Brand New Motherboard, Power? Won't Boot

[TomahawkPM]

First time poster: Thought I'd throw this to you guys and see what we can come up with.

I'm a bit of a NOOB when it comes to this stuff, but I'd say I know enough to get by with. Anyway, the problem is similar to an earlier post by Warger ("HELP!!! - Building a Computer and having troubles!!!!), in that I've just attained a new motherboard, hooked everything up. The LED on the motherboard is green and lit, but when I hit the power switch on my case, nothing happens. Nothing powers up, nothing boots.

Attempted multiple setups with same results:
First attempted with full setup.
Took out PCI Slotted peripherals (network card, TV Tuner, Firewire, Audio Card).
Took motherboard out of case, attempted to run w/ Video Card and Memory.
Took motherboard out of case and attempted to run barebones (with/without Video Card or Memory (one at a time)).
Took motherboard out of case and attempted to run with nothing (no Video Card or Memory).

All roads lead to the same place: Nothing powers up. Any suggestions would be MUCH appreciated.

Background Note:
Reason for getting new motherboard - My last motherboard, for some reason, the USBs and Ps/2 ports didn't recognize, and though sometimes everything would run if I had just a keyboard plugged in, but when attempting keyboard AND mouse (in Ps/2 ports that is), nothing would recognize. And again, USBs were dead. However, computer booted and OS executed properly, everything else functioned fine, just had no keyboard or mouse or USBs.

Computer Specs (I'll just put the barebones stuff):
Asus A7v8x-x Motherboard (NEW)
AMD Athlon XP 1700
Future Power - Input 115v/230v-, 6A/4A, 50-60Hz. Output: 400w. Model No: ESP-400ATXP3P4
Thermaltake Vocano 5 Heatsink/Fan
DDR Ram - 256 Mb (x2)
Nvidia GeForce 4

Thanks guys, good luck.

 

[Fern]

Welcome to the Forums!

Are you using a known good-working PSU?

Looks like you tried the mobo out of the case with only cpu (plus HS+F), ram and vid card (of course monitor, KB and mouse) and got nada. Correct?

To eliminate a problem with the power button, can you try to short (with a screwdriver) the power pins on the mobo to see if it'll start up?

The cpu's heatsink fan is plugged into the mobo header?

Have you tried clearing the CMOS yet?

Good Luck with it.

Fern

 

[TomahawkPM]

Known Good-Working PSU:
It worked on the last setup I had, so I assume it's still good. But of course, y'never know I guess, new setup could mean new problems.

Tried Mobo out of case w/CPU, HS+F, Ram, Vid Card, etc:
Yes, still got nada.

Short the power pins:
I've never done this before, so before I start sticking a screwdriver where it doesn't belong, can you go into specifics on how to do this, and exactly which pins to short?

CPU Heatsink Fan plugged into Mobo Header:
I'm assuming you mean to ask if the fan is plugged into the motherboard, answer is YES. Referred to instruction manual as to which pins to plug into, so it should be on the right pins.

Clearing CMOS:
The motherboard hasn't powered up yet, I can't even get to a CMOS or BIOS menu. The LED on the motherboard lights when I turn on the kill-switch on the Power Supply itself, but again, when I hit the power switch on the case, nothing powers up.

Thanks, any more you can give would be appreciated.

 

[Dead3ye]

To test your PSU, on the ATX connector, the one that plugs into the MB, short the green wire to one of the six ground wires (black). The PSU should stay powered on until you remove the short.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: TomahawkPM
Short the power pins:
I've never done this before, so before I start sticking a screwdriver where it doesn't belong, can you go into specifics on how to do this, and exactly which pins to short?
Find the two pins on the mobo where you hook up the power button connector. Use a screwdriver/paperclip and short/connect the two mobo pins

CPU Heatsink Fan plugged into Mobo Header:
I'm assuming you mean to ask if the fan is plugged into the motherboard, answer is YES. Referred to instruction manual as to which pins to plug into, so it should be on the right pins.

