Help with new computer build

[brianblair]

I just built a new computer for myself. I finished the project last night, hooked up a monitor and booted and installed Windows XP. I shut down the computer. WHen I turned it on this morning, nothing came up on the screen. I've tried 3 different monitors, re-seated the video card, disconnected everything from the motherboard and reconnected to no avail. I can't even boot to an error with all the hard drives and optical drives disconnected.

I'm going to pull the Video Card tomorrow and stick it in another system to rule out a defective video card. Does anyone have a suggestion for what I should try if the video card works?

Thanks,
Brian Blair

SYSTEM:

INTEL 955XCS
Intel 920 Processor
3 GIG Corsair Memory (2 Sticks @ 1 GB & 2 @ 512 MB)
WD Raptor 150GB Hard Drive
2-WD Cariar 250GB Hard Drives
2-Plextor PX-716 DVDR Drives (1 IDE & 1 SATA)
ULTRA 550W X2-COnnect PSU

 

[evilsaint]

Try booting with the VCard out. You *should* get a BIOS beep code signalling, well, I think you can figure out what it'd be signalling . Speaking of which, is your system speaker beeping at all when you're booting as is?

Also, start 'er up with a single stick of memory as well, or at a minimum, try a pair of matching modules. Some boards (and XP for that matter) are finicky about four sticks of RAM, especially when they're not all the same type/size.

 

[unmerited]

Try resetting the BIOS.


unmerited

 

[brianblair]

Ya know, come to think of it, I don't recall hearing any beeps out of the motherboard during the building process. EDIT...I checked a similar computer at work and it doesn't beep on boot-up.

When I was able to successfully boot and install Windows 2 days ago, I only had 2-512MB sticks of memory in the system. The other two 1 GB sticks haven't yet been installed, so I know that can't be the issue. I've tried booting with only the VC installed (no HD's or Optical Drives connected.) I've cleared the CMOS and tried rebooting. No POST whatsoever. I don't even get the VC POST.

This has got me completely baffled because it worked two nights ago. I didn't do remove or install anything between the time I shutdown and the time I tried to boot the next morning.

I am going to take the VC to my friend at a local computer shop where I bought the motherboard to see if the videocard works or not in another system

EDIT...The video card works just fine, so the shop is gonna RMA the motherboard for me. I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed that I just got a bad motherboard

I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks

 

[brianblair]

UPDATE 4/4/06

Received new motherboard, installed it and still can't get it to POST. At this point, all I have hooked up/installed is the VC, Processor & 1 stick of RAM (of which I have tried several different sticks).

I just noticed that the fan on my PSU (ULTRA X2) is starting and stopped.

Could my brand-new PSU be bad and causing the problems I am seeing.

I will borrow a PSU and test out this theory.

Or...what are the chances that I've got a bad processor? (Considering that I did get the thing to boot and was able to load windows at one point.)

-brian

 

[SparkyJJO]

1. try with nothing but CPU, 1 stick of ram, and vid card in it, EVERYTHING else disconnected - drives, other PCI cards, etc.
2. If it still doesn't, try different single sticks of ram.
3. If it still doesn't, try a different PSU.
4. And if it STILL doesn't, then it must be something to do with the CPU, since you already know the video card and mobo are fine, and if you followed those steps there isn't anything left to blame.

 

[brianblair]

Gotcha.

I've done steps 1 and 2. Gonna try step 3 tomorrow and go from there.

Thanks.

 

[SparkyJJO]

by the way, before you assume the CPU is dead, try reseating it. Amazing how those buggers can sometimes not go in their socket right

 

[brianblair]

OK thanks...I'll try that when I'm testing the borrowed PSU tomorrow.

 

[brianblair]

I tried a brand new 350W PSU from my local computer shop and the system POSTed. I' am therefore assuming that the problem is with the PSU.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: brianblair
I tried a brand new 350W PSU from my local computer shop and the system POSTed. I' am therefore assuming that the problem is with the PSU.

sounds like it to me, either the power good signal isn't working or a rail died/dropped too low. RMA time it sounds like for the PSU.

 

[brianblair]

I'm going to keep the PSU I used to test the system so that I can get the computer built and all my programs installed. I'm waiting to hear back from Ultra Products about the procedure to RMA the PSU.

Thanks for all the help.