Defying the Laws of Physics

[networkboy]

Has this ever happened to any of you?

Situation: You go out and buy all-retail, all-boxed, all-from-reputably-named-dealers, all-recommended components.

Result: You go home, assemble them all, power on the PC, and get nothing.

That just happened to me. Boy, does it blow.

What I Bought
- Gigabyte GA-7ZX Motherboard (awarded "MB of the Year" by some hardware site/mag)
- Duron 850Mhz (Boxed, Shrinkwrapped, Retail)
- Antec AMD-Approved 300W PS
- Diamond Viper V770 32MB 4X AGP TNT2 card (worked in my other machine)
- 128MB PC100 SDRAM (worked in my other machine)

The Setup
I put the motherboard in my Enlight 7237 Case (with the Antec 300W (which works on another mobo)). I correctly attached the Duron + heatsink to the mobo. I add a stick of SDRAM....or two.....or three......all of which WORK in my other machine. I add the Diamond Viper V770. I attach the "power" switch connector to the MB (doesn't matter which orientation I attach it).

I Get:
1.) A green light on the motherboard.
2.) Video + CPU fans spinning.

Then nada. No beeps, not even a single beep, no nothing at all. Absolutely zilch.

I've tried every possible combination of SDRAM sticks, in all three DIMM slots. Nothing seems to work. I've run out of ideas. I've run out of components to blame. I've run out of things to try. I really believe that this problem is denying the laws of physics.

What could POSSIBLY be causing this? Star alignments?

 

[xtreme2k]

Try re-seat the CPU again?

Check if you need to change any jumper settings?

 

[damien6]

Double check your motherboard and test it w/different video card + rams.(if you can) I one had similar instance where the board seemed to power up OK but could neither get into the bios nor boot into the OS. I first thought it was the video card but it turned out that the bios chip had a problem.

Take everything out again and re-assemble paying attention to every details. Try to boot w/minimal peripherals attached and see if you can at least access the bios. If you can try it w/different video card. Good luck.

 

[Soccerman]

sounds like a CPU problem..

does that mobo have an indicator LED to help trouble-shoot problems?

if you could somehow try another Socket-A CPU, that would confirm/deny things..

don't be surprised if it turns out ot be something extremely simple.. for example, how your motherbaord is mounted in it's case (grounding needs to be looked after properly)..

 

[xtreme2k]

unless you cracked the core along the way

 

[networkboy]

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys. Some answers.....

>>cracking the core

I've done this before to a Duron, so I know what to avoid. I'm pretty sure this CPU is ok, considering I just bought it, retail, at Frys today.

>>reseating the CPU

I'll try this. But how many ways can you really re-seat a Socket A?

>>trying another Socket A CPU

This is a great suggestion and I would do it, but the only other Socket A I really have access too is an Intel P3, which won't go into the Gigabyte (it doesn't have notched corner-pins).

>>MB LED

Yes, the Gigabyte does have a big green LED, and it lights up. But nothing else happens.

Soccerman: tell me more about grounding.....what do I need to know about it? On this motherboard, I'm using screws I've been using on my old Abit BX6 MB: that is, the case standoffs are small, hexagonal and metal (not plastic) and the motherboard screws are your usual screws. I am using red plastic washers between the screws and the MB itself. Any other precautions I could take?

I DID run this MB out of the case on a static bag (not touching the case at all), but with my 250W PS. Is it worth trying it again with my new 300W?

 

[ElFenix]

sounds like you've done pretty much everything right. to make sure it wasn't grounding you could take the board out of the case and put it on a non conductive surface, 1 stick of ram, processor, and vid card, and try to fire it up. if it doesn't work i'd say return the board.

oh, and a p3 is socket 370, not socket A, which is why it won't go into the motherboard.

 

[Darksamie]

I actually had the same problem not too long ago with an Athlon system running on an ASUS motherboard....I have no idea whether it is the same problem but I just tested every single component in my system and found that it was definately the motherboard. Same scenario, lights on, no beeps...Perhaps see if you can get a replacement motherboard or grab one you can test with.

 

[Dug]

This might be a far fetched answer, but both of these have happened to me.

1) Bad power-on switch on the case.

2) Bad 3 1/2in floppy drive.

The first one is self explanitory.

The second one, I have yet to understand. I would get the same things as you (Fans working, green light on motherboard) but just wouldn't power on.
After taking out the floppy drive it worked great. I recreated the problem a few times just to make sure it was that. This was on an Asus board with a T-bird. I put in a different floppy and it fired right up. I took the floppy and put it into another system and it wouldn't start up.