"Machine Messiah" said in
Great, thanks for that info.
I wonder what else I could use for?
Just visit your local Radio Shack (
http://snipurl.com/5vw2). Might even
find one at Target, Walmart, BestBuy, hardware store, etc. You can
spend $20 to get a cheap low-grade but usable multimeter to measure
voltages, or you can spend that shipping it all back, get replacements,
and possibly have the same problem again. If you can't touch 2 probes
to connectors to measure voltages and are unwilling to get the
prerequisite tools to build - and troubleshoot - a computer then
slapping one together is probably not something you should tackle.
Considering your lack of experience in using or unwillingness to get a
multimeter, I also suspect you took no anti-static precautions when
handling the components and you might've zapped them dead. Did you
ground yourself to the case (with the power supply installed and the
grounded power cord plugged into a grounded outlet)? Did you use an
anti-static wrist strap? You might do better to spend the $20 to buy a
pre-fabbed barebones system that has already been put together, tested,
and burned in.
If you decide to get a multimeter to check the voltages, you'll need to
provide a load on the power supply. The hard drive should do. With the
20-pin Molex connector attached to the motherboard (so pin 14 for PS-ON
gets shorted so the power supply knows it is plugged into a motherboard
and lets the power supply come on), use a diagram like
http://www.hardwarebook.net/connector/power/atxpower.html to measure
those voltages. Measured voltages should be within 5% of their rating.
Some motherboards require an additional 12V connector, as shown at
http://www.hardwarebook.net/connector/power/atx12v.html, because not
enough current can be supplied through the 12V wires (not thick enough)
in the 20-pin Molex connector. You would need an ATX +12V power supply
(it has the 20-pin Molex connector and the 4-pin square Molex connector
for the additional 12V lines).
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?categories=1&model=137
has a picture (click on it) and shows the 4-pin square 12V Molex
connector at the upper right corner just behind the PS/2 keyboard and
mouse connectors on the backside of the motherboard. Does your power
supply have the 4-pin connector? Did you connect it?
Other uses for a multimeter:
- Checking the AC voltage in your outlets, especially to check correct
polarity.
- Checking continuity on any wiring. Useful to check cables.
- Checking the voltage on your car battery, or any battery, like those C
and D cells. If you have rechargeable batteries, like a pair of AA's
used for a remote, sometimes one goes bad (won't recharge to full
voltage) and the multimeter will identify which one won't take a full
charge.
