New build PC not POSTing... any postmen out there?

[slim01_1985]

Hi guys, building a new PC for a fiend and unfortunately it's not posting at all... I'm stumped. :s
I turn it on, the hard drive starts up, the card reader lights up, all 3 fans come on, but NO BEEPS, and nothing to monitor. My main problem is once its turned on, the only way to turn it off is to cut the power supply switch - i would try more stuff but im scared of damaging parts by turning it off this way. Also my IDE CD drive wont open, not suprising.

thought i cud be a system builder, my confidence has been well knocked...

mobi is an ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO
cpu is an AMD x3 445
ram is 2x2gb of OCZ ddr3 1333, low voltage edition ram (might this be the problem? I think the lower voltage stuff is used for i5, and i7. Would the PC still post or bleep with non working/compatible memory - or no memory at all?)
power supply came with a coolermaster elite 330 case
460W product no is rs-460-pcap-j3
Also have a gainward passive cooled 8600GT to try and get working with this
500gb WD caviar

I have a PCI POST tester card, and that does nothing (waste of money that was).


I have tried the following with NO changes...
>Moving the ram around, and then only trying one stick in a couple of slots (wheres it supposed to go? Asus just says
>I will try leaving the CMOS chip out overnight now to see if that works
>checked all connections
>unplugged the HDD, CD, and card reader (so its just the cpu and one dimm in the mobo).

CLUES
------------------------
I gotta be honest im VERY confused about the power connectors on my mobo... maybe this is where ive gone wrong.
The power supply has the usual big 20 pin motherbaord clip with "P1" on it - is this supposed to be missing one metal pin?
Close to this is also 4pin plug with "24" written on it. again looks normal, has 4 pins and orange/yellow/black/red cables. But it dosent seem to fit perfectly in the slot, unless you put it in 1st (which is what ive now done).

BUT there's also another two 4pin cables (blackx2/yellowx2) one with "P2" on it. Why do i have two for one CPU!? - they have different slots but both fit. Which one shall i use?

What do youguys reckon?

Hopefully hear from ya in the morning guys!

[slim01_1985]

done some research and it is done correctly I think. i thought -the mobo is a standard 24 pin socket and with my power supply it has the common 20pin connecter and a +4 pin one. Mobo has the usual 4 pin for the CPU which ive put in there.

tried leaving the cmos out over night and putting it back in - nothing.

Should i get a beep if i take the memory out completely? Im going to try one of my brothers sticks of memory DDR3 of course (my ddr2 wont work i guess?)
The memory is NOT on the QVL list, but on amazon i saw that this memory is "frequently bought" with my motherboard. So it should be ok?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...ef=oss_product

Am i going to damage my parts by cutting off the machine off at the power supply? it wont turn off at power button.

Im thinking of sending back some parts, but what could be faulty - the power supply, mobo or ram?!?!?!? i have no idea which it is if it wont POST.



Thanks for all replies so far

[MSIC]

Sounds very motherboard-y to me.
Maybe you fried it a little with the power-plugs issue at first, maybe not. Remember that static can always affect mobo's, and to ground yourself before touching any part.

DDR2 memory wont work, so dont try it.

You say that you took out the CMOS battery overnight - did you also unplug the power lead physically from the PSU?

As for damaging the machine further by unplugging the power lead, i'm afraid i cant give you a 100% factual answer (I know that some here are electrical engineering geniuses, but not me), however my best guess is that any decent PSU should handle this. A cheap PSU mind you...

Ok, so some digging around. The PSU (this model) doesnt seem to be sold seperately that i can find, but comes only as a £55 bundle. That said, it's still not too bad a PSU it seems.

Edit: I also note the same post on a certain other forum! Still, cant fault you for playing the odds

[Zak33]

the low voltage ram is wrong for that mobo

in fact, it might have fried the ram.. it should be the higher voltage stuff, but unlikely to have done so.
Keep ya fingers crossed that it survived for a resale.

The memory controller on the Phenom chips is IN THE CPU, not in the mobo, so you have to have the right ram or it throws a wobbler

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/4GB-(...9-9-24-DHX-16V is 1.6v stuff

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/4GB-(...-9-9-9-24-150V is 1.5v stuff

[slim01_1985]

ok tried taking out all the memory - and i still get no beeps. does that rule out the memory being the problem? could it be defective mobo?
I have unplugged all HDDs and cd drives and everything else - just the mobo, cpu, connected to PSU (and of course speaker and power pins).

Pretty sure i had the power plugs in propperly 1st time, just was doubting because of non POST.

I know its a pain but im going to try the cpu in my own AMD computer (am3 chips work in am2+ boards right?). its a REAL big pain but its the only way i can know for sure that its not the CPU right? Its an athlon this one, so is the memory controller different to on my own computer - a phenom? Will i gain anything from seeing if the CPU works in my own machine?

My bro is using his comp so ill borrow one of his ram sticks later. Not sure what socket to try it in though, asus dont say. I got 2 black and 2 blue slots, both colours are right next to eachother (odd - i usually see 1blue, 1 black, 1 blue 1 black).
Ive not heard of frying the mobo or memory with with LOWER voltages? Ive heard of people using this memory (googled "(my mobo) with (my ram)" and theres plenty of posts to suggest they an work together?).


im desparate for an answer! posted in a few forrums to get any help or my customer WONT be impressed!! thanks again for any help!! Im off to the bank so i can order some more memory - this time one from the QVL list!

[slim01_1985]

yeah i'm gonna call it a day (and nite)...

>tried the power supply in my comp, booted it up fine.
>tried my power supply on this comp, same again, every-things on but no beeps.
=a guy has suggested the BIOS may need updating to run the CPU, i have no idea of how to do this though I might find out and give it a try soon. I've heard you can do this with a usb stick but am i right in assuming that if the system wont even POST the last thing its gonna be able to do is look for/update the settings on the CMOS chip?


Im not even going to bother trying the new CPU in my comp, i'm pretty confident the mobo is screwed and have arranged to get a new one... gotta make my guy wait (another) week now *sigh*. I think from now on im going to look at other mobos, not just ASUS.

I'll keep you guys updated though, thanks for all your help and suggestions thus far, anyway i can leave good feedback for you guys here?

[slim01_1985]

BOOM! Found the puppy!!

just as i was about to give up!! Was the god dam rest switch, I knew something was off about those plugs, the reset button must be permanently stuck in, THATS why it wasnt shuttung down by the switch or POSTing. God what a stupid case, i dont think ill buy coolemaster again, the quality of this one is terrible (wobbly panels on front, permanently pressed in reset switch with shorted plug, easily scratched, very thin material & a cheapy looking psu with no braiding etc). Right now i can get back on building and hopefully this RAM will be nice to me and run at 1333.

Thanks guys, you gave lots of suggestions to help me crack it.

[vicar]

Glad it worked out okay in the end.