New build won't POST

[angminas]

Hi, everybody. Thanks for your time.

So my friend built his first system the other day, and it doesn't work. The CPU fan, VGA fans, and HD spin up, and some lights come on the mb and the power switch, but there's no output to the monitor. Nothing. Doesn't even change the amber light to blue. The DRAM LED stays solid red, indicating a problem with the memory. There is no beep, but most of the case cables are not hooked up yet. I have not pulled the MB or PSU to completely reinstall them, but he's levelheaded and intelligent, and he had someone with some experience helping him. Also, I warned him about the importance of using standoffs correctly, so I doubt he installed the MB incorrectly. Of note: none of us have ever used a modular PSU before, so if there's a common rookie mistake, that'd be a good place to start.

This is what the MemOK button is supposed to do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9azllBzU5PU

Things I've tried, all with no effect whatsoever:

RAM was in A1 and A2 slots. Changed it to A2 and B2 per the manual. Tried each stick one at a time in A2. Tried a known good stick from my computer, exact same RAM except double the size. Tried it with no RAM. With each configuration, I pressed and held the MemOK button to run the RAM compatibility fixer-upper. I also tried booting directly with the MemOK button per the manual.

The CPU cable was installed so that both ends read CPU. I changed it so that the PSU end was plugged into the PSU.

Tried both a DVI-VGA adapter-VGA cable and a known good DVI-DVI cable. Monitor is known good.

Tried using the 2 Molex-6 pin PCI-E adapter instead of the PCI-E cable directly from the PSU.

Used a jumper to clear the TC RAM.

He reseated the video card. I pressed all power cables in.


These are his components:

Video card: EVGA GTX 950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487157

Case: Thermaltake Core V71 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133244

CPU: AMD FX-8320 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113285

Motherboard: ASUS M5A99X EVO R2.0 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131874

PSU: EVGA Supernova 650 GS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438048

RAM (used, but pulled from working system): Gskill http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277


This is the RAM his MB manual says should be compatible. Is it different enough from the above that it should cause the computer to not POST? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193


Thanks!

 

[XavierMace]

Does the motherboard have a jumper for DRAM voltage? If so, is it set correctly?

 

[Ketchup]

Try a BIOS reset with the memory installed.

I did notice that the particular CPU does require a BIOS update to work on that board. Board manufacturers almost never ship out a board with anything newer than the first release. However, I don't know that it would be enough of an issue to cause the board not to boot at all (more like some features of the chip not working optimally). From what I understand, Piledriver was only an incremental update over Bulldozer, so I am not certain that alone would be causing your issues.

RAM is always a little tricky. Just because it worked in your board doesn't mean it would work in his, unless you have the same board model running the same BIOS.

If resetting the BIOS doesn't help, I would call Asus and see if they have any suggestions.