[Noprisoners]

Hello all, I'm relatively new to building computers. I've done one already, my own, which works fine and am using right now.

My friend had seen my system and wanted me to help build him one as well. Thing is, when I was doing an external build for his computer, something that didn't happen to mine is happening to his. When I try short circuiting those 2 pins - to turn the computer on and see if everything runs correctly - all his fans start, then stop, start, then stop. Almost as if there isn't enough power to them. Can you guys help me figure out what could be the problem here and how to go about solving it? Could the Power Supply or MB be faulty?

I've got the 24 pin connector in, the 8 pin, the 2 PCI Express plugs into the Videocard, the RAM and the CPU fan all plugged in. It should work, but it isn't staying on.

Here is his build:

http://www.newegg.co...ID=25qdxae5xvj4

http://www.newegg.co...D=14m1uwwxtwx7j

http://www.newegg.co...ID=alldszwgiwoy

http://www.newegg.co...D=16dw0rhkeckya

http://www.newegg.co...D=1mm77gsrsdfta

http://www.newegg.co...ID=dy4fcdb58ixj

http://www.newegg.co...D=1slr6rd3ux37p

http://www.newegg.co...ID=ljumq0jm7ijb

Edited by Noprisoners, 14 March 2012 - 02:55 PM.

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Are sure you shorted the right pins? Have you tried just attaching the front PC button to the pins? Its hard to tell what this could be, this can be one of three things to me. Either the PSU is faulty, the MOBO is somehow fried or the CPU is messed up. How did you or your friend handle the installation? Did you or he use anti-static wrist bands?

[NKGuy]

Are sure you shorted the right pins? Have you tried just attaching the front PC button to the pins? Its hard to tell what this could be, this can be one of three things to me. Either the PSU is faulty, the MOBO is somehow fried or the CPU is messed up. How did you or your friend handle the installation? Did you or he use anti-static wrist bands?

[Noprisoners]

Are sure you shorted the right pins? Have you tried just attaching the front PC button to the pins? Its hard to tell what this could be, this can be one of three things to me. Either the PSU is faulty, the MOBO is somehow fried or the CPU is messed up. How did you or your friend handle the installation? Did you or he use anti-static wrist bands?

i did the build. I'm not positive I shorted the right pins but I am relatively sure. I know where they are located, so I tried shorting a few of them until I saw the fan turn on when I hit two specific ones. Am I shorting the wrong pins?

I didn't try connecting the PC button to the pins. We didn't have anti-static wrist bands but we did make sure to displace any static by touching the metal case prior to touching any of the parts. We were on hard-wood floor and all the parts were raised off the floor ontop of their respective boxes.

If it could be any of those 3 things, is there a way I could pinpoint it, or am I looking at having to return all of these parts?

[NKGuy]

You should take out the MOBO manual and look at where the power pins are located it should say. Then attach the ront power switch to the board so that instead of shortening you can actually turn it on how it should be done. To identify the problem you would have to get other parts that you know do work and switch them in different combinations. I highly doubt its the CPU so we can cross that off and the PSU is working because it did turn on. So if what I say does not work we can rule out the MOBO. But do try and completely hook up the build. That way you do not accidentally short it out.

[Noprisoners]

You should take out the MOBO manual and look at where the power pins are located it should say. Then attach the ront power switch to the board so that instead of shortening you can actually turn it on how it should be done. To identify the problem you would have to get other parts that you know do work and switch them in different combinations. I highly doubt its the CPU so we can cross that off and the PSU is working because it did turn on. So if what I say does not work we can rule out the MOBO. But do try and completely hook up the build. That way you do not accidentally short it out.

Alright I'll try hooking up the entire build. I suppose I could go through the trouble of undoing my PSU and trying it on his setup. So if the issue persists I should return the motherboard then?

[NKGuy]

Yes that would probably be best. Seeing as the problem is unknown.

[wannabe1]

If I might make a suggestion...

Check to see that the CPU cooler is properly mated to the CPU. Make sure it is making full contact with the CPU. I've seen this same problem a number of times and it's turned out to be a problem with the CPU cooler better than half the time. I've also seen this issue when too much thermal compound has been applied. Too much is as bad as too little when it comes to transferring heat away from the CPU.

wannabe1

[NKGuy]

The user above makes a good point, but what bothers me is that it is not even posting full. OP should respond back with details of getting it to boot or not.

[Noprisoners]

I'll need to double check on that tomorrow. No thermal compound was applied, at least manually by us.

It's a brand new machine, brand new parts. Wouldn't it be unlikely that heat transfer is an issue? The fans have never spun for longer than 2 seconds, then it seems they reset and try going again.

[wannabe1]

There's a good chance that there was a thermal "pad" preapplied to the cooler if you used the cooler that came with the processor. It's definitely worth checking it, though.

[iammykyl]

Hi.

To troubleshoot the problem you need to go through a rather pedantic, but though process. Please go right through to the end as there may be more than one porblem.

At this stage, do not remove the heat-sink and fan. A boxed CPU heat-sink/fan is almost sure to have had a thermal pad affixed, as Wannabe1 stated.

Unplug from the mains and take anti static measures.

Remove all connections from the PSU. Do not remove the PSU from the case.

Remove all connection from the Mobo, except the CPU heat-sink/fan.

Remember to place parts on a cardboard surface.

Remove the video card.

Remove the Mobo.

Did you replace the installed I/O shield installed in the case with the one supplied with the Mobo?

Check the stand-off on the Mobo mounting place. There should be the exact number of stand-offs as there are screw hole in the Mobo and in exactly the same pattern, no extra ones.


In the RAM in the correct slots according to the Mobo Manual?

This is to do a bare bones test.

Remove the stick of RAM furthest away from the CPU. Place in a marked envelope, marked #2. Ensure that the remaing stick is securely seated.

Install the video card in the correct slot, refer to the Mobo manual.

Connect the monitor and keyboard.

Connect the 2 power cables to the Mobo.

Connect the 2 power cables to the video card.
Check that the CPU fan plug is connect to the correct header on the Mobo.

Turn on the monitor, you should get a message.

Short out the 2 power on pins. (the power on button does exactly the same thing, briefly shorts the circuit, not turn on like a light switch)

The PC should now POST, with hopefully a message, no hard drive.


If a failure. Read the error code on the diagnostic panel or lights. Then post the results.

If OK.

Turn of, install the second stick of RAM in the correct slot and test again.

If OK.

Turn off, connect the case front panel connectors, switch on. This to test for faults.

If OK. Proceed to installing the Mobo and then connect one piece of hardware at a time, starting with the optical drive, test each time.

Let us know the results.

Good luck.

[iammykyl]

Have you resolved your problem? An update would be appreciated.

[Noprisoners]

Hey, we ended up returning the Motherboard for a replacement. If that doesn't solve the issue does this mean 100% the issue is the CPU? We tested the PSU with a paperclip, shorting it to see if it'd turn on and stay on, which it did.

[NKGuy]

Hey, we ended up returning the Motherboard for a replacement. If that doesn't solve the issue does this mean 100% the issue is the CPU? We tested the PSU with a paperclip, shorting it to see if it'd turn on and stay on, which it did.

If not the MOBO then it would have to be the CPU. Did you check for bent pins?

[Noprisoners]

I couldn't see anything just scanning it carefully with my eyes.