Help! My brand new baby isn't working :-(

[konichiwa]

Ok ... just got around to putting together my Soyo Dragon+ system (last part, the GC from case-mod.com just came) and it WON'T BOOT! It turns on, everything spins up as if its going to boot, but then it gives me a short beep and then about a second after that a long beep (2seconds maybe) then shuts down.

I looked in the manual (it is a great manual but perhaps a little lacking in troubleshooting?) and it says to reset CMOS (did that) check that VGA card / RAM are inserted correctly (did that) and make sure that the CPU fan is plugged into CPUFAN1 header (did that).

Any ideas, anyone? Please? :frown:

Soyo Dragon+
XP 1800+
Gainward GF3 Ti200 128MB
256megs Crucial DDR 2.5
80GB Seagate 7200rpm
40x Liteon

arggggghhhhh

 

[Hanpan]

This beep code generally indicates a vid card error. Have you tried a differnt vid card?

 

[TheWart]

Check to make sure your video card and ram are all seated in snugly.

 

[CubicZirconia]

You said you made sure the vid card was in place, and I'm sure you did. However, seems to me that some mobo's can be really picky about how the vid card is in. In the system I just built, I had to remove and replace the vid card no less than ten times before it would post. Maybe you'll have to as well.

 

[Ryan]

give it a good spank on the a$$, that should do it

 

[konichiwa]

Any other ideas? I've tried reseating my video card a hundred times and every time, the same thing ... short beep then a LONG beep then shutoff. Only other thing I can think to try is testing my old video card in the new system -- I'll do that in a second but anything else anyone can think of that might be causing this problem?

 

[WarCon]

Maybe the fan sensor in your CPUfan is bad or is not turning fast enough for the bios. Try plugging a case fan into the CPUfan header. I know I would be trying everything I could. Like pulling it out of the case and building on a table. Pulling everything but the memory, video and processor. Etc.

 

[GregMal]

Well at least you got a beep......Last time I upgraded I got nothing......
Found out that the CPU wasn't in the zif socket fully....gee wiz.........
If you have access to an old PCI vid card I'd try that...........
Greg

 

[konichiwa]

Just tried my old (TNT1-AGP) video card that has been in my other system for about 2-3 years. Same thing. Moved the RAM around in the slots, same thing. Removed everything except vidcard/ram, same thing. I don't have access to a PCI card and none of my case fans have the header that connects to the motherboard, they all are standard power connectors from the ATX power supply.

Short of installing it outisde of the case (which, by the way, I had to do earlier because the motherboard was shorted out with the case so it wouldn't even power up) or removing the heatsink to check the CPU (but if anything was wrong with the CPU it wouldn't even turn on, right?) I have no other options.

Someone please ... I'm dying here ...

 

[travler]

i dont think you should get a beep if this is the problem but...

if you just got a new PSU, is it set to 110v on the back?

my first guess woulda been like the others. something isnt seated correctly. my Iwill did this and after 10 times failing POST I started wiggling stuff and it worked. 1 year late its still running almost 24/7. I think the ram had to go in a micron further.

 

[WarCon]

I am wondering if you didn't maybe damage the mobo or processor when it was shorting out. Do you have another heatsink fan available? Just plug your cpufan into one of the other fan headers and plug the other heatsink fan into that header.

You obviously have some functionality (i.e. the beep codes) and usually the bios doesn't shut down the system again unless its something that can cause damage. Thats why I am guessing the cpu fan.

 

[WarCon]

I just noticed that on your board you have two CPU fan headers. Try both.

 

[konichiwa]

Ok ... I took it out of the case and tried ... still no luck. Tried it on fan header 2. No luck. Then I looked on the back of the PS and saw the switch ... but there is no 110, only 115 and 130. It shipped stock @ 115 but if I switch it to 130 it doesn't shut down by itself. However, no beeps or anything and the power switch doesn't work. Which is it supposed to be at?

 

[konichiwa]

Oh also ... re: the motherboard shorting...I doubt it damaged the mobo because there was a section in the manual that specifically detailed my problem and said to remove the motherboard and put it back in because it is most likely shorted. Did that and it worked fine (well, it booted up ... obviously it isn't working "fine")

 

[WarCon]

Is your mobo LED on? (Assumes yes, if no then your mobo has a problem).

Do you have everything but the video card, processor and memory pulled out (including drive cables and front panel connectors. All except maybe the power button. Trying to rule out everything else. If you have it running this way and it is still having the same error, it is either the fan sensor having issue with your heatsink's fan or one of the remaining parts is bad. Only way to be sure which one is to swap test them.

Sorry, wish I could of been more help.

 

[stingbandel]

try to also power the exhaust fan. don't just the cpu fan. i got the same pro blem with soyo because I didn't plug the exhaust fan

 

[konichiwa]

<< Is your mobo LED on? >>

Yes.

<< try to also power the exhaust fan. don't just the cpu fan. i got the same pro blem with soyo because I didn't plug the exhaust fan >>

What? I don't understand what you're asking ... like I said before the case fans that came with my case (Antec SX830) don't have the 3-pin connectors that connect to the motherboard fan headers. They have the ATX powersupply connectors just like a HDD.

 

[konichiwa]

Ok I might have another idea -- what's the easiest way to get the heatsink off? I can't manage to get the clips undone without putting what seems like too much force/torque on the motherboard/socket. Maybe I'll check the processor, make sure its not cracked or anything first and then check the contact between mobo/heatsink as a last ditch effort.

After that ... I guess all I have left is replacing the RAM (seems like it could be it? I bought it ~4months ago when DDR prices were incredibly low in anticipation of making a new DDR system but have only just used it for the first time now. Since my other two systems are relatively old (PC133 and PC100) I can't really swap test the RAM.)

 

[WarCon]

What I do is to place a piece of tape on the mobo below the clip your going to remove. Place a piece of tape on a fine bladed screwdriver. (I do this to minimize any damage I may do if I slip out of the tab that is provided.) Then without holding the heatsink (big mistake that causes chipped cores), push the clip down and out slightly to get it off the tab and then let up the pressure pushing down but not the pressure pushing out. They can be real pains in the butt, so be patient and firm knowing you have done what you can to protect the mobo.