48nm build no post or beep, help please )-;

[Vaughane]

Hi all,

Firstly thank you for taking the time to read this and secondly please help!!!

I'm putting together my first new system for a few years and am running into some problems.

I'm getting no post or beeps. Even with just the cpu installed it turns on for about a second then goes off before turning on again a couple of seconds later.

Things i'm aware of and have tried, PSU is fine to the best of my knowledge. CPU fan does spin up. All cables are connected. Unfortunately my old PC is a wheezing socket A AMD and i can't try the parts out on it, nor do i know anybody with a pc i could use. Does the mobo need flashing (i thought the new x48's didn't)

Components are as follows

Mobo
Gigabyte x48t-dq6

CPU
Intel e8500

RAM
OCZ ddr3 2x2gb 1333mhz

PSU
Hiper 580w

GPU
XFX 8800gtx

HDD
3xsata

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated, cheers,

Vaughane

[s_kinton]

I take it you have a little speaker plugged in to hear the beeps?

Try clearing the CMOS and booting with only the core components i.e. CPU, VGA and 1 stick of RAM (try each separately).

If the above fails then put the mobo on a box or something and try it from there. That will rule out any case shorts.

[Blitzen]

YOu sure the PSU is OK?
Is it a new one or a salvage from last build? They arent great and would be a good starting point.

Also, do you have the 8 pin 12V connected to the motherboard? Its easily missed.


(No you wont need to flash for the motherboard to accept the CPU. It wouldnt hurt flashing afterwards though).

[Vaughane]

Yep speaker is plugged in, the mobo is on a table and isn't even in the case yet (a lovely mcubed classic fanless design).

I've tried clearing the cmos to no effect.

I've tried plugging things in one bit at a time, the only variation i get is when i unplug the processor. When i do this it stops alternating on and off every few seconds and mearly stays on, though the still connected cpu fan spins down. Still no post or beeps tho.

I've reconnected the fan to the gpu and thats working so it seems to be getting power. Also tried swapping the pci express cables around but that made no difference.

I've quickly hooked the PSU up back into my old PC and it powered it up fine (i have recently dismantled the psu and turned the fans around so it could have been an issue) so i don't believe the PSU is a problem, although that said obviously the new rig needs more juice.

The PSU is about 18months old, a hiper 580w that replaced an old one in my old pc. It only has a 4pin 12v connector which is connected. I understand that should suffice for a dual core rig??? The 8800gtx has two PCI express connectors, the psu has one dedicated PCI-e lead and you can convert 2 12v molex connections (on seperate rails) using a supplied adaptor for the second which obviously i have done.

Any more suggestions before i reach for the valium?

[Bugbait]

Does it stay on after the first, unexpected power down? Or does it continually power on and off by itself?

[Vaughane]

It just keeps powering itself on and off. I think the most likely explanation is a fault/short on the mobo. Don't they turn themselves off if there's a short to stop damage to the cpu???

"sigh"

[Bugbait]

It just keeps powering itself on and off. I think the most likely explanation is a fault/short on the mobo. Don't they turn themselves off if there's a short to stop damage to the cpu???

"sigh"

Could also be the CPU overheating. Is the HSF securely mounted? If so, have you checked for bent pins in the socket?

If you boot with no RAM and only the CPU does it still behave in this way or does it stay on?

[Vaughane]

The heatsink is just sitting loose on top at the moment (a passive design that transfers heat to case which acts as a massive heatsink) but it doesn't stay on long enough to heat up. I had the fan plugged in just in case not having it connected caused it to power down. There don't appear to be any bent pins either.

Even with the RAM out it behaves the same.

[Bugbait]

The heatsink is just sitting loose on top at the moment (a passive design that transfers heat to case which acts as a massive heatsink) but it doesn't stay on long enough to heat up. I had the fan plugged in just in case not having it connected caused it to power down. There don't appear to be any bent pins either.

What do you mean by "sitting loose"? Haven't you mounted it properly? Have you tried to boot the motherboard with the stock HSF mounted as a test? Does stay on long enough? The CPU reaches full load temperature in a split second.

[Vaughane]

Yes i've tried a proper fan install earlier with no joy

[this_is_gav]

And by 'install' do you mean sitting on top or actually fastened onto the board?

Can't believe someone would try a system with just the heatsink resting on the CPU.

[Vaughane]

yes it was fastened down and applied with heatsink paste, but still turned itself off about a second after turning on.

[Blitzen]

It only has a 4pin 12v connector which is connected. I understand that should suffice for a dual core rig???

I will be corected if im wrong but on any new motherboard. especially an X48 i would expect you definitely require the 8pin 12V pulgged in to the motherboard along with th 24pin 12V connector.

I would be willing to bet, that if you change the PSU to something decent, with the correct connectors, it will work.

[TGA]

Sounds like what happened on my pc when i flashed the bios, i knwo you haven't, but if what blitzen has said doesn't work maybe its something to consider faulty bios

[Blitzen]

I'm having some hardware problems on a new build (see my thread on x48 build no post or beep). I've narrowed it down to either a cpu or mobo fault, only problem is I have no way of testing either of them as the pc its replacing is an AMD socket A (lol).

WHy did you put this up when you have no idea if its CPU related or not?

This is almost certainly the PSU and/or how you have set it up.

[Thorsson]

My Hiper only lasted 11 months, so you're ahead of the game!

But it is an old (3 years) design and you're trying to use it with some very new and demanding kit.

This is what the mobo manual says:

Use of a power supply providing a 2x4 12V power connector is recommended by the
CPU manufacturer when using an Intel Extreme Edition CPU (130W).

To meet expansion requirements, it is recommended that a power supply that can withstand high power consumption be used (500W or greater). The main power connector is compatible with power supplies with 2x10 power connectors. To prevent system instability or system's failure to boot, be sure to connect a power supply providing a 2x12 power connector.

The ATX_12V_2X power connector is compatible with power supplies with 2x2 12V power connector. When using a power supply providing a 2x4 12V and power connector, remove the protective covers from the 12V power connector and the main power connector on the motherboard.

Do not insert the power supply cables into pins under the protective covers when using a power supply providing a 2x2 12V power connector.

While the Hiper is rated at 580W it is not as strong on the 12v rail as better PSUs, but it looks to have 2 x 2 12V connectors and 8-pin Xeon/EPS connector. It looks like you should be using the former.