Need some help with my build

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
The problem could be any number of things, unfortunately. I don't see anything at first glance from the pics.

Can you be more clear on what is happening?

Does the system actually power up, can you hear the hard drive spin, does the cpu fan spin? Are you getting any beep codes?
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
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0
No, nothing is happening. Sorry I wasn't specific enough. Nothing is turning on, but I know it is getting power because the lights on the front panel are lighting up. Someone told me it could be something with the jumpers, but I don't know much about that.
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Flip the power switch on the back of the power supply? Make sure your front panel connectors are in the right place.
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
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I'm positive the power supply switch is on, or else the lights would not be lighting up. And I am pretty sure the connectors are in the right place, but I'll double check.
 

NuAlphaMan

Senior member
Aug 30, 2006
616
0
0
Well, make sure you have connectors on the right jumpers. Look in the mobo user manual to make sure you have the Power connector on the right jumper.
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
35,057
67
91
Try re-inserting your vid card and only one stick of RAM. If it starts, you've found your problem.

Double check to make sure you have the leads from the front panel connected to the correct terminals on the motherboard. If so, your start switch may be defective. It works by making a momentary connection between the two pins. You can check by removing the two pin connector and momentarily shorting across the pins. If the system starts, you'll need to replaceme the switch.

If everything is connected corrrectly, and you don't have any shorts from the motherboard to the chassis or mis-inserted vid card or RAM, you may have a defective motherboard.
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
0
0
Okay update. I just got back from fiddling around with it and now when I press the reset button on the computer, the fans turn on for about 30 seconds then turn off. I get no signal from my monitor when this is happening,
 

Atheus

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2005
7,313
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Is your power/reset buttons hooked up properly? Are there any shorts? Turn it all off and unplug it. Now open the machine and look for any unintended metal to metal contact, then pick it up and hold it upside down and move it around, just to check you haven't dropped any screws in it. Now unplug all the front panel connectors for lights and power/reset switch, plug power back in, and run a screwdriver along the front panel headers to trigger a power-up.
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
0
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I'm afraid I don't have another PSU to try. Now, when I hit the power on button it goes on for about 30 seconds then turns off, and the reset button has no activity. This after I removed all of the front panel connectors and re-inserted them.
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
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Its a 430 watt Thermaltake PSU. System is a E6300, x1950pro, 1 gig of ram, 1 Samsung DVD Burner, 1 Seagate 250gb HD, and a ECS NFORCE 570 SLIT-A (V5.1) Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI ATX Intel Motherboard. I know that the PSU is a little weak, but I thought that I should at least be able to boot with it. I have a spare 5700le lying around, should I try that?
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
0
0
Okay, I think I figured out why it wasn't staying on. The heatsink for the Core 2 Duo wasn't connected properly, and once I connected it properly it stayed on. But, I am still getting no signal from my monitor.
 

brikis98

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
7,253
8
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is the video card seated properly? are there any beep codes? do you have a diff video card to try?
 

ShiftySpider

Member
Nov 21, 2006
37
0
0
Okay, I tried my different video card (5700le thats currently in this computer) and it did the same thing. I also tried a different monitor. and again got the same result. I cannot figure this one out.
 

brikis98

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
7,253
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here's a rough guide of the hard core way to troubleshoot something like this...

* start with the motherboard out of the case, lying on some non-conductive surface because if it's in contact with any metal, it could be shorting out (that's why it's mounted on metal bracket things with plastic washers)...
* make sure the 24 pin connector from the PSU as well as the 4 pin connector are plugged into the mobo
* have NOTHING (no HD, no RAM, no video card, no sound card, nothing) else hooked up except for the CPU and HSF (make sure it's plugged in)
* reset the CMOS battery; see your manual for instructions - on some mobos, it's just a small button next to the CMOS battery, on others a jumper, on others you just pull the battery out for a few minutes and put it back in
* try to boot... with the system speaker hooked up, you should get a beep code for either missing RAM or missing video (read about the beep codes in the mobo manual)... if not, either the mobo, CPU or the PSU are at fault... if you can try the PSU out in another computer, you can more or less eliminate it as the problem. as for the CPU/mobo, unless you have an extra CPU/mobo to test with, it's often hard to tell which.
* otherwise, if you do get the proper beep code, try adding RAM. if the RAM came in two sticks, make sure to try one at a time... you should just get the beep code for missing video now... if not, the RAM is at fault... note that if you had two sticks, one might work and the other not...
* if it all still worked up to this point, add the video card... if it has a PCI-E power connector (from the PSU) make sure it's plugged in. you should either see something on the monitor or get a beep code for busted video... if neither happens, you can assume either the CPU, mobo are faulty...

good luck...