Why isn't it working?!?!?

[aloser]

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm refurbing a Dell (something I have since vowed NEVER to do again) into a new computer - all that remains of the Dell is the case anymore. Literally. Anyway, I stuck the new parts in, and it acts like it wants to boot, but doesn't get very far into it - I press the power button and the HD starts spinning, but that's all - no video, no sound. I pulled the HD and formatted it on my computer instead, thinking maybe it was being caused by not recognizing the hard drive - that obviously wasn't it. I thought it was the video card and/or motherboard earlier, so my first step was swapping both. Both work fine in my case.

I guess all that remains is whether it's necessary to have a reset button connector? (All I have for connectors right now is the power button.)

What might it be???

 

[fishmonger12]

do you still have the dell powersupply in the case? do you have your motherboard on standoffs? are you using their motherboard? i didn't think you could put a normal atx motherboard in dell's proprietery case, because the damn thing was so hard to work with. never tried.

 

[aloser]

I have the MB on standoffs, and it's a new PSU (350W). As to the MB and case - it took a little modding to make the shielding fit, but that was all. That's a big reason to my vowing NEVER to do this again. It's a new motherboard also. I think the only original part is the case anymore. (Not counting the mouse and keyboard)

 

[fishmonger12]

if i had to take a guess, it would be that the case's power button is made for dell's motherboard. i may be wrong, but if i was going to troubleshoot, i'd start off with a case that you didn't have to mod and wasn't proprietary.

 

[aloser]

I even made a new power button - that's why I'm thinking it maybe needs a reset button also? Maybe try jumpers on the rest of the connectors (reset, speakers, and whatever else is up there) and see if anything happens?

 

[fishmonger12]

:\ i would get a standard case before trying to troubleshoot this, unless you don't have funds available.

 

[Paperlantern]

Dell cases are finicky... what model dell is it incidently, is it new enough to be an Optiplex? or is it in the Dimension family?

and i second the new case thing, for maybe $50 you can get a new case and have a heck of a lot less of a headache.

my best guess is your problem lies in the case itself, having to do all that modding, that board wasnt designed for that dell case and might be shorting somewhere since it works fine in your other case, and that being the only changeing piece

 

[aloser]

Originally posted by: Paperlantern
Dell cases are finicky... what model dell is it incidently, is it new enough to be an Optiplex? or is it in the Dimension family?

and i second the new case thing, for maybe $50 you can get a new case and have a heck of a lot less of a headache.

my best guess is your problem lies in the case itself, having to do all that modding, that board wasnt designed for that dell case and might be shorting somewhere since it works fine in your other case, and that being the only changeing piece

It's a Dimension. This isn't my computer - I was simply given the "priviledge" to upgrade. I was suspecting the case all along; I've tried to convince them to upgrade that also (everything ELSE is new, so why not the case also?!?!?) I have some extra cases - maybe I'll just give them one of my old ones. Thanks for the help guys - it's nice having the case as a very real possibility (I was thinking maybe it WAS the case, but then maybe I'm crazy, since the components work in any other case I've tried them in...)

 

[aloser]

Bump and an update...
How can I get the HD to spin? (I know it's supposed to automatically, but it isn't - which is likely the cause of the computer not working.)

 

[stevty2889]

Have you tried starting up with the motherboard outside of the case? Place it on a non conductive surface, attatch only the minimums(cpu, heatsink and fan, memory, video card) and if it boots up fine, it's probably something in the case, either shorting, or power switch not working, if it still doesn't boot, try taking out the ram and or video card, and see if you can get it to give a beep code. Otherwise there's a good chance it's the motherboard or PSU.

 

[aloser]

Thanks for the thought - it didn't work though (so apparently is something even deeper - aka the mobo).