New Rig will not start...

[Diddyo]

i am going to get the entire system checked tomorrow now, ill wait till i have a definite answer to the problem, if it turns out not to be the PSU i will still get a new one now knowing this one may end up being the next cause.

[Diddyo]

Guys, i was going over my system to make sure nothing was missed before taking to the shop to be checked over when i noticed this and wasn't sure if it was right



as you see on the board, the 8 pin ATX 12v slot has only got a 4 pin plug plugged in and i wasn't sure if there should be an 8 pin plug connected, as PSU came with just the 4 pin. Is this ok or could this be the reason my system has not been working?

[shadowmaster]

Check your motherboard manual, it should have something regarding this 8 pin atx connection and whether you can get away with just using an 4 pin plug

I have heard that plugging a 4 pin into an 8pin atx socket sometimes works and sometimes does not. In your case it might be causing the problem.

For more info-
All about the various PC power supply cables and connectors

[Diddyo]

Check your motherboard manual, it should have something regarding this 8 pin atx connection and whether you can get away with just using an 4 pin plug

I have heard that plugging a 4 pin into an 8pin atx socket sometimes works and sometimes does not. In your case it might be causing the problem.

For more info-
All about the various PC power supply cables and connectors

this is what the manual says:

"Use only either a 4-pin ATX12V or an 8-pin EPS +12V power plug for the ATX12V connector."

[Diddyo]

I have done some research and found that other peoples system with same mobo run fine with just using the 4 pin 12V ATX plug instead of using a 8 pin EPS 12. so i am lost for what to do for the best. i guess i will just take it to a shop and see if they can test another PSU on it and see if the system starts up.

[Diddyo]

Ok i decided to buy a PSU, there are the specs..

+3.3V@24A,+5V@30A,+12V1@20A,+12V2@20A,+12V3@20A, +12V4@20A,-12V@0.8A,+5VSB@3.0A

put it in, started it up = still no response from monitor and no beeps so im guessing whats left is either the mobo is dead or the memory is dead.

Has anyone got any ideas? Does anyone know for sure that a computer won't start because of bad ram? Will be taking it to shop tomorrow to get it checked out and hopefully it'll be worth $25 to find the problem.

edit: this is my ram: Newegg.com - A-DATA 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

[Diddyo]

Well i have taken my rig down to the shop today and they have just called me saying that my problem lies with my brand new $120 PSU i bought yesterday (800W) with these specs

+3.3V@24A,+5V@30A,+12V1@20A,+12V2@20A,+12V3@20A, +12V4@20A,-12V@0.8A,+5VSB@3.0A

he said something like the negative 5V is not enough or something along those lines and that is the problem but he has no PSU powerful enough to test it on, going down soon so he can show me so i am stumped, first thinking it was PSU so bought new one, then thought it was the memory as alot of people have trouble with this mobo and ram.

Hopefully he can give me a big enough explanation to what 'the problem is'

EDIT:

Ok im back, well he showed me the "problem" as it were, gave me prove that my PSU doesn't produce a -5V and that my PSU is broken just like my last one as they both didn't produce the -5V and that his old power supplys do. He didn't test my memory as he didnt have a spare rig to hook them up to. So he said take it back to the place i bought it and well i saw that may be a struggle as i picked it up from CompUSA (my store is clearing out and all returns final) but i tried anyway and they were happy to give me a new PSU, i wanted it tested before i left so i went up to the tech support and asked them if they can test it for the -5v, i soon found out that only old power supplys still use the -5v and all the top of the line power supplys don't as motherboards don't require it. But this guy was alright and said if i come around tomorrow then he will work with me to find the problem as he can just open up some good ram sticks from the store and test them out. So in the end it should be worth paying the $25 to find this guy.

[Blitzen]

Well i have taken my rig down to the shop today and they have just called me saying that my problem lies with my brand new $120 PSU i bought yesterday (800W) with these specs

+3.3V@24A,+5V@30A,+12V1@20A,+12V2@20A,+12V3@20A, +12V4@20A,-12V@0.8A,+5VSB@3.0A

he said something like the negative 5V is not enough or something along those lines and that is the problem but he has no PSU powerful enough to test it on, going down soon so he can show me so i am stumped, first thinking it was PSU so bought new one, then thought it was the memory as alot of people have trouble with this mobo and ram.

Hopefully he can give me a big enough explanation to what 'the problem is'

EDIT:

Ok im back, well he showed me the "problem" as it were, gave me prove that my PSU doesn't produce a -5V and that my PSU is broken just like my last one as they both didn't produce the -5V and that his old power supplys do. He didn't test my memory as he didnt have a spare rig to hook them up to. So he said take it back to the place i bought it and well i saw that may be a struggle as i picked it up from CompUSA (my store is clearing out and all returns final) but i tried anyway and they were happy to give me a new PSU, i wanted it tested before i left so i went up to the tech support and asked them if they can test it for the -5v, i soon found out that only old power supplys still use the -5v and all the top of the line power supplys don't as motherboards don't require it. But this guy was alright and said if i come around tomorrow then he will work with me to find the problem as he can just open up some good ram sticks from the store and test them out. So in the end it should be worth paying the $25 to find this guy.

AS far as i am aware, the -5V rail isnt even used anymore.
You sure thats what the shop said?

[streetster]

so what happens when he gets a new psu and the computer still doesnt turn on?

insert arrogance here

hmm... i still maintain its not the PSU.

[peterb]

AS far as i am aware, the -5V rail isnt even used anymore.
You sure thats what the shop said?

