[wormguy]

I am building a computer. It is a
3.2 GHz Pentium 4
Albatron PX915P Pro Mobo
400W Power Supply
1 GB Kingston RAM
Chaintech Geforce FX5200
160GB SATA hard drive (not yet installed)

I have connected the power supply and case connectors to the motherboard, installed the CPU and CPU Fan, RAM and Vid Card. However, when I push the power button on the case, nothing happens. When I turn the power supply on, the case fan and the CPU Fan spin. But I try to boot it up, and nothing happens. I tried rearranging the case connectors, pressing the reset button, removing the motherboard from the case, unplugging the power supply, RAM, EVERYTHING. Nothing seems to work. I thought it might be a faulty motherboard, but that doesn't explain why the CPU fan spins. I've tried everything I could think of, please help.

(sorry for the lengthy post).

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when I push the power button on the case, nothing happens. When I turn the power supply on, the case fan and the CPU Fan spin.

im a little confused about this part. So, the computer is turning on, all fans are spinning, but nothing is on the monitor? If this is the problem, then I suspect video errors. I would try to reseat your video card.

Also, could you tell me what you hear in the beginning? There should be one short beep before BIOS loads up. Do you hear any beeps here?

From an irrational perspective, I have heard more DOA stories out of Chaintech than any other company. As a last resort, if you can, try using your video card in a buddy's machine to see if it works.

[UV_Power]

when I push the power button on the case, nothing happens. When I turn the power supply on, the case fan and the CPU Fan spin.

im a little confused about this part. So, the computer is turning on, all fans are spinning, but nothing is on the monitor? If this is the problem, then I suspect video errors. I would try to reseat your video card.

Also, could you tell me what you hear in the beginning? There should be one short beep before BIOS loads up. Do you hear any beeps here?

From an irrational perspective, I have heard more DOA stories out of Chaintech than any other company. As a last resort, if you can, try using your video card in a buddy's machine to see if it works.

[wormguy]

For one thing, I know the vid card is not the problem. It worked in my old comp. The computer doesn't even POST. The motherboard does not boot whatsoever. No beeps, nothing. I suspect the power supply, its one of those cheap ones that comes with the case, and I've heard reports from people who used that supply that say it won't boot their motherboard. I'm going to get a new power supply and see if that does the trick.

[The_Sloth]

One thing you might want to check is that the processor is seated correctly and fully, also that the connectors for the power button and such are plugged into the correct places on your motherboard. I know on the system I built a while back the documentation for the motherboard was labelled differently than the cables on the case, so you have to make sure you double check everything. Also, make sure the + and - wires aren't backwards.

[UV_Power]

I tried rearranging the case connectors

I would start here. It sounds like a bad connection. Sometimes going through all the steps, a motherboard will just fail after one of the steps is not completed. Maybe when you rearranged some things, there is one wire you have in the wrong place, or mixed up, or whatever. I would try unplugging everything and reconnecting one at a time, double-checking step by step, and make sure all the connections are right. It shouldn't take too long and you can eliminate the possibility of misplaced wires afterwards.

Also, what wattage is your PSU?

[wormguy]

Before, I tried rearranging all of the wires a million times, exactly like the manual told me to, and I made sure that the negative and positive was not mixed up. I could try again, but I've already spent the better part of two hours trying the connections.

And my PSU is 400W. Its a one that came with the case I bought.

[warriorscot]

You definately want to check the PSU then unless you have an antec case the PSU is probably rubbish. It may say 400W but it could really be giving 300W or less.
The manuals for the connectors are utter rubbish ive found, both my motherboard and case manual were naff the explanation from the case didnt match the mobo and vice versa and the cable colours didnt match. I eventually through hit and miss got the power button working and i only today got the hd led and the other led on, through trial and error.

[THL3]

This is way out there but it happened to me once. Try a different keyboard !!!
If not PSU , MB might be dead.

[UV_Power]

This is way out there but it happened to me once. Try a different keyboard !!!

Really? I've never heard of a computer failing to start without the detection of the keyboard. The only keyboard that I found to be essential to startup was the Commodore 64

It is starting to sound like the PSU is the problem. Try to buy one from an electronics store with a no-questions-asked full-refund return policy (*cough* *cough* FRY'S *cough* ) and test it out. Make sure that it has at least 450W and that it is from a good company (Enermax, ThermalTake, etc...)

[warriorscot]

In your first post you said the power button doesnt work but the fans spin when you turn on the PSU, could you maybe explain that. You never answered uv power and im curious as to what you meant by the fans spinning when you turn on the PSU, was it off before? The PSU is the best place to start borrowing one from a friend is probably the easiest way so you know it works getting two duffers in a row would be rare but not unheard of.

[sscott]

It's basically a process of elimination at this point since you've tried so many things. I would check in the following order:

1. Make sure everything is connected correctly and the switch on the back of the PSU is in the correct position. Also, try disconnecting and then re-connecting the PSU cables to the motherboard.

2. Swap the PSU out and try with an alternate (If the same problem occurs then it's obviously not the PSU).

3. Swap the mobo out and do some more testing (with the new PSU preferably, but if #2 is the case then either is fine).

4. Lastly, and probably something you could look into first is the actual switch to turn on the computer could be bad.


During the entire process leave the speakers plugged in so you can hear if there are any beeps/weird sounds etc. You may have more than 1 faulty part and the vid card could be one of them (hence the blank screen).

Edited by sscott, 15 July 2005 - 04:04 PM.

[wormguy]

All right, I got a new power supply (its Antec, so its good quality, 400W), and everything seemed to be going great. Everything was working correctly, except video feed. For some reason, the monitor would not give me anything. Hmm... this is starting to get REALLY frustrating. I fix one problem, and two more take its place...

[UV_Power]

Good to hear that the new PSU solved at least some of the problems.

I am thinking it could be your motherboard. Specifically the AGP to PCI bus. I'd hate to bash this into the ground, but you are sure your video card works? I know you have said it used to work in your old comp, but maybe something happened to it since then (which seems unlikely). Perhaps you could try it in a different computer OR borrow a friend's video card and try it in your computer.

Sorry if my advice sounds redundant. I wish I had a better answer for you.

[warriorscot]

Well eliminating the video card from the problem would be a step fordward, when you move a compnent from an old pc into a new one thats the time where its most likely to be broken a bit of ESD and its gone.
If the video card is still good and you are able to try another and it doesnt work its safe to say the mobos gone: RMA the board and start again.

[wormguy]

One thing i forgot to mention: the video card is PCI. Yes, PCI. Not AGP, not PCI-Express x16, but PCI. Could this have anything to do with the fact that I don't get video?