[NwoFoxhound]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a new motherboard (ECS P4M800Pro-M), a new CPU (Intel Pentium D 2.66GHz@533MHz) and some ram (1024mb DDR Corsair Ram) in order to upgrade my prehistoric computer i have at home.

I started off by installing the motherboard, followed by the installation of the CPU + Fan and finally connected all my drives and made sure everything was connected. Everything at this point was fine... until i arrived at the Front Panel Switch (the thing that controls your case LED's and Power Switches, etc).

The problem i am facing is that when i push my case power button, nothing happens. I have rechecked all the connections many of times and everything seems to be in place. The only thing i can think of is that the Power SW that connects to the Front Panel isnt installed correctly. In my mobo manual it says to connect the "Power SW" to slots 6-8. First off, i dont even have a Power SW, but i do have a DC. SW (which i assume is the same thing). Anyways, even so... i connected it and still nothing happens. Im wondering what the manual means by (+) vs (-) on the switches and if that plays a role.

Please help me figure this stuff out. Give me suggestions or maybe diagnostics on what my problem actually might be? Who knows, maybe the PSU is crapped? Although, it's a 350w PSU that i have recently bought. Also, theres not much heat in my computer - i dont even have a graphics card or anything like that - so i dont think it could be that. Feedback is welcome..

Thanks ahead of time
-David

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On the motherboard it usally says where the different connectors go try following them i find the manual very confusing for stuff like that. Try the power switch in both ways by turning it round try and it then if it dont work turn it the other way and try again. When you press the switch does the fans move a little bit etc.?

Make sure you have no short circuits aswell thats the mistake i made where my neons were shorting out my PSU so the fans would twitch and then nothing.

[rumble291]

On the motherboard it usally says where the different connectors go try following them i find the manual very confusing for stuff like that. Try the power switch in both ways by turning it round try and it then if it dont work turn it the other way and try again. When you press the switch does the fans move a little bit etc.?

Make sure you have no short circuits aswell thats the mistake i made where my neons were shorting out my PSU so the fans would twitch and then nothing.

[NwoFoxhound]

Well, when i press the button there's no "life". Not even a sound... I contacted my MOBO Manufacturer (ECS) and they said to clear the CMOS. I cleared it and it did nothing. Computer's still lifeless as ever... I was wondering though, could it be that the Power Sw isn't the same on this case? I wouldnt think so, but it seems like the problem is that the Button doesnt send the signal to the motherboard (thats why i think its a connection issue).

I am totally stumped on this one... as a last result i guess i could take the mobo out and see if it works on its own. Any suggestions on how to do this?

[SRX660]

Looking down on your motherboard the manual shows 9 pins you can use at the bottom right of the motherboard. The pins go like this.

2468
13579

The 1 and 3 pins are for the hard drive activity light on the front of your case. The plus is the red wire and the minus is usually the black wire( may be different color).

The 2 and 4 pins just above the 1-3 pins are forthe computer power on light.

the 5 and 7 bottom pins are for the reset switch on the font of the case( usually a smaller button than the power on button). This lets you reset the computer (restart) when a probram has locked up the computer.

The 6 and 8 pins at the top are the Power On pins. These should be connected to the big botton on the front panel of the case. Are your wires like this?



SRX660

Edited by SRX660, 06 February 2007 - 07:39 PM.

[NwoFoxhound]

My wires are exactly like that except for the Power Sw one. Your picture shows the Power Sw connection, but mine has a DC. SW connector... i am assuming those are the same? Either way, I think they're connected correctly. I cant seem to figure it out.

[NwoFoxhound]

Hmm... i have a thought though! I currently bought my PSU and its 350w. THe problem is, i bought this PSU for my old setup. I upgraded my Hardware to a Pentium D 2.66GHZ@533MHz, 1024mb DDR Ram and a new mobo. I also have an extremely old nvidia video card (old as in, 7 yrs? lol)

Im not sure, but the PSU shouldnt be the problem, or is it? Should i have a PSU capable of more wattage output? Like maybe a 400w+ ??

Please, gimme suggestions... im runnin out of ideas

[Kurenai]

Are there any lights lit on your motherboard, at all? Most motherboards will have an LED that turns on when the system has power. If there's a short, or if the power supply is dead (or motherboard is dead), no power to the system.
The 350W power supply should be plenty.

I'm not 100% on this, so someone check me, but bridging the two power switch pins on the motherboard with a screwdriver, or similar conductive material, should let the computer turn on, if it's just a switch wiring issue. That could eliminate one possibility.

[rumble291]

Is the power switch connector right for the motherboard cause sometimes the connectors are desgined for different motherboards. Check to make sure you have done everything correct e.g spacers between the motherboard and the case if needed. Also make sure that everything is plugged in correctly sometimes the power supply might not work if everything isnt plugged in correctly. Check all wires and switches if you have any wires touch the case it will short circuit and nothing will work. try what Kurenai said but make sure the bride doesnt touch any other pins BUT like kurenai said I dont know if it works. Also make sure all the jumpers are properly connected.

[NwoFoxhound]

Well, first of... there are no lights on this mobo. That kinda sucks because it would have been easy to tell if the mobo is being fed power. Im out of choices so now im going to try to mobo on its own outside the case. Any help on how to test the mobo outside the case would be appreciated!

[SRX660]

Usually the easist way to tell if power is being fed to Mb is that the CPU fan starts running.This is a failsafe on most MB's simply because it only takes a couple of seconds before the CPU gets too hot to run without the fan running.

Fan not running means first replace power supply, then replace memory, then replace motherboard, then replace CPU in that order. Usually replacing the PS starts CPU fan and no boot usually means bad memory or dead short to ground. If the computer seems to run( makes noises) but you get no video replace video card, check cables, etc.

Pretty simple process and its almost failsafe. 99% of the time it's PS, memory, video card, or motherboard in that order.

SRX660

[ultimateslacker2]

Here is what I found from our G2G new build computer problems.

1-Remove the motherboard from the case and place on a piece of cardboard
2-Install only the cpu with hsf, 1 stick ram in dimm 1, psu, video card, case switch and case speaker
3-Connect ps2 mouse and keyboard along with the monitor
4-Repeat the above and power on
5-If the computer now boots into bios you most likely had a case short so make sure when installing the motherboard in the case that you use standoffs and they line up with the mounting holes in the motherboard and none of the standoffs touch anything else on the underside of the board.