I haven't l;ooked at this in depth, but I note that the Corsair HX520 I bought recently has a -5V rail. The reason I noticed was that my old (ATX) mobo flagged the fact that it was out of spec at about -4.7V ! However the new mobo doesn't monitor the -5V rail.

[Blitzen]

insert arrogance here

hmm... i still maintain its not the PSU.

No one has been arrogant in this thread.
Everyone has tried to post their thoughts on what the problem could be to help.
You keep posting 'its not the PSU'. Not very helpful really is it. Especailly how you havent backed it up with any thoughts why that might be.

You may be right, maybe its not the PSU. The fact the one used by the OP isn't too clever though is a good place to start. Can you not see that.

[Diddyo]

I am greatful for all your ideas to what the problem may be, Tonight im going down to CompUSA as a tech guy their wants to help me get my new rig working so hopefully ill have it working soon, im pretty sure its not the PSU but the memory instead as i know my mobo is very picky with ram and that i should have just put one stick in when i first started it up instead of putting both in.

[streetster]

@Blitzen

Just spotted the 'ultra' comment, i replaced it with a corsair 520w psu after it killed my raid0 array *twice* - i wrongly assumed it was my 7200.10's that were just flakey and needed RMAing, but (touch wood) everything has been fine since i got the corsair, i just havent updated it in 'My System'.


No-one is being arrogant, i was mocking my self-quoting... i've tried to suggest ideas to help this poor guy get his computer to work, to no avail.

I've asked whether the 6-pin connector is present (nvidia cards *should* come up with a 'WHY HAVENT YOU PLUGGED IN THE CABLE. FOOL' message, but its worth checking. but this hasnt been confirmed either way.

I've asked whether the guy has tried with just CPU/gfx/1 stick of ram. he's just said "im pretty sure its not the PSU but the memory instead as i know my mobo is very picky with ram and that i should have just put one stick in when i first started it up instead of putting both in.". so thats *only just* been tried.

The fluff about -5v rail is irrelevant to the issue, and that seems to be CompUSA trying to get more money out of the guy.


Two reason its not the PSU:

1. a 300W should be able to provide enough amps for a bare system (cpu/ram/gfx) to reach the POST screen, despite the '600w' badge so should the PSU that originally came with the case.

2. a second PSU (800w) was tried, higher amperage ratings, same problem. its not the psu.

Possible steps I would take:

1. The beeping only seems to occur when there is no graphics card present, is this in the pci-e 16x slot? is it worth re-seating the card (again) making sure its definately, firmly, in. and that the power cable is connected.

2. take everything out the case, and run the system on a table, just to make sure nothing is shorting out on the case somehow

3. try a different graphics card - who knows, it could be a lemon

4. try different memory - again could be duff, or there might be a bios update required for the motherboard for compatibility

5. he's killed the cpu/memory/[insert component here] due to static/mishandling



I honestly dont understand why the system isnt working properly.

[Diddyo]

@Blitzen

Just spotted the 'ultra' comment, i replaced it with a corsair 520w psu after it killed my raid0 array *twice* - i wrongly assumed it was my 7200.10's that were just flakey and needed RMAing, but (touch wood) everything has been fine since i got the corsair, i just havent updated it in 'My System'.


No-one is being arrogant, i was mocking my self-quoting... i've tried to suggest ideas to help this poor guy get his computer to work, to no avail.

I've asked whether the 6-pin connector is present (nvidia cards *should* come up with a 'WHY HAVENT YOU PLUGGED IN THE CABLE. FOOL' message, but its worth checking. but this hasnt been confirmed either way.

I've asked whether the guy has tried with just CPU/gfx/1 stick of ram. he's just said "im pretty sure its not the PSU but the memory instead as i know my mobo is very picky with ram and that i should have just put one stick in when i first started it up instead of putting both in.". so thats *only just* been tried.

The fluff about -5v rail is irrelevant to the issue, and that seems to be CompUSA trying to get more money out of the guy.


Two reason its not the PSU:

1. a 300W should be able to provide enough amps for a bare system (cpu/ram/gfx) to reach the POST screen, despite the '600w' badge so should the PSU that originally came with the case.

2. a second PSU (800w) was tried, higher amperage ratings, same problem. its not the psu.

Possible steps I would take:

1. The beeping only seems to occur when there is no graphics card present, is this in the pci-e 16x slot? is it worth re-seating the card (again) making sure its definately, firmly, in. and that the power cable is connected.

2. take everything out the case, and run the system on a table, just to make sure nothing is shorting out on the case somehow

3. try a different graphics card - who knows, it could be a lemon

4. try different memory - again could be duff, or there might be a bios update required for the motherboard for compatibility

5. he's killed the cpu/memory/[insert component here] due to static/mishandling



I honestly dont understand why the system isnt working properly.

Hey, thanks for the help, i had tried all of that a couple of weeks ago and when i took it to CompUSA the other day, the guy was helpful enough to go through the whole system with me for free (CompUSA closing so he didn't mind), we tried new PSU, new GPU, new RAM (dominator), took everything out tried but nothing so we decided it was the motherboard that was the problem as everything else seems fine. The motherboard was sent for an RMA a couple of days ago so should hear back shortly, to bad i lost $25 to some guy at a computer shop who thought he knew better. Hopefully within the next week or two i'll be able to use my new rig.

Very greatful for all the ideas everyone chucked at me, will be posting back if it was successful!

[streetster]

oops... forgot to mention the simple one:

reset the CMOS!

[peterb]

Full marks to Shadowmaster who mentioned mobo in about the 4th reply!