I just built a brand new computer and when everything is hooked up and plugged it, I get no sign of life. It is as if it isn't even plugged in. No fans moving, no lights on, nothing. I have never got it to turn on, so it was never working right. Now, I got it from Newegg and I read all the reviews of the mobo before I got it and someone said that they got a defective one sent to them and Newegg had to replace it. Do you think that is what this is? If everything is plugged in right, something has to be defective, so it is possiable for it to be anything else and still act this way? Even if the CPU was at fault, wouldn't I get some kind of response from turning it on? Thanks for your help.
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Something is not right 1
- Thread starter Ddraig85
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First off make sure power is arriving at the PSU, i.e. check or substitute the mains power lead. Check the voltage switch is set correctly for mains voltage 115v, 230v etc., as appropriate for your area.
Disconnect all drives, and this means both data and power cables. Remove all plug-in cards from the motherboard including video, unplug mouse and keyboard. Disconnect front panel l.e.d., reset and power switch wires from their motherboard headers.
Remove memory modules, and recheck CPU just in case there is an unnoticed bent pin etc. Put a fresh smear of heatsink compound on CPU and remount heatsink and fan. At this point you should now have nothing else connected to the motherboard except for the ATX PSU 20-pin power connector.
From your motherboard handbook identify the power-on 2-pin header, and either carefully short together these two pins or attach just the front panel power-on switch.
If powering on produces no spinning PSU or CPU fans, then either the board or the PSU is dead. Try removing the board from the computer case, to make sure there is nothing shorting to ground on the underside. It is all too easy to inadvertantly add a brass standoff where there is no motherboard mounting hole, which then can short out a vital circuit. Rest the motherboard on a piece of cardboard or similar insulating material and try powering it up out of the case.
To check the PSU, disconnect the ATX 20-pin power connector from the motherboard, attach a hard drive preferably an old one to give it some load, and short pin 14 (usually the green wire) to any black wire (there will be one either side of it). If this does not make the hard disk rotate or the PSU fan revolve, then the PSU is at fault.
ROGER - G0AOZ.
Disconnect all drives, and this means both data and power cables. Remove all plug-in cards from the motherboard including video, unplug mouse and keyboard. Disconnect front panel l.e.d., reset and power switch wires from their motherboard headers.
Remove memory modules, and recheck CPU just in case there is an unnoticed bent pin etc. Put a fresh smear of heatsink compound on CPU and remount heatsink and fan. At this point you should now have nothing else connected to the motherboard except for the ATX PSU 20-pin power connector.
From your motherboard handbook identify the power-on 2-pin header, and either carefully short together these two pins or attach just the front panel power-on switch.
If powering on produces no spinning PSU or CPU fans, then either the board or the PSU is dead. Try removing the board from the computer case, to make sure there is nothing shorting to ground on the underside. It is all too easy to inadvertantly add a brass standoff where there is no motherboard mounting hole, which then can short out a vital circuit. Rest the motherboard on a piece of cardboard or similar insulating material and try powering it up out of the case.
To check the PSU, disconnect the ATX 20-pin power connector from the motherboard, attach a hard drive preferably an old one to give it some load, and short pin 14 (usually the green wire) to any black wire (there will be one either side of it). If this does not make the hard disk rotate or the PSU fan revolve, then the PSU is at fault.
ROGER - G0AOZ.
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Ddraig85
Common build mistakes:
Now I am trusting you that when you say "unplugged everythind" that you mean: just motherboard/CPU with cooler/one stick of ram/graphics card and the power supply connections (plural) if more than one.
So that only leaves:
1)Fitting too many or incorrectly placed brass standoff(or spring clip) mounting posts
2)Not connecting the additional P4, Molex or other secondary power plug to the motherboard
3)Blown power supply (even if it's new)
4)Cmos clear jumpers is incorrectly set to "clear" position
Please give more specification and detail
Martin
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Common build mistakes:
Now I am trusting you that when you say "unplugged everythind" that you mean: just motherboard/CPU with cooler/one stick of ram/graphics card and the power supply connections (plural) if more than one.
So that only leaves:
1)Fitting too many or incorrectly placed brass standoff(or spring clip) mounting posts
2)Not connecting the additional P4, Molex or other secondary power plug to the motherboard
3)Blown power supply (even if it's new)
4)Cmos clear jumpers is incorrectly set to "clear" position
Please give more specification and detail
Martin
We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.
![[thumbsup2]](/data/assets/smilies/thumbsup2.gif "[thumbsup2] [thumbsup2]")
G0AOZ
Roger, it's not just the extra P4 connector, nowadays there can be various additional power connectors going to the motherboard.
Not only are most if not all of the latest motherboards sporting the latest 24pin (not 20) power plug, most have tha additional P4 connector but some have molex and even floppy drive type connectors soldered on the motherboard.
An example of this is DFI's top Nforce4 SLI board, which has the lot! (obviously they may not all need connecting depending on setup)
See:
Note* (floppy connector behind the top PCI-e socket next to the small heatsink)
Thought it was worth pointing out several motherboards are now using several other power connectors as well as the well know +12V P4
martin
We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.
Roger, it's not just the extra P4 connector, nowadays there can be various additional power connectors going to the motherboard.
Not only are most if not all of the latest motherboards sporting the latest 24pin (not 20) power plug, most have tha additional P4 connector but some have molex and even floppy drive type connectors soldered on the motherboard.
An example of this is DFI's top Nforce4 SLI board, which has the lot! (obviously they may not all need connecting depending on setup)
See:
Note* (floppy connector behind the top PCI-e socket next to the small heatsink)
Thought it was worth pointing out several motherboards are now using several other power connectors as well as the well know +12V P4
martin
We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.
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