New Build Won't Boot

[davidcrofter]

Hi, I just built a new rig with a B-Grade Asus P5B-E Plus from OCUK, everything connected up fine and powered up, I eagerly connected a monitor and started the beast up, only to find that no matter what connection I used the machine would not boot, no beeps nothing although everything was spinning and running as it should. I gave the machine to my brother to test and he swapped various components into the new build, but found the exact same problem persisted. Now on swapping his processor back to his own pc he finds that it has the same problem as mine, will not boot with no beeps nothing on the screen.
So maybe I think it might have been my processor that has been the problem (or this motherboard), I have removed the battery from both motherboards and reset the jumpers but to no avail.
So now I have two machines that will not boot, does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can try next??

new rig details below
Asus P5B-E Plus
Core 2 Duo E4300 (OEM) with Coolermaster Hyper TX Heatsink
2 gb Crucial Ballistix PC6400
500gb Samsung Spinpoint Sata H/D
600w OCZ PSU
8600GT Graphics Card

any ideas please??

[peterb]

Always tricky to diagnose at second hand, but assuming that both computers were built correctly - correct connections etc (and your brothers was working so that must have been OK) It sounds as if the processor or mobo had a fault on it. Since the your brother's machine is no longer booting it looks as if both CPU's have been destroyed, and unless they were handled carelessly and both were damaged by static, then the most likely culprit is your motherboard.

[davidcrofter]

Ok thanks, yes my brothers machine is a Philips bought from PC World which has been going strong for about 18 months. So you think that this motherboard has actually killed two CPU's then?? I am sort of speachless I have to say.

[peterb]

Assuming that the CPU from your brother's machine was compatable with your mobo - and that all components were re-installed correctly in your brther's machine, then yes, that is the conclusion. You didn't run the machines without the CPU heat sinks attached did you? The other possibility is that the PSU may have been faulty and that damaged the mobo which in turn damaged the CPUs - but long range diagnosis is difficult.

The only other possibility is that something else is faulty and is preventing the machine from booting - but since a previously working PC is now not working after using it in your PC then to my mind that indicates that the the fault lies with the mobo. Whether that was faulty on receipt or not is difficult to tell.

One other clue is that it was grade B stock. These are usually returns that have been repaired by the mfr - but the small print on the web site where you have bought it will tell you exactly what grade B means.

[davidcrofter]

Hi thanks, it was bought from Overclockers, so it is 14 day warranty with them and the rest with the manufacturer, the 14 day warranty is up.
Just spoke to my brother and the only thing he swapped from the new rig to his was the CPU which initially worked in his machine, so he disconnected it and retested in the new build which didn't work again. Now the CPU doesn't work in any machine.