Problems with new PC - What would you do?

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sff11i

Built a new PC today but everytime I boot it up, blank screen (nothing
no BIOS, no signal).

I used memory from another PC (two 512MB chips) - no change
I removed CPU and fan - no change
I removed memory - no change
Replaced with CRT monitors - no change

Q: What would you do next to find the faulty part or misconfiguration?

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Socket 939 512KB Inc Fan
MOBO: GigaByte GA-K8NF-9 Socket 939 nForce 4-4X PCI-E ATX
GFX: XFX GEFORCE 6600 PCI-E 128MB DUAL DVI Passive Cooling
MEM: Crucial CT12864Z40B single 1GB
 
my favorite line...reset the CMOS
If the speaker is connected properly and there are NO beeps, then it could
be the mainboard or the CPU.
Check the voltage selector in the back of PSU.
 
Thanks for the reply!
my favorite line...reset the CMOS
Click to expand...

I took the battery out for 10mins, does that also clear the CMOS?
Motherboard manual says something about "temporarily shorting 2 pins",
don't know how to do that.
If the speaker is connected properly and there are NO beeps, then it could
be the mainboard or the CPU.
Click to expand...

I just checked:
Green light comes on,
DVD writer light flashes once,
HD light flashes once or twice,
Green light stays on,
Nothing else.
I have to shutdown by pressing the button for 5seconds.
Check the voltage selector in the back of PSU.
Click to expand...

Don't know how to do that, I'm googling it up.
BTW, the case is:
QuietPC.com Antec Sonata I Black Quiet Case inc 380W PSU and Acoustic
Material
 
Thanks for the reply!


I took the battery out for 10mins, does that also clear the CMOS?
Motherboard manual says something about "temporarily shorting 2 pins",
don't know how to do that.
Click to expand...

Yes IF you unplugged it from the wall
I just checked:
Green light comes on,
DVD writer light flashes once,
HD light flashes once or twice,
Green light stays on,
Nothing else.
I have to shutdown by pressing the button for 5seconds.


Don't know how to do that, I'm googling it up.
BTW, the case is:
QuietPC.com Antec Sonata I Black Quiet Case inc 380W PSU and Acoustic
Material
Click to expand...
It a little switch on the back of the PSU by the Power cord choices
usually are 115/230v or 110/240
 
Built a new PC today but everytime I boot it up, blank screen (nothing
no BIOS, no signal).

I used memory from another PC (two 512MB chips) - no change
I removed CPU and fan - no change
I removed memory - no change
Replaced with CRT monitors - no change

Q: What would you do next to find the faulty part or misconfiguration?

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Socket 939 512KB Inc Fan
MOBO: GigaByte GA-K8NF-9 Socket 939 nForce 4-4X PCI-E ATX
GFX: XFX GEFORCE 6600 PCI-E 128MB DUAL DVI Passive Cooling
MEM: Crucial CT12864Z40B single 1GB
Click to expand...

Invest in an inexpensive POST card if you're putting systems together yourself.

One example:
http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/...+0494&dept=lch33&search=1to25-3&child=1to25-3
 
JAD said:
Yes IF you unplugged it from the wall
Click to expand...

Tried it again with power unplugged and battery out for 20mins, no
difference :(
It a little switch on the back of the PSU by the Power cord choices
usually are 115/230v or 110/240
Click to expand...

Had a look, that red switch seems to be missing, product image:
http://www.antec.com/productImage.php?ProdID=07381
The sticker only mentions 230V and the PSU is titled as "UK version" on
the website.
Invest in an inexpensive POST card if you're putting systems together yourself.
Click to expand...

I found one for £30. Using it, will I be able to definitely determine
whether it's a faulty motherboard or CPU?
 
Anything else I can do now to determine which component is faulty?

I can easily get a replacement from dabs.com if it's a motherboard or
CPU problem.

Wish I had another Socket 939 board to check the processor :(
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote:

|>Built a new PC today but everytime I boot it up, blank screen (nothing
|>no BIOS, no signal).

As mention'd do you have a PC speaker installed? It will tell you
what's wrong, or a clue.
 
Trax said:
As mention'd do you have a PC speaker installed? It will tell you
what's wrong, or a clue.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I should have mentioned that there are no beeps at all and the
Speaker connector is installed correctly.

IIRC, motherboards should return different length of beeps to identify
errors?
 
Thanks for the reply!


I took the battery out for 10mins, does that also clear the CMOS?
Motherboard manual says something about "temporarily shorting 2 pins",
don't know how to do that.


I just checked:
Green light comes on,
DVD writer light flashes once,
HD light flashes once or twice,
Green light stays on,
Nothing else.
I have to shutdown by pressing the button for 5seconds.


