Epox 4g4a+ with Swiftech MCX4000

[jejentor]

Guys

I've got a problem with my system that just got me stumped. My system specs are as follow :-

Epox 4g4a
P4 2.26b
4 Harddrives
1 DVD Rom Drive
1 CDRW
512 MB kingston DDR333
Radeon 8500
Audigy soundcard (just installed)
Icute casing with 350W

The problem starts after I changed my HSF with a swiftech MCX-4000 with a sunon (oh my god it sounds just like one) tornado. Boots up fine and confirm the hsf is seated properly (based on the cpu reading).

Connected all my devices up and tried to power up my system. However, I cant boot up the my system. No power. No nothing. Suspecting of overload, I bought an Antec TruePower 480. Remove all devices and started from scratch. Just power supply, mobo and just heatsink. (no fan) System boots normally. Plug in the cpu fan. No power. Pissed.

Took back my icute casing, plug it in, and it works. Slowly plug in my devices one by one. Still works fine. Till I install my audigy card.

Boots up normally, install the audigy drivers and noticed that one of my hard drives is not detected. Shutdown my system, ensure the cables on my harddrive are ok. Tried to power up but failed.

Its like it starts for about a milisecond. Can notice the cpu fans, psu fans, casing fans on then there seems like an autopower shutdown

Tried using the Antec PSU plugging into mobo and tried to switch on still the same symptoms. Casing fan, cpu fan, psu fans will be powered for like a millisecond till like its shutdown by itself.

Thought really the Antec PSU konked out. Brought the Antec to work thinking that i will send it for a 1-1 replacement later. Itchy fingers, plug it into the office p3 system and the power supply works!

Im just at my wits end. What is wrong with my system?

1) Mobo?
2) Overload?
3) Bad power supply?
4) Cpu bye bye?
5) Others? (please specify)

No burning smell no nothing. While my system was in operation, there was no weird temp reading spikes.

Has any 4g4a+ users here paired their mobo with a swiftech? Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

[halkebul]

Make sure the bottom of the motherboard is not touching the side of the case. If it is, the fans will spin for about a millisecond and then nothing will happen. I did the same thing the first time I installed a motherboard inside a case. The motherboard came with some small plastic components that allow the motherboard to be lifted off the side of the case, thus no metal to metal contact between the bottom of the motherboard and the side of the case. I almost returned a case and motherboard because of this.

 

[Ketchup]

Yes, this sounds like a grounding issue to me. It makes sense too since you had to remove your board to get your heatsink on, like I had to with my Alpha. Make sure there is a standoff and screw for every hole in the motherboard. There are 10, so make sure you didn't miss one.

If there were a CPU problem, your system would power up, and beep at you like crazy. When the system does not power up at all, it means there is either a problem with the power supply, or there is something in the system that the power supply doesn't like (such as an improperly grounded motherboard.)

 

[EKAtBzboyz]

its a lucite case guys
i dont think you will have grounding problems with lucite (or am i wrong?)

 

[RanDum72]

Where do yo plug the fan in order to get ts juice? Directly to the PSU or to the mob?

 

[Poohbee]

hello, I have a 4g4a+ and a swiftech mcx4000 too. I had similar problems as you. My computer would sound the bells and whistles and alrams telling me something is wrong.. and on the scree there is nothing but black. I took out my heatsink a few times trying to figure out what was wrong. and i finally noticed that during the install of the heatsink the meatl posts stubs that anchor the heatsink to the motherboard scrapd up a little of the traces that surround the holes where the posts go. I put in some of those round insulating paper washers between the metal posts and the motherboard (one on each side). and after that everything worked even after i took out the heatsink and cpu. good luck.

Sorry for the typos.. my laptop keyboard sucks and has sticky hard keys ><

 

[EKAtBzboyz]

Originally posted by: RanDum72
Where do yo plug the fan in order to get ts juice? Directly to the PSU or to the mob?

i would hope to a psu

...unless he doesnt mean vantec tornado....but i dont know of any other tornado fans...

 

[Adul]

make sure the mounting for the heatsink isnt grounding out any traces or contacts. also make sure the fanis pluged into the power supply and not the mb.

 

[jejentor]

The sunon tornado i got it from sidewindercomputers. Bought the hs and the fan from there.

The fan was connected directly to the psu (coz that is the only connector for the fan to be powered) and the connector with the temp reading wire (or what u call it) is plugged into the mobo.

And yes all the metal standoffs were fixed onto the case

After making numerous trips to the store and back, I've decided to plonk in the default hsf and brought the mobo, cpu, hsf and ram to the local store for rma. Embarassingly enuf, the tech guys powered up my system and it works!

Went back home, remove the default hsf, painstakingly put in the MCX4000 and fan. With only ram, cpu, hsf powered it up. Now it seems to power up......... for like 10 secs till it auto-power shutdown again. Put back the default hsf and the system boots up normally! Fixed all my devices and it seems to work fine with the default hsf. (Heck Im using the system now to type this)

Poohbee. U placed those round washers between mobo and the stubs? Errr... the stubs is fixed onto mobo with those plastic hexagonal lock nuts right? My MCX4000 HSF package didnt come with those paper/fiber washers. I can just use those that came with the mobo instead?

 

[Ketchup]

The idea behind the nylon washers is that you do not want metal-to-metal contact with your motherboard. With my Alpha PAL 8942, there are 8 nylon washers. They go on either side of the motherboard to keep the standoff and the nut from touching the motherboard, since they are metal. If you have nylon nuts on the backside of the motherboard, then you only need 4 nylon washers. My Alpha came with metal nuts, which don't strip like the nylon ones do. The point is, if the metal standoffs or metal nuts are touching your motherboard, you need to go out to the hardware store and by some nylon washers.

 

[Poohbee]

err.. no.. The paper washers i got from cyberguys.com .. item #161-0210 $1.05 /48 pieces

these are very cheap and do the job. I went to the hardware store and looked for nylon washers but they didn't have them...

try these out... goodluck