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first time builder HELP - NOW DESPERATE!

G

groovepapa

Member
I have my mobo, cpu, ram, and a video card all installed. when I hit the power button, the PS comes on with its fan, and the cpu fan spins, and the northbridge fan spins...but I don't get POST - or nothing on the screen anyway...

does something else need to be set/hooked up to get to see BIOS or what?

the only thing not installed is CD and HD.

TIA
 
I would remove the cpu, ram and vid card and reinstall. If you have more than 1 stick of ram, try different combos as well as multiple banks. If none of this helps, you have something that was doa.
 
Try resetting the CMOS jumper on the motherboard and rebooting the PC. As above, if you have more than one stick of RAM, try only using one at a time, or in different combinations on the board to see if that is the problem. Make sure the CPU is connected properly in the socket.
 
have your speaker connected to your mobo to see if you get any beep errors.

if your mobo has a 4pin 12v connector, plug that in
do you have jumper settings for the fSB?? set it at the lowest setting, ie)100mhz
make sure cmos jumper is at correct postition.
check back of PSU, it should be switched to 115v-120v, not 230v.

try install out of case, maybe mobo is shorting out.
 
the fan on the heatsink appears seated correctly...
mobo has the 4-pin 12v connector plugged in...
cleared the CMOS, then tried normal CMOS jumper setting...
had 2 sticks of ram, put 1 stick into all 3 different slots...
back of PSU is on 110V...

still not getting anything onscreen...I will try the speakers for beeps...

question: to take out the CPU, I'll need to remove the heatsink first in order to get to the socket release lever. I applied thermal grease between the cpu and heatsink, and if I take that heatsink off, am I going to ruin that grease and have to re-apply it?
 
what exactly is your cpu, and what is your mobo?? and yes, you will need to reaply a fresh does of grease
 
I have an Athlon XP 2500 Barton and an Abit NF7-S (v2) mobo.

also, how vital is it to get a smooth, clean layer of grease? I must have spent about an hour and half trying to get it nice and smooth and rub it off all the other parts of the heatsink except the part I thought the CPU head would touch...was I being overly cautious, or is it vital not to have any extra grease in there?

TIA
 
This is just a guess.

Remove the HS, use a cotton swap and alcohol to clean the CPU, this means specifically any compound that may be on the surface mount components along side the CPU. Wipe the bottom of the HS clean of all HS compound. Now place a dab of HS Compound about the size of grain of rice on the exposed Si use a razor blade to spread it thin. Now Replace the CPU, try again.

It is a good idea to get your first boot before setting the board into the case. Just set the Mobo on a non conductive surface and arrange things so the various cables reach. It is a lot easier to reseat etc.. when the board is out of the case. Once you get the boot and you know your basic components are functioning, remove the video card, but leave the CPU and memory in place and mount the board.

Good luck
 
What kind of power supply do you have? I just set up an xp2500 and an abit nf7s rev 2.0 and was having trouble posting. The fans would spin, motherboard would light up, sometimes would even get a bios screen, then it would randomly shutdown. I put in an enermax 350 watt and it solved the problem
 
I'm at my witts' end guys. I'm getting desperate. I've tried everything except a replacement mobo/cpu. when I plug in a HD, CD, vid card, mobo, cpu, memory, and turn on, the HD starts to spin, the CD drive looks for a CD, and all the fans come on - on the mobo, on the vid card, on the cpu/heatsink...but nothing comes on screen.

would it be my monitor for some reason?

i'm really desperate here, guys...everything here is new equipment, except the mobo and cpu, but they're from another anandtech board member, and I'd rather not believe that someone here would send out bad parts...
 
tried a different monitor, and tried a different port on my graphics card. the graphics card, hd, and cd all work fine, because I use them in my other computer just fine. the memory and power supply I've never tested before, but they are brand new. the only things I have that are un-tested and not new are the mobo and cpu that I bought from another user, like I said...

I don't have the budget to get another cpu or mobo...
 
something new...I removed the heatsink, and removed all the thermal grease from the CPU and heatsink and saw what looked like a tiny brown "stain" on the CPU (not on the die) over on the green part next to one of the "L2" labels. it had an irregular shape to it. anyone know what this is, if it's serious, and what can cause it?

thanks.
 
Something that happened to me that rarely happens, but is possible.... Check the mounting brackets you used to mount the motherboard onto the tray. Also make sure your screws aren't making partial contact with the motherboard. If a screw or bracket isn't on correctly, it can cause the motherboard to short out. Make sure everything is fine and dandy =)
 
well, I've taken the mobo out of the case entirely and have everything hooked up to it laying on a piece of cardboard...but I did have it in the case earlier...if it was shorting earlier, do I need to set something on it to keep it from being shorted?
 
update....

I bought an enermax 350w power supply and hooked it up, but I get the same exact problem. power comes on, fans spin, vid card comes on (pretty blue light on radeon 9600 pro comes on) but nothing ever comes to the screen. the case I have didn't come with a hookup for speaker onto the mobo, so I don't know if there are any beeps or anything going on.

I'm trying all of this outside the case, with the mobo sitting on cardboard.

I'm desperate now, I'd really like to get this damn thing settled, but I don't wanna drag it to the PC store and spend $umpteen hundred to fix this crap...any other ideas? what's a way to test if the cpu is bad?
 
I had a problem like that before when I first started building a comp. Well, I figured out that I short circuited the motherboard, because when I put it in the case, I didn't realize that it didn't have those little bolts you put the motherboard on top so it doesn't come in contact with your case. Make sure your motherboard isn't coming in contact with the case, and that it's on top of those little bolts you put your mobo on top of and screw the screws in. Good luck!
 
Just had a buddy go through the exact same symtoms. It did exactly everything it was supposed to, except post. It was sadly a bad mother board. I assuming ASUS will turn him one around pretty fast.
 
i mean this might be too late or too simple.
the vid card is seated all the way down into the agp slot, correct?
it is locked in there nice and tight?
 
mobo isn't in case yet...it was, but I thought it might be shorting, so I took it out and put it on a piece of cardboard.

the mobo is a new abit nf7-s 2.0 from newegg, I wouldn't think it's bad, but I haven't tested it with a different mobo. I guess I could do that, but I don't have access to another one.

yeah, I clipped in the video card nice and tight...

I'm guess I have either a bad mobo or bad cpu. but is there a way to find out which, other than using a different mobo or different cpu, because I don't have access to any spare parts...
 
I find that the only people that try to sell their stuff in general are ppl that screwed the component up and want to get some money out of it by screwing someone. Just cause someone here sells something does not make them trustworthy. He probably tried unlocking the cpu and screwed it up so he decided to screw someone and then get a upgrade cpu and mb. I think you know where the problem is.
 
Would you please confirm that your heatsink is oriented this way and that the end of the clip that has a screwdriver receiver is also at the stepped end as well 🙂

Also, what memory module(s) are you using? If you try starting the system without the memory, does the motherboard have a cow and give you beep codes? How about without the CPU installed?

Regarding the thermal compound, you're getting carried away. Plop a half-a-rice-grain of thermal compound on there, put a plastic sandwich bag over your fingertip and dab-dab-dab-dab until it's coating the CPU core, rub some into the general contact patch on the base of the heatsink and put it on. It's about a 30-second job if I take my time. Excess will tend to spooge out.
 
yeah, my heatsink is installed the correct way.

a weird thing is that I can't get any beep codes because I can't find the case's speaker chord to plug into the mobo.

I'm guessing I might just have a bad CPU and need to swallow it and buy another. anyone know the best (cheapest) place to get one?
 
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