Motherboard light is ON but Computer won't Start

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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My motherboard light is on but when I press the power switch from the front, the power LED flashes on and off and the computer doesn't start up. PLEASE HELP!

TIA
 

high

Banned
Sep 14, 2003
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Did you change anything? ie bios settings. Reseat cards, clear cmos, unplug power, if all this doesn't help it;s time for a new BIOS chip. :) !
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: high
Did you change anything? ie bios settings. Reseat cards, clear cmos, unplug power, if all this doesn't help it;s time for a new BIOS chip. :) !

No. I was actually using the computer 20mins before I tried to turn it on again.
 

Pacinamac23

Senior member
Feb 23, 2001
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Double check all the jumper settings and such.

Also, try unplugging your PSU for a few hours to let the capacitors drain and then boot up again. I had an issue like this before with an incompatible PSU.
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: Pacinamac23
Double check all the jumper settings and such.

Also, try unplugging your PSU for a few hours to let the capacitors drain and then boot up again. I had an issue like this before with an incompatible PSU.

So I should try this even though I'm getting power to my motherboard?

*I'm trying it anyway*
 

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
16,642
62
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unplug your pc, find the bios reset jumper, change to the discharge posistion for 10 seconds move it back to normal and try starting your puter up again.



CrackRabbit
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
unplug your pc, find the bios reset jumper, change to the discharge posistion for 10 seconds move it back to normal and try starting your puter up again.



CrackRabbit

Tried that didn't work....

Anymore suggestions?!
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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What kind of power supply do you have powering it (brand/model/wattage)? Got the secondary 12-volt power plugged in, right? 4-wire lead with square 2 x 2 plug on the end, yellow & black wires?
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: mechBgon
What kind of power supply do you have powering it (brand/model/wattage)? Got the secondary 12-volt power plugged in, right? 4-wire lead with square 2 x 2 plug on the end, yellow & black wires?

420 Watt ATX12V...it came with my Raidmax - Scorpio case.

Yes...the 12-volt power is plugged in. The computer was working fine...then I powered it off...then a few mins later when I tried to power it back on.......NOTHING!
 

snidy1

Golden Member
Mar 17, 2003
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Try resetting with the jumper and pull the battery out for a half hour and see if that helps fix the problem.
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: mechBgon
Hmmm, can you try a different power supply with it?

Yeah! I'm trying this next. My other power supply is at work.

Do you think it might be the motherboard or the CPU?! I really hope it's not.
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: snidy1
Try resetting with the jumper and pull the battery out for a half hour and see if that helps fix the problem.

So you want me to put the jumper in the reset position AND to pull out the batter for 30mins?

or

Just reset the jumper then pull the batter out for 30mins?
 

Boobers

Senior member
Jun 28, 2001
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Check to see if the power supply died.

Disconnect the main PSU connector from the motherboard and use a piece of wire (or a paper clip) to jump the green wire (there is only one) to any of the black wires (they are all connected together inside the PSU). If the PSU turns on (fans are running), then the PSU is probably OK and the problem lies with the motherboard...
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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Originally posted by: Boobers
Check to see if the power supply died.

Disconnect the main PSU connector from the motherboard and use a piece of wire (or a paper clip) to jump the green wire (there is only one) to any of the black wires (they are all connected together inside the PSU). If the PSU turns on (fans are running), then the PSU is probably OK and the problem lies with the motherboard...

so in other words, the motherboard can still be getting "juice" from the PSU, even if the PSU is dead? (Just not enough "juice" to get the computer to start?)
 

chocoruacal

Golden Member
Nov 12, 2002
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Originally posted by: JaydenChris
Originally posted by: Boobers
Check to see if the power supply died.

Disconnect the main PSU connector from the motherboard and use a piece of wire (or a paper clip) to jump the green wire (there is only one) to any of the black wires (they are all connected together inside the PSU). If the PSU turns on (fans are running), then the PSU is probably OK and the problem lies with the motherboard...

so in other words, the motherboard can still be getting "juice" from the PSU, even if the PSU is dead? (Just not enough "juice" to get the computer to start?)

Absolutely. It may even 'try' to start. You can bump the post all you want, but there's no point in throwing out suggestions to you try another power supply :)
 

JaydenChris

Senior member
Nov 16, 2003
203
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0
Originally posted by: chocoruacal
Originally posted by: JaydenChris
Originally posted by: Boobers
Check to see if the power supply died.

Disconnect the main PSU connector from the motherboard and use a piece of wire (or a paper clip) to jump the green wire (there is only one) to any of the black wires (they are all connected together inside the PSU). If the PSU turns on (fans are running), then the PSU is probably OK and the problem lies with the motherboard...

so in other words, the motherboard can still be getting "juice" from the PSU, even if the PSU is dead? (Just not enough "juice" to get the computer to start?)

Absolutely. It may even 'try' to start. You can bump the post all you want, but there's no point in throwing out suggestions to you try another power supply :)

DAMN! I was hoping I could get away from it. haha

THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE HELP...

Updates to come...
 

us3rnotfound

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
5,334
3
81
So you say you have the RaidMax Scorpio series case? This one?

I just got done building a new system for my friend with that case, and at certain times, the power button just would not work, same symptoms as your problem right now.

So if I were you, I would just try taking a screwdriver or something metallic and touch the 2 pins on the motherboard where the powerswitch plug should go. Then, you will know if it's just a defective power button.
 

syversen

Junior Member
Feb 9, 2004
3
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0
I'm in the same boat... Chaintech 7NIF2, Aopen H400 200W PS. I tried the fan test, the PS is fine. THe processor WAS fine 2 hours ago, it was in my desktop. (I'm building a PVR). No sound, just the fans spinning up, then the light starts blinking and the fans spin back down. I've tried the manual switch, the cardboard and pulling everything out. Any other suggestions? Should I just send the board back?

- Jason
 

harsh

Senior member
Oct 25, 1999
525
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Not to rain on your parade, but I think it is your cpu. I just had mine die. I had the same symptoms; m/b light turns on fans start spinning, you can feel the HDD start to spin up, but nothing else happens. Just a blank screen on the monitor. After clearing the bios, swapping p/s, removing all but essential components, replacing all essentail components from another working system, I finally tried another cpu. Wallah the system roard back to life and since then all other compnents have been re-installed and are working normally.