No POST

I'm building my new computer and am having some issues that i am not finding answers to in my own head, would love some help.

The system:
Mainboard = MSI 648 Max 533mhz FSB socket 478
Processor = Intel P4 2.8ghz 533 FSB
Memory = Kingston Value RAM DDR-333mhz PC 2700 512mb's (2 sticks)
Video = Gainward Pro/660 GeForce FX 5200 128mb DDR
HDD = 1 seagate 133mhz 7200 120gb (p-slave) 1 maxtor 133 7200 60gb (p-master)
Optical = 1 DVDROM 16x (s-slave) 1 MSI 8x DVD Burner (s-master).

The Problem:
I put everything together (i