Problems with a new build, looking for some help

[Amanensia]

Hello,

I'm having some pretty odd issues with a new build and hoped someone here might be able to help. All the components were purchased from OC and I've also submitted this info to them via webnotes, but it can't hurt to ask in two places!

I am building a new build PC using mostly new components. The new components are as follows:

- Antec Quattro 850W PSU
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 CPU
- Asus P5E3 Deluxe mobo
- 2GB Corsair DDR3 1333 RAM

I am using an old Thermaltake case, and an old but working (verified in another machine) DVD drive, plus an existing 8800GTX video card.

The machine powers up fine, and I can get into the BIOS. The BIOS however does not recognise the DVD drive. Jumpers are set correctly and it is connected to the only IDE controller on the board. The drive works in another PC, and power is reaching the DVD because the light comes on, but it will not open or close and does not show up in the BIOS. The DVD drive is connected to the only IDE controller on the motherboard (PRI_EIDE).

Also, the BIOS does not recognise the hard drive. I tried connecting the drive to a different SATA controller (the board has six and I tried them all), and using a different data cable, but nothing. I tested the power connectors (I am using molex power connectors, not SATA power connectors) using a multimeter and there are steady 12V and 5V supplies as expected. So I pulled a drive out of an old machine and tried that - not only didn't it work, but the drive blew up. Literally! Smoke and everything. I am presuming that something similar happened to the drive that wasn't working beforehand but in a somewhat less dramatic way that I didn't notice.

I'm a bit stuck. I would expect a blown hard drive to be a PSU problem, but the PSU is brand new, the voltage supplied seems fine, and and the power to the processor and mobo seem fine as I can get as far as the BIOS with no problems. Added to that, the fact that the DVD drive is not being picked up seems to suggest an IDE controller issue rather than a PSU issue, but it seems vanishingly unlikely that both the brand new PSU and the brand new motherboard are faulty.

I have ordered a new, cheap-as-chips low capacity SATA drive to try once more but I expect that'll blow up too, and I'm a bit out of ideas. Is there something obvious I am maybe not thinking of?

 

[1337z0r]

Can your hear the first hard drive you tried starting up when you turn the computer on? I also think it could be a PSU issue have you not got a spare PSU to try?

 

[Amanensia]

The first drive I tried, no, I can't hear a thing when that's connected, so I presume it is fried.

I don't have an old PSU I can try right now unfortunately - I am using a PCI-E graphics card and I don't have a power supply knocking around with the appropriate power connectors for it. However as the BIOS is not picking up the DVD drive, even though 12V and 5V power are being supplied to it, doesn't that rather rule out the PSU as the source of the problem - or at least indicate that there must be another problem?

I could try to get another PSU but I'm not sure where I'll be able to find one tbh - I'm not shelling out for another PSU right now, I've spent enough already! I guess I could RMA the new one but it's far from clear (so far) that that is actually faulty.

 

[Amanensia]

OK I'm making some progress and have, hopefully, just one problem left.

I have the build assembled out of the case at the moment, and as far as I can tell everything is working. However, I can't seem to install the OS. I have the motherboard boot sequence set with the DVD drive as the first priority and the Vista installation disc in there ready. The hard drive appears to be working fine and is being picked up by the IDE controller, but I get the message "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key".

What am I missing? I've had a good look through the BIOS options and I can't see anywhere to explicitly enable "boot from CD" or similar, apart from just setting the optical drive to being top priority.

I'm sure I'm missing something obvious!