Send Help! - New system will not boot up

[jw21]

Hello all fellow helpers,

I just purchased a new motherboard, CPU, RAM, videocard, cd drive and case (system details below). I put the system together, applied power and viola - nothing happens - no system bios beeps, no bios boot, no video activity and the CPU heatsink does not get warm even after power is applied for 5 minutes. However, I do get power sequencing from the DVD drive and my original hardrive.

New System Components:

CPU - P4 - 1.8GHz - socket 478 - standard boxed set with heatsink from Intel
Memory - 512Kb Corsair (Samsung) Rambus RAM - two RIMM's of 256Kb in RIMMA1 and RIMMB1 slots and using two C-RIMM's to fill the other two unused slots
MOBO - Asus P4T-E motherboard.
Power supply - Antec SX 1040 case with 400W ATX supply
Storage - Plextor 24x CD R/W drive
Video - Asus ti500 Geoforce 3 videocard
Storage - Mitsumi floppy drive

Legacy System Components:

Iiyama vision Master Pro 17 inch monitor
Known good test video card - Diamond stealth 3d
Hard drive - Seagate 20GB

I built the system using normal ESD precautions - using static bags for placing all open components onto while working on them, discharging myself to electrical ground ech time a new component was worked on or if I moved from my chair or touched somebody (could not find my ESD wriststrap!)

Tests I performed:

1) Checked the +5.0V, +12.0V and +3.3V rails. All seem within specification and stable
2) Removed the RAM, reseated, swapped, etc. in all combinations possible.
3) Removed CPU, re-installed. I checked the CPU pins and all seemed well (none bent or missing).
4) Checked Intel's website for CPU installation hints - I seem to have followed their instructions.

I believe that something is wrong between CPU and Motherboard as, again, the CPU heatsink was not even warm afetr being powered for 5 minutes.

Can anyone provide any hints, tests, suggestions as to my next course of action? I intend to call the retailer but they are not open until Wednesday and I would like to get this thing running as quickly as possible.

Thanks to all for any help you can provide!

 

[DaiShan]

is the motherboard receiveing power? (just checking lol)does the fan on the heatsing power on? is that powered by fan headers or molex?

 

[jw21]

Yes, the mobo seems to be getting power. The CPU fan and two arterial fans each have a connector on the mobo and all 3 are powered once the powersupply comes up. I will do further checking to make sure. Any other hints are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[DaiShan]

try switching case fans to molex maybe? when you put in the mobo did you make sure it is not touching the side of the case and grounding out?

 

[jw21]

DaiShan,

I have 4 case fans, 1 PSU fan and 1 fan on the CPU heatsink. All fans are operational. 2 of the 4 case fans are powered from the general 4 pin power connectors from the PSU. These are the same connectors that go to each hard drive, cd drive, etc. The other 2 case fans are connected to the MOBO.

I am not sure what you mean by your reference to the mobo connection. Basically, I attached all 10 MOBO connection points to brass standoof to the case. The electrical resistance between the screws and the case are 0.1 ohm. I believe this to be correct. Since the %v and 12V rails are stable and the 3 fans that connect to the MOBO all work I assume that there is no short causing this problem.

Thanks!

 

[HappyPuppy]

Pull the motherboard out of the case and set it on a nonconductive surface. Plug in vid card, memory and cpu/hsf. Connect power and see what happens.

While you have the board out of the case, reseat the vid card several times. It takes considerable force to seat it properly.

 

[jw21]

Mr Happy Puppy (if that is indeed your real name ),

I just took your suggestion. I took the mobo out of the case and placed it onto it's static packaging. The mobo still had the CPU and RAM on it. I then reconnected the videocard and monitor and all applicable power leads. There was nothing else connected. The result - no difference. I see no video input or any beeps to suggest any life of the CPU.

Help!

I guess my next step is to take this mobo, CPU and RAM combo back to where I purchased it. Any other nints are welcome. Thanks to all for your help!!

 

[Ionizer86]

Memory - 512Kb

First thing you need to do is get more memory, at least 256mb

Anyway, try booting without the rambus. You will be able to find out if your ram is busted or your board. My EPoX 8KHA+ was acting up and not posting, and taking out the ram and trying a boot helped to confirm that the board is busted, not my DDR (The 8KHA+ has that diagnostic port 80 card).

 

[hhoffman]

My friend and I just went thru a similar prob with a soyo dragon ultra .. for the P4 .. There is another power connector that needs to be
installed .. It is right by the usual large power connector on the motherboard . It is a 4 pin connector . Hope this helps , and you get the info before you head back to the store .

 

[jw21]

Ionizer 86 and Hhoffman,

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I have the 4 pin power connector connected as well as the 6 pin and main power connector. I did try booting without the RAM and still nothing. I also tried using a PCI videocard and AGP videocard but still nothing. I am running out of ideas.

I cannot help but think that it is something simple or something that I have done as I cannot imagine that the mobo or CPU would be faulty.

Thanks again!