Don't know how to do that, I'm googling it up.
BTW, the case is:
QuietPC.com Antec Sonata I Black Quiet Case inc 380W PSU and Acoustic
Material
Click to expand...
Is the CPU fan plugged into the correct header on the motherboard?

SteveH
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote:

|>
|>Trax wrote:
|>> As mention'd do you have a PC speaker installed? It will tell you
|>> what's wrong, or a clue.
|>
|>Sorry, I should have mentioned that there are no beeps at all and the
|>Speaker connector is installed correctly.
|>


Check the white Power supply wire and insure the proper voltage, it's
your power good line and if it's not right on you won't boot up (goes
into a repeated reboot until the proper voltage is seen).

Flow chart http://www.fonerbooks.com/power.htm

Pin outs
http://freespace.virgin.net/matt.waite/resource/psu/atxpsu.htm

|>IIRC, motherboards should return different length of beeps to identify
|>errors?

Yep and on a good boot up you should hear a single beep.
 
Trax said:
Check the white Power supply wire and insure the proper voltage, it's
your power good line and if it's not right on you won't boot up (goes
into a repeated reboot until the proper voltage is seen).

Flow chart http://www.fonerbooks.com/power.htm
Click to expand...

I'll check that out, but first should I try replacing the PSU with a
working one from another PC? I currently have an Antec TruePower 430W.
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote:

|>
|>Trax wrote:
|>> Check the white Power supply wire and insure the proper voltage, it's
|>> your power good line and if it's not right on you won't boot up (goes
|>> into a repeated reboot until the proper voltage is seen).
|>>
|>> Flow chart http://www.fonerbooks.com/power.htm

|>I'll check that out, but first should I try replacing the PSU with a
|>working one from another PC? I currently have an Antec TruePower 430W.

I would :)
 
I'll check that out, but first should I try replacing the PSU with a
working one from another PC? I currently have an Antec TruePower 430W.
Click to expand...

Many motherboards are shipped with the Clear CMOS jumper in the "Clear"
position, which may stop the motherboard from POSTing. Just double
check that before replacing the power supply.
 
|>[email protected] wrote:
|>> Trax wrote:
|>>
|>>>Check the white Power supply wire and insure the proper voltage, it's
|>>>your power good line and if it's not right on you won't boot up (goes
|>>>into a repeated reboot until the proper voltage is seen).
|>>>
|>>>Flow chart http://www.fonerbooks.com/power.htm
|>>
|>>
|>> I'll check that out, but first should I try replacing the PSU with a
|>> working one from another PC? I currently have an Antec TruePower 430W.


|>Many motherboards are shipped with the Clear CMOS jumper in the "Clear"
|>position, which may stop the motherboard from POSTing. Just double
|>check that before replacing the power supply.

Nice one, I knew a guy who brought his home built computer to work
because it wouldn't boot up; was hoping someone could fix it for him.

While waiting he read the manual, first page in big red letters was to
remove the jumper, it booted up after that :))
 
Trax said:
I would :)
Click to expand...

I just replaced PSU with a working one - still same without any beeps.

I checked the Clear CMOS jumper, it seems to be in Normal mode
according to the manual.

BTW, for some reason my GFX card has a single male power socket fixed
on it, am I supposed to plug a cable from the PSU into it as it fits
fine. I havn't done it yet because I thought it was a risk is a new to
me (never seen it before on GeForce).

GFX card is:
http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product/listConfigurationDetails.jspa?productConfigurationId=958

It is "passive cooling" so no fan, hence I can't tell if it's working
fine.
 
[email protected] said:
BTW, for some reason my GFX card has a single male power socket fixed
on it, am I supposed to plug a cable from the PSU into it as it fits
fine. I havn't done it yet because I thought it was a risk is a new to
me (never seen it before on GeForce).
Click to expand...

The manual doesn't say to connect anything to it and doesn't show it on
the product diagram. Although Addendum 2 says to connect it to PSU but
titled as "6800Ultra Card" whereas I have a "6600 Card".
 
I just replaced PSU with a working one - still same without any beeps.

I checked the Clear CMOS jumper, it seems to be in Normal mode
according to the manual.

BTW, for some reason my GFX card has a single male power socket fixed
on it, am I supposed to plug a cable from the PSU into it as it fits
fine. I havn't done it yet because I thought it was a risk is a new to
me (never seen it before on GeForce).
Click to expand...
UM yes sir! it needs the extra(optional on some older ATX PSUs) pigtail lead
from the power supply
 
JAD said:
UM yes sir! it needs the extra(optional on some older ATX PSUs) pigtail lead
from the power supply
Click to expand...

Amazing! That fixed the problem!

Thanks a lot to all that helped :)
 
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