Gaming new build wont work...

[BedtimeGuy]

so i have gotten some parts and built myself a new computer... but it doesn't work at all! basically when i turn it on, the parts all activate, the light on the motherboard comes on, indicating that it's working, and all the lights on my case indicated the DVD drive, internet, etc, come on... but nothing happens. the mouse wont light up, the keyboard doesnt light up or respond, and the monitor shows nothing... i've checked everything and im starting to think the motherboard itself is faulty.

my ram is guaranteed compatible with the motherboard on corsair's website, the processor is on the motherboard's QVL, and the PSU can't be at fault (i think) because i tried booting up with very few components plugged in and got a similar result (plus it lights up). i already tried the clear RTC jumper, and booted up on some cardboard to check for shorts with the case, but nothing happens.

so am i correct in the assumption that it's the motherboard and should i send it back to where i got it? (if you think its the processor then i still have to send it all back, they came in a bundle). any help appreciated.

 

[Cermage]

swap the ram out (if you've got more than one stick)and try each stick in various slots to see if it will post. if that doesnt work, try a spare ram stick or try the ram in another computer. if the ram doesnt work in another computer, you've got dead ram. otherwise you've probably got a dead motherboard. care to take a picture of the insides?

 

[jceggbert5]

Hmm... try removing all but one stick of RAM, try booting up, if it doesn't move it to a different slot.. repeat until all slots have been tried. If it doesn't work by now, try each other stick of RAM and do the same thing...

If that doesn't work, get a PSU from a different computer that has the same number of pins for the motherboard plug and the processor one (either none, 4, or 8 pins, yellow and black wires).

If that doesn't work, try removing the heat sink and fan(s) from the CPU and make sure you have the appropriate amount of the 'processor goop' as I call it (the rapid heat transfer gel - usually silver)... Reassemble and try again.

If that STILL doesn't work, check to see if you have an on-board video card. If you do NOT have one, unplug all video cards and try to turn on. If you get beep codes, it could be a faulty video card.

If it doesn't work yet... try RAM of the same class (DDR, DDR2, DDR3) from another computer (if possible)

Hope this helps

edit: Can we have some model numbers or order page? How about photos? They would probably help the situation

 

[BedtimeGuy]

i've tried one stick at a time, and in all slots already, the CPU came with the gel on it, so i assume it's the right amount. as i've said i'm almost certain he PSU works because removing non-essential components wouldn't make any difference and the components all appear to be receiving power. i know the PSU works, i'm using it on my other system as we speak. i also know the video card works, its in this computer for the time being.

here's the relevant specs:
VGA:zotac brand Geforce 9800 GT. it works in another computer.
MB:M4A785TD-V EVO
OS:dual boot: WinXP, Linux Mint via GRUB2
CPU:AMD athlon II X4 635
Memory:corsair TW3X2G1333C9A
PSU:some old hunk of junk, 450W i think

 

[cobleman]

Do you have the 24 pin and the 4 pin power plugged in?

 

[BedtimeGuy]

yeah i defintely do... i checked... many times...

 

[Scorpei]

Try running as bare as possible: remove all components until you have pretty much nothing left:
Motherboard, CPU (with heatsink!!!), PSU and speaker
The board should then whine about not having any RAM (possibly via beep codes or via LEDs on the motherboard). If it doesn't, it's probably screwed.

I did have the same problem once too and that ended up being the PSU eventhough the PSU did work in a different machine. Just to cover this, the PSU is an ATX2 PSU right and not ATX1?

 

[Twilight Loz]

you eithier got a dead RAM or motherboard.

 

[Thoob]

I know you say your video card is working, but try the one built-in to the motherboard just to be sure.

