Computer won't start

[Porter21]

My two friends, that don't really know anything about computers put everything inside the computer case and had me come over to finish everything off such as putting cpu in and plugging in leds and such. When we went to turn on computer, to boot up and load windows, the fans turned on for one moment and then off. Then I realized that they didn't use stand-offs to mount the motherboard but rather just screwed it into place. Do you think that the motherboard what shorted out or what?????? Is the motherboard a gonner??????

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Porter21
My two friends, that don't really know anything about computers put everything inside the computer case and had me come over to finish everything off such as putting cpu in and plugging in leds and such. When we went to turn on computer, to boot up and load windows, the fans turned on for one moment and then off. Then I realized that they didn't use stand-offs to mount the motherboard but rather just screwed it into place. Do you think that the motherboard what shorted out or what?????? Is the motherboard a gonner??????

My answer is: maybe, maybe not. Take it out of the case, mount it properly with standoffs, and try it again. It's possible that something shorted out, and this shut down the PSU. This might have damaged the power supply and motherboard. But then, maybe the PSU did what it was designed to do - shut down automatically in the event of an overload, and prevent damage.
So, just do it right, use standoffs, and try it that way - or test it outside of the case, unmounted. Set it on a solid, nonconductive surface, like a book or something similar, and try it that way.

 

[daveybrat]

hmmmm......question for you.....they don't know anything about computers.....you come over and install certain things for them......and yet you don't look things over before you turn on the pc??

I would have never turned on a pc built by amateurs before i inspected it properly first.

The board may be shot, but take it out and try it outside the case first on something noncondutive.

 

[Porter21]

thanks.....i'm sorry i didn't know my friends were complete idiots and didn't know that. we tried two different power supplies and the fan on cpu would just spin for a second. the board may be shot.

 

[Grunt03]

Have you checked to motherboard to see if it requires a xppower supply?

I would start from scratch, take the entire thing apart and re-build everything. They could have many things hooked up completely wrong. Check the IDE connectors, primary channel, check it all.
In the end if it works charge your friends double the amount for being stupid.......

 

[zveruga]

Im a $#%& IDIOT!!!!!! I almost burned my mobo the same way just now... I posted this question HERE, and my problem is probably that I didnt use stand-offs. Now, I actually checked to see if CPU powers on (it does), and Im really scared now that I shot my mobo... Only one way to find out tho... I'll put on the stand-offs and see what happens.


IT SUCKS BEING A n00b!!!!!!