Computer won't boot, new MB and CPU..any suggestions? 1

[comp110]

I have just bought an ECS motherboard socket 754 755-A2(1.0). I have a max 350w power supply. I've installed everything, the hard drive, memory, CPU ( AMD 3000 ). I've set the jumpers right according to the manual. Now when I hit the power the HDD light comes on the fan on top of the CPU comes, but nothing else is coming on. no beep or beeps!
Does anyone have any suggestions

 

[KenB]

Hi,
I had a similar problem when I built an AOpen AK79G mobo AMD2100+ system. The PS that came with the case was rated 450 watts was causing the problem, unknown mfg. I installed a 300 watt AOpen PS and everything was fine. AMD publishes a list of approved PS on their web site, check this out.

HTH
Ken

 

[garebo]

Also, if i recall correctly, the ECS motherboard comes with the bios on re-set right from the factory. YOu have to move the jumper to pins 1 and 2. Have you done that?

If you have double-checked all your jumpers, cables, re-seated the cpu\heatsink\fan, and still cant boot up, then i suggest you take out all hardware your dont absolutely dont need and give it a try that way. If still no go then take the motherboard out of the case and try it that way.
Have a friend try your power supply on their system.




Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

Or borrow another power supply from someone.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[hotfusion]

Not entirely convinced it's the power supply, as the fan and HDD(12 volt rail) are working, suggesting there must be 5 volts getting to the board.

Are you sure the monitor is correctly connected and that the graphics card (if fitted) is functional?

Regards, Andy.
**************************************
My pathetic attempts at learning HTML can be laughed at here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/index.htm

 

[BadBigBen]

Hola,

if you browse the Forum, you will come across many who thought just like you, that becaus the Fans spin that the PSU is functioning... this is just not true...

one of the Rails, may not be delivering enough Power, or not function at all... could well be the 3v line, or the 5 volt line... so testing with another known working PSU, will tell you if it is the PSU or not, just to put that out of the equation...

also, I suggest unplugging the IDE Cable from the MOBO side, and the USB front header (if attached), check the seating of the GFX card, as just a nudge off, can also cause the symptoms you describe... check the seating of the HS-fan for orientation... 180 degree offset on AMD's have been known to be a culprit aswell...

another thing I would do, is to clear CMOS... some boards do not like to boot if this is not done at the beginning...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[garebo]

I already pointed out re-setting the bios, especially it being an ECS board.
Just because the fans spin means only that their rail is ok, but not the other rails.
Even the power supply tester you can buy will only tell you if the power supply turns on, not if all the voltages and rails are correct. For that you need a digital or analog multimeter. You can get a very good tutorial on the rails and voltages and how to test them. Go to techrepublic.com. YOu have to sign up but its worth it, its a very professional site like this one. Then you can see the power supply manual and all you need to know to check the various voltages to make sure the power supply is working properly.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[paparazi]

Common faults:

1) you have forgotten the extra 12volt power connector?
2)Two many brass standoff mounting posts have been used and one is shorting the motherboard to ground
3)Front side bus set incorrectly
4)Orientation of floppy and or IDE cables incorrect
5)Addon card preventing boot
6)Weak or faulty PSU
7)power or reset button stuck in
8)poor connection on the main power socket
9)faulty CDrom or hard drive (dead short)

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[garebo]

Its been said and dis-believed once or twice in this post, so its worth pointing out again. Just because the cpu and\or motherboard fans spin doesnt mean the power supply is good. And just because the green light on a power supply tester turns on and the power supply apparently turns on still doesnt mean the power supply is functioning well enough to boot the pc. EACH rail or voltage line must be tested separately. One such tutorial can be had by joining at techrepublic.com. Its free and a great site anyway, similar in quality to this site. You also need to have either a digital or analog multimeter to do the testing needed, but they are cheap to purchase.