 

[Am0s]

these problems are very hard to diagnose if you do not have another pc laying around to interchange them. black screen on boot up (no life) with no beeps, usually means dead motherboard or fried cpu.

also if you take out the ram, and then power it up wioth the pc speaker connected your motherboard should start endless beeping as the other guy said, if you dont get the beeps I would suspect the mboard is faulty, also you can do the same with the vga card too.

do you have another pc or motherboard laying around that your know works, that you could put the cpu into?

offtopic funny story

I used to run my own pc business for a while and anyhow I got a call from this guy he has the same issue as you, the guy said he didn't do anything to it, so I diagnosed the problem and it was a dead cpu, I built him a new machine and when it was done he said he opened up the old machine and took off the cpu because it was too loud, I explained to him thats why he had a dead cpu, I then left him with his new pc removing him from my customer database.

 

[Joe88]

well you can try remounting the cpu into the mobo, there might be a problem where its not seated right, defective cpu's are not very common unless you caused it (dropped it, scratched the contacts, touched the bottom when you had a static charge built up ect...)

I doubt both ram sticks in all different slots are defective which only leads to the motherboard being defective, either that or a bad wiring job for the front panel

 

[Cermage]

the fact that the mouse/keyboard doesnt light up and that you've checked all the connections and it still doesnt post means its a motherboard problem. it could be ram but i doubt both defective. cpu being faulty is extremely rare.

 

[Velveteer]

As others have said, a photo would help immensely.

Do the fans spin up when it turns on?

If the machine is powering on and the mouse/keyboard aren't getting any juice and video isn't running, it sounds like an issue with the 4-pin/8-pin power.

Otherwise, make sure the board's not shorting out on metal. The best way to do this is to pull it out of the case and run the board on a desk, with all components on it. You'll need to stick something underneath, so the back-edge of the board isn't being held up by the PCI-plate on the GPU.

 

[BedtimeGuy]

@ scorpel, i just followed your directions, still no POST, but my weird old case's speaker plugs into the AAFP pins for some reason 0_0 maybe my motherboard simply dislikes that. and im pretty darn sure that my no-name PSU is the right type (24 pin connector, and makes fans spin, lights go on, etc.)

@thoob, i tried that already, exactly the same.

@Am0s i wish i had somethign to diagnose it with, but i don't so i had to waste all of your time Dx

@Joe88 i remounted it once, all seems to check out... same problem though.

@cermage, yeah i guess ill send the motherboard/cpu combo i got back now... sounds to be likely after everything i've checked

@velveteer, as i said in my first post, the components all work (fans included) and i have already booted up on a cradboard box to check for shorts.

so i guess it just has to be some faulty component, im pretty sure its the motherboard/cpu (one of them doesnt matter which because i got them together) and not the RAM (i DID try another pair of DDR3 memory in it to no avail, mind you the other pair isn't on the QVL). could it still be the PSU? i dont believe so becuase iv'e tried powering up with the bare minimum, and the parts all appear to receive power (YES the cords are plugged in right), can anyone confirm that it isn't likely the PSU?

 

[Scorpei]

Although still possibly the PSU, it does seem to be an ATX2.x psu (which is what your mobo needs). Having to stick your speaker in the front audio connections is a first for me though

. Withough testing the PSU in another system, and the CPU in another system there isn;t really a 100% surefire way any of us can say what component it is although I would personally go for the motherboard too at this point.

 

[BedtimeGuy]

ok thanks a lot scorpei, i'll send back the motherboard and cpu... hopefully it will work after i get a replacement

 

[Originality]

DoA (dead on arrival) motherboard fits the symptoms like a glove. If it was the PSU, the motherboard wouldn't light up. Can't be RAM. If it was either drive, then it would work fine just by removing all drives. CPU is harder to diagnose (and, as said, is rarely the cause of failing). All that's left is the motherboard, which can cause the most problems when it goes bad.

Choosing to RMA the motherboard and CPU probably is the right choice.

 

[BedtimeGuy]

ok thanks originality, ill do that right now... shipping fees

 

[moose3]

Well you said hunk of junk psu. I've had some of those that came bundled with a case that were crap. I have had the lights come on, but there is just not enough to actually boot, as it begins the boot process, fans, led, but it just hangs before actually loading the bios. Unless you have already RMA'ed the Mobo, go to a local store, get a new power supply. I suggest one of the more powerful ones, you can always return it after testing, and then find one online cheaper. If you can, go with a recognizable name: antec, enermax, corsair, etc.