Clearing CMOS:
The motherboard hasn't powered up yet, I can't even get to a CMOS or BIOS menu. The LED on the motherboard lights when I turn on the kill-switch on the Power Supply itself, but again, when I hit the power switch on the case, nothing powers up.
There should be a jumper for this on the mobo. Look in the manual. You unplugg the pc and move the jumper between the pins for a moment, and then replace the jumper to the original position.

 

[TomahawkPM]

Will attempt all suggestions tonight. Will update you all tomorrow.

Much thanks for all the support, keep suggestions coming!

 

[networkman]

I'm not familiar with that particular model motherboard, but on a recent Biostar motherboard that I used for a build, it had a jumper on the motherboard to set the FSB; by default, it was set to 333, which explained why I couldn't get it to post with the XP2000+ I had installed. If that board has such a jumper, setting it to 266 should take care of it.

 

[mechBgon]

You are a good no0b, you posted your specs 🙂 Asus does some weird silk-screening that can fool you. These are the pins and this is how to do it, except you want the correct pins, which are on the bottom row.

If the motherboard won't start, another possible cause is that the motherboard is not on standoffs. And I have a list of other things to check here if that doesn't shed any light on it.

Good luck and welcome to the Forums 😎

 

[TomahawkPM]

Update:

Thank you for all the tips while I've been away overnight.

First off, Deadeye's suggestion (To test your PSU, on the ATX connector, the one that plugs into the MB, short the green wire to one of the six ground wires (black). The PSU should stay powered on until you remove the short.") - Tested this, and indeed the power supply powered on.

Secondly - In attempting to short the POWER SWITCH pins on the motherboard (as illustrated by mechBgon, and much thanks for the photograph by the way), nothing happened. *POST SCRIPT* The 20 pin ATX connector was plugged in, however, see below for more details on this.

However, to NETWORKMAN, I'd love some details on your suggestion, but unfortunately my noOb vocabulary isn't exactly elite status as of yet, so please try and elaborate on your suggestion involving the jumper setting (like where the jumper is found, what exactly FSB stands for, etc).

Otherwise, so far, my assumption is that this mobo is DOA.

BUT, being the newbie, what do I know. So, if you could, I'd like your opinions on the matter.

MUCH thanks for all suggestions so far, I'm learning a lot from these little tests on the system.


*POST SCRIPT (EDIT)*

This is the "official" specs: http://www.asus.com/prog/spec....m=A7V8X-X&langs=01

Forgive me, because I just thought of this reading mechBgon's manuals:
My power supply does not appear to have a ATX12V connector (at least I don't recall seeing one, will check on that tonite), and I'm not sure if this board requires one to run. So if the problem is so simple as to getting a new power supply WITH an ATX12V connector, well, don't I feel dumb (note that this is the first time I've ever run across the term ATX12V, I'm a screaming Noob here). But again, you're the experts, let me know.

 

[TomahawkPM]

Yet another update:

No ATX12V is required on this board as far as I can tell. There doesn't seem to even be a slot available for one if I had it.

However, still unable to find the FSB jumper. Any assistance to the matter would be appreciated.

 

[Fern]

However, still unable to find the FSB jumper

Pull out your mobo manual and look in the BIOS section. Prolly "Advanced Chipset Features", if you can change the FSB in BIOS, likely there is no jumper. I looked at an on-line manual for your board and didn't see any jumpers for FSB adj listed. But then I also couldn't find the jumper for clearing the CMOS and that doen't seem right to me.

 

[TomahawkPM]

Update:

Still no luck getting the thing running. I think the Mobo's D.O.A., and am most likely going to send it back.

As for FSB Jumper, never found one or any resources pointing to one, so most likely it is done in the BIOS. Yet, as the computer doesn't boot at all (no POST), and clearing the CMOS has not yeilded results, chances of this being the problem are probably slim.

Any other ideas would be much appreciated.