Trusting the power supply just because a fan turns on is a sure way to mis-diagnose and a sure way to spend time and money for nothing. In cases like this we should always start with the small items until we end up and the power supply, then check out the power supply as suggested.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[G0AOZ]

All very good advice from the above posters...

PSUs are notoriously difficult to test fully. A PSU can apparently work fine and give good voltages within spec at low load levels, but as soon as higher current demands are made on it, faulty electronic components within can breakdown quickly, and Hey Presto! you've a problem with say the motherboard not starting.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[garebo]

Has this unit ever been working at all by the way?


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Irish1957]

I would start at a very base point. Disconect everthing. Connect the MB and CPU and try starting(this wont tell you much but sometimes just the process of unpluging and repluging cures the problem). Double check the cables from the case to the MB (no beeps can sometimes be no speaker commected to the MB). Then slowly add the bits. First the RAM (only add one module at a time) and video card, at this point you should get to the boot pre test screen . If you get to this point you should add then each component and try booting. Seen something similar a couple of times and it was poorly seated RAM/ bad RAM in one case and PSU in another

 

[paparazi]

I think this thread has reached the point that we really need some more imput from the original poster!

Has any of the advise helped?
What have you tried etc.

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[comp110]

Thanks for all the support guys. Just like garebo had mentioned I had to set the jumpers to enable the BIOS and I also had to change the PSU because it wasn't enough power going through.

Thank You.

 

[garebo]

Boy, these darn power supply problems! It seems like 20% to 30% of all problems are connected to power supplies.

They make these darn cases with cheap power supplies and sell them cheap and we buy them and end up having trouble with them!

Im just glad you got things all fixed up, re-set the bios and installed a better power supply and away you go!

Down the road you want to remember that re-setting the bios can help you out with other problems as well.
Its best to go into your bios while all is well and write down all the settings you have. Its a lot of work but what happens is that your bios settings can get changed without your knowledge and cause you problems and if you dont know what your original settings were then you cant figure out what got changed! So its worth the extra time right now.




Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[BadBigBen]

Glad to hear that you got the thing up and running...

any future problems, please do not hesitate to ask again...

@Garebo - Well, I haven't had any experience with ECS mobo's at all, so I learned something new there myself about them coming with the CMOS clr set factory wise...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[garebo]

BadBigBen, ya, i found that out long time ago. Cost me hours of time, thats why i always remember that one!

Not only that but:

PCChips Amptron Protac Aristo Minstaple Eurone Matsonic ECS

are all owned by the same company so watch out for all these motherboards. Although the only ones i have ever worked on are Pc Chips, Amptron and ECS, maybe you guys\gals over in Britain and Europe have worked on others?


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[BadBigBen]

Well, I've worked on more Gigabyte, Asus, MSI, and Siemens... and they are pretty much straight forward... but thanks again... you can never have enough experience on these...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[garebo]

I'm guessing some of the boards you mention are server oriented, like Siemens? I love MSI, have a NEO2 right now. They even gave me a new mobo when mine was out of warranty last year. I knocked the teeny-tiniest chip off the mobo putting a dvd burner in the case. They told me they were doing it cuz i told the truth. Very nice of them as i had a dead mobo! Cant go wrong with gigabyte or Asus pretty much. The boards i mentioned, Pc Chips, Amptron etc, are considered low-end boards but i honestly find they hold up to whatever you throw at them so i dont see the problem that some do. Some people swear against them. ECS is the best of the bunch. But, again, some of the other ones i mentioned, i figured they must end up in Europe, Asia, not U.S.- Canada or i would know about it, i imagine. I only see ECS, Pc Chips, the rare older Amptron, dont see the others. I think they are oem boards but not sure.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[KenB]

I have one other thing to mention about the PSU question. A PSU that works fine on a PIII CPU may be too weak (Amperage) to run a P4 or AMD. Always check the specs from the MFG web site to find out what the minium requirements are. AMD CPU require more amperage than a P4 so a PSU that is OK for Intel may not work for AMD.

my 2 cents
Ken