Boot :-(

Neo1982 · 9 Dec 2007 at 12:44

Hi all,

I'm a regular lurker here but I've found myself having to join now to see if anyone can help me work out if I'm genuinely being a moron or if there's foul play afoot!

I'm building myself a new gaming PC and after finally getting my hands on the last component yesterday I installed it and powered on only to find........silence.

First of all, I'll give you the list of things I have tried and if anyone can suggest anything I've missed I'd be greatly appreciative!

After pushing the power button for the first time, there was a brief moment when the LED's on the front of the PC lit then immediately went out again. I can see there's power going to the motherboard as the LED on the mobo is on. I then powered off and stripped out the hard disk, DVD drive, RAM etc so there's only the CPU and CPU fan installed. Powered back on and once again, after the master power LED on the mobo lit, I press the power switch and briefly saw the LED's on the front panel go before nothing again. I then thought it could be the power switch so I've tried using the Reset switch to power on as well as use a jumper to short the power pins and a screwdriver. Still nothing.

I then removed the mobo battery and cleared the CMOS, reinstalled the battery. Still nothing.

Then I took the mobo out completely and stripped off the CPU and fan. Re-assembled and re-installed into case and still nothing.

I'm gradually coming to the conclusion it's got to be a faulty mobo. I've not got a spare PSU I can try but I'll take the PC into work tomorrow where there are some spares and try one of those.

Can anyone else think of anything I could try?

Additional.... CPU is Intel Core 2 Quad, 2.4GHz, Mobo is ASUS P5K-E, PSU is Seasonic S12 II 500W.

dr. sarf · 9 Dec 2007 at 13:04

Neo1982 said:
I've tried using the Reset switch to power on as well as use a jumper to short the power pins and a screwdriver. Still nothing.

Whatever you do - don't slip with that screwdriver! :eek:

Is the 4pin 12v power attached to the motherboard? All other connections correct?

Smirnoff · 9 Dec 2007 at 13:22

Strip it down and have the motherboard outside the case, fit the cpu, one stick of ram, gfx and the powersupply. Make sure everthing is connected and that the CMOS clear link or switch is set the right way, also make sure the ram is pushed fully home

Neo1982 · 9 Dec 2007 at 14:06

Ok, disassembled mobo outside the case, fitted the big power connectory and the 4 pin smaller one with the RAM and GFX installed. Same problem i.e. brief power then dead :-(

It seems as if something is shorting somewhere since there appears to be power on the mobo but when the power switch is pressed, there's the moment of activity then nothing :-/

ginger_pat · 9 Dec 2007 at 18:29

Had kinda the same prob. Is your motherboard on a stand and chek it is not toughing the case as it will short circuit to stop you killing yourself lol

Smirnoff · 9 Dec 2007 at 21:51

Sounds like the motherboard is dead, RMA time

BENdage · 9 Dec 2007 at 22:22

Smirnoff said:
Sounds like the motherboard is dead, RMA time

I'd have to agree with above. It does sound like a dead mobo or PSU. Do you have any other parts you can test with, maybe a friends system...

Neo1982 · 10 Dec 2007 at 08:45

I'm coming to the same conclusion it's either the mobo or the PSU that's knackered. With a bit of luck it's the PSU..... I have a friend bringing his spare into work today so we'll find out in a few hours which one it is. Either way it's a bummer tbh. I was all ready to play Crysis this weekend ffs :mad:

IAmATeaf · 10 Dec 2007 at 11:16

Check the CPU socket on the mobo ie the contacts on the socket and what RAM are you using. Some RAM requires 2.1v to work so if you can try some generic RAM in there and see if she'll boot.

Neo1982 · 10 Dec 2007 at 11:17

Ok, tried out a known good PSU on the motherboard and still nothing. Tried shorting the Power On pin (green lead) on the ATX connector and low and behold the PSU fan turns on so I've concluded my PSU is good. Looks like it's RMA time for the mobo. Thanks for all your suggestions! At least they proved I wasn't going mad!

IAmATeaf · 10 Dec 2007 at 11:21

Have a look at suggestion above.

Neo1982 · 10 Dec 2007 at 11:35

Thanks IAmATeaf, I did check your suggestions but still knackered. I'm devastated. :-(

Neo1982 · 10 Dec 2007 at 13:09

Someone has just mentioned to me that perhaps the motherboard is not pulling down the power supply pin sufficiently to turn on? Does anyone know of this phenomena? I think some research is required this afternoon on Wiki!

IAmATeaf · 10 Dec 2007 at 14:44

Neo1982 said:
Someone has just mentioned to me that perhaps the motherboard is not pulling down the power supply pin sufficiently to turn on? Does anyone know of this phenomena? I think some research is required this afternoon on Wiki!

You could try shorting the power pin ( green lead ) as per your post above whilst you have the PSU cable connected to the mobo to see it will fire up.

Neo1982 · 10 Dec 2007 at 15:31

Ok, will give that a try.

Neo1982 · 10 Dec 2007 at 17:51

Ok I tried that out. Shorting the green lead and ground turns on the PSU as expected. Shorting them whilst connected to the mobo has the same effect as previously i.e. psu fan spins momentarily then stops. This has got to be a short on the power lines somewhere on the mobo. I'm gonna give it a visual inspection then send it back I think. Thanks for all the suggestions, at least I can say I'm fairly savvy when it comes to debugging new builds now!! lol The first one I built I had no trouble with at all! This must be what's known as 'karma'!