new motherboard, boots up for 5 seconds, then shutsoff

[makdaddy]

i just got a new board, gigabyte GA-7VRXP with:
Athlon XP 2100
512 Samsung DDR RAM
ATI Radeon video card

it boots up for 4 seconds, leds are on, cpu fan is on, but no display to the screen at all and no beeps. after the 4-5 seconds, it shuts down automatically. ive tried just the bare bones, cpu, ram, and video card on top of a cardboard box, but still the same problem... ive put together alot of boxes for friends, and ive never encountered this problem. if anyone knows what it might be, or what else to try, PLEASE respond!

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

take out the videocard and see if it still happens
you did connect the external psu connector for the videocard right?( if its 9700 pro that is...)

are you using retail heatsink/afermarket?
if its aftermarket, plug anyfan into the header marked cpu_fan (or something similar) and see if it works then (some motherboards have a setting to autoshutoff if there is no fan detected on that header)

 

[makdaddy]

i have a volcano heatsink. i have it plugged into the cpu fan connector. i also trid connecting it to the system fan connector, still doesnt work. furthermore, ive tried using a geforce video card, same problem, no success. thanks for the reply though. looks like u work for tufshop? funny, thats where i got the parts from!

 

[Talon667]

I'm sure this isn't your problem but if not it's amusing at least. The first time I built a computer I had the same problem. I flipped the switch on the PS, the computer came on for five secs and went off, no video no beeps. Turns out this was the POST, and although I was aware of POSTs I had been frustrated b/c I would hit the power button on the case after it and nothing. Turns out I had the power switch connector off by one jumper i plugged it in correctly and bingo, worked fine. sometimes the simplest explanations are the answer, but I don't know whether you are talking about flipping the powersupply switch or the case switch. Hope you get it working.

 

[mechBgon]

I had a slightly different problem: a stuck Power switch. Although the button would retract, the switch underneath it was stuck in the depressed position. The system would start, then see the Power switch being held down (or so it appeared) and dutifully power off after 5 seconds like it's supposed to. To test for that, don't connect the Power button's wires to the motherboard, and use a screwdriver tip to momentarily connect the Power pins on the motherboard. If it stays running, there's the problem.

Also, if you happen to have a Volcano 7 heatsink, notice that

• one end of the heatsink's base has a step cut into it. That step must go over the solid end of the CPU socket.
• the clip itself is asymetrical and must be installed so the pressure point is over the CPU core. If it's 180 degrees backwards, you are in for trouble.

If either of those are incorrect, your heatsink won't be able to touch the CPU core squarely, increasing likelihood of core breakage and making for very bad heat transfer. The motherboard might be powering off simply because it sees the CPU temperature rising to a dangerous level, or at a dangerous rate.