New Gigabyte ga7va

[Thunderbirdaholic]

I just got a new motherboard and put it in my pc today. After putting in cpu, video card, cooling fan, and 256mb memory (1 stick). I get nothing when I turn it on. A little orange light turns on on the motherboard and that's it. Tried swapping out the memory with another 256mb stick that I know works (crucial ddr 2100 both) and tried swapping in the old cpu, a different cooling fan, and another video card with the same thing happening. Is something just not connected right or do I have a bad motherboard? I can't find anything in the documentation about this problem or on Gigabyte's website.

 

[Zepper]

Many new mobos require that the tach signal from the CPU fan be connected to the mobo fan connector that is specifically marked for the CPU fan and be working at a specified minimum RPM or it won't start.
.bh.

 

[mechBgon]

Maybe you didn't get the power-switch wire plugged onto the right pins? More detail? You press the power button and it ignores you, or turns on, then off, or what?

 

[Thunderbirdaholic]

Press the power button and it ignores me. I double checked the power switch wire and it looks to be in the right place, isn't really anywhere else it can go. I'm just frustrated if you need any other details just ask and I'll provide heh.

 

[Thunderbirdaholic]

I just moved looked at it again and when I hit the power button the cpufan and the motherboard fan spin for maybe half a sec at most and then stop. I thought this normally meant that it's overheating but I don't see how that's possible. I've tried using a generic cpu fan and cooler rated for athlon 2000+ (putting in XP 2000+ cpu) and also a thermalright copper sk6. I'm using arctic silver as the thermal compound and it seems to be making good contact.

 

[Mrpilot007]

did you crush your cpu when you installed the fan? I did recently on an xp1600+

 

[Zepper]

If you didn't crush your CPU, perhaps the tach wire of the fan isn't working and here are some other tips:

Boilerplate-01:
. Most frequent causes of failure to boot:
1- RAM, CPU or AGP video card not seated properly, or a bent pin.
2- Drive data cable on upside down or only on half the pins or shifted . a pin or two (usu Floppy or Zip drives).
3- CMOS needs to be cleared (AC power must usually be disconnected or . attempt to clear CMOS may fail) Unless your mobo does not use a power-off CMOS clear - check your mobo manual for specific info.
.bh.

 

[Thunderbirdaholic]

I don't even have a drive connected so I don't think it's that. I don't think I would have crushed two cpu's (God I hope not LOL), just trying to boot with one stick of ram, video card, and processor atm. I'm going to call the place that I got it from but in the manual and on the motherboard I can find no jumper to clear the cmos (odd). I have tried replacing pretty much all the parts with the same thing happening.

 

[Zepper]

I've used this method to clear the cmos when I couldn't find a jumper (lacking a sure way to clear the CMOS is enough to keep me from buying a mobo):
1- unplug computer from AC.
2- remove button battery
3- short across contacts in the battery holder with a metal tool for about 10 sec.
That should do it.
.bh.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Thunderbirdaholic
I just moved looked at it again and when I hit the power button the cpufan and the motherboard fan spin for maybe half a sec at most and then stop. I thought this normally meant that it's overheating but I don't see how that's possible. I've tried using a generic cpu fan and cooler rated for athlon 2000+ (putting in XP 2000+ cpu) and also a thermalright copper sk6. I'm using arctic silver as the thermal compound and it seems to be making good contact.

Sounds like your CPU is not getting good thermal contact with your heatsink. Check these things:

• Is the heatsink installed 180° backwards? There is a step cut into one end of the base and it's there for a reason... to clear the solid-plastic part of the CPU socket where the lever swivels
• Is the heatsink on in the right direction but a bit too close to the solid-plastic part of the CPU socket? This happened to me with my Thermalright SK-7, with the exact same result you're seeing... system cuts off power immediately when started.

Here is a guide, look at Figure 7, Figure 13 and Figure 14 for illustrations of the things I described: Illustrated guide

 

[Thunderbirdaholic]

The cooling fan was not put on backwards and like I said it had a nice square area of thermal paste on it where it connected to the processor and you could tell it was smushed on there. Not sure what it was but I took the motherboard and cpu to get tested and both ended up being bad so I'm not sure exactly what happened. Thanks for the suggestions all. I got a new motherboard and put the 1700 xp back in it for now heh.

 

[olds]

I just read something about this but I am not sure it was this board. I have been looking at so many. On some boards, if the fan doesn't spin up fast enough the board shuts down. The fix was to get a new fan that spins up faster. I am not saying that is your problem but something to look at.

 

[Zepper]

I've also read somewhere that some mobos reset their own CMOS to default values if you power it up 3 or 4 times using the power switch or the power switch on the PSU.
.bh.

 

[WeeWolf]

I think it's if you fail to post there are some boards that will reset the the bios automatically after 3 or 4 tries. I had a gigabyte that did that was great for overclocking I didn't have to keep going into the case to reset cmos when I was messing around.