[MommyWilliams]

Hi, I have read several posts on many different websites regarding this problem. It seems more common than what I would have thought, being that I know very little about computers. Please bear that in mind while posting! I originally had an HP model # p6404y... I believe you can look up anything you need to about my computer with that.
However, since then I have changed my power supply (from 300watt to 500 watt), motherboard, and case because the motherboard I got would not work with the power switch cord (or something along those lines was what my friend told me). My new motherboard is a MSI 760GM-P35 if you need to know that. The problem remains the same. I read in a forum to try starting it without the graphics card, so I removed it and tried turning the power on, but still the same problem.
Please, if you can help me, I'd really appreciate it- as would my husband who is probably upset with me for kicking him off his game every time I need to do work on the computer!
~Laura

[Advertisements]

Hi Laura and welcome.

I need a better picture of what is happening.

You now have a new MSI board and power supply in your new case. And from the first time you tried to power up, you got nothing on the monitor and the mouse and keyboard did not work. Is that right? In other words, your computer has never worked with this new motherboard.

Note that many motherboards require more than one connection to the power supply. There typically is an 8-pin (or 2 x 4-pin) connector that also must be connected.

When a new motherboard does not work, it is often due to extra standoffs, or a foreign object under the board.



The brass part is the standoff, and they screw into the case. The motherboard sits on top of the standoffs, and is secured by the screws.

All cases are designed to support 1000s of motherboards. The ATX Form Factor Standard only states where mounting screws "may" go, not where they "will" go. So it is common for the case to have many more standoff mounting holes than the motherboard. And a common mistake from newbies to the distracted experienced is to use more standoffs than there are corresponding mounting holes. So I recommend you pull the board and make sure there are only standoffs where there is a mounting hole on the board.

[Digerati]

Hi Laura and welcome.

I need a better picture of what is happening.

You now have a new MSI board and power supply in your new case. And from the first time you tried to power up, you got nothing on the monitor and the mouse and keyboard did not work. Is that right? In other words, your computer has never worked with this new motherboard.

Note that many motherboards require more than one connection to the power supply. There typically is an 8-pin (or 2 x 4-pin) connector that also must be connected.

When a new motherboard does not work, it is often due to extra standoffs, or a foreign object under the board.



The brass part is the standoff, and they screw into the case. The motherboard sits on top of the standoffs, and is secured by the screws.

All cases are designed to support 1000s of motherboards. The ATX Form Factor Standard only states where mounting screws "may" go, not where they "will" go. So it is common for the case to have many more standoff mounting holes than the motherboard. And a common mistake from newbies to the distracted experienced is to use more standoffs than there are corresponding mounting holes. So I recommend you pull the board and make sure there are only standoffs where there is a mounting hole on the board.

[MommyWilliams]

Hi, thank you for responding. This has been a problem before I replaced anything. That was the reason I began replacing parts. And it has consistently been the same problem. Power supply was replaced, but that wasn't the cause it seemed. Then the MB--- but yes you are correct, I do think I put in more of the standoff screws than what match up to the MB. It's just that this has been a continuing problem that the power supply and the MB and the case didn't fix. I would have thought that because of no power to the monitor as well as the usb connections to the keyboard and mouse that changing those ports via changing the MB would fix it. Although, my monitor hooks into the graphics card that I installed in December. My old computer had an integrated nvidia that apparently had a lot of problems. I hope this explains it more, if not, let me know! Thanks.

[Digerati]

If you think you might have more standoffs than the motherboard has mounting holes, correcting that is your first priority. If there is a standoff and no motherboard hole, that means there are circuits where the standoff is touching. If lucky it only shorts a circuit when in contact. If not lucky, the first time you powered up, the short caused too much current, and fried something.

[MommyWilliams]

How likely would it be that it is the same exact problem as I was having before? Especially being that before I ever installed anything I began having problems for no reason? I had installed a new graphics card, like I said, but my computer worked great for nearly 6 months after that and then started with this problem without even touching anything in the case. It just seems really coincidental that everything else appears to be powering on but the monitor, keyboard and mouse.

[Digerati]

It just seems really coincidental that everything else appears to be powering on but the monitor, keyboard and mouse.

How do you know that? Just because you may hear fans spinning, that does not mean that everything else if powering on. The PSU must supply 12V (typically used for fans, drive motors, and graphics cards), 5V and 3.3V. All voltages have to be present for the computer to work.

Also note that while this may appear to be the "exact" same problem, with a new motherboard, new graphics card, new power supply and new case, it is not likely the exact same problem - unless perhaps you are using the same CPU and RAM, and one of them is bad.

But before doing anything, you need to ensure your standoff situation is right.

[MommyWilliams]

Thank you very much. I took everything apart to correct the standoff screws and had my friend who knows about computers put it together again. It now powers on which is a great improvement. I actually by luck did not have any extra standoffs, I had actually missed one spot where it would screw in, but I must have done something incorrectly. Thank you sooo much for so diligently responding

[Digerati]

Great! I am glad it works now. Thanks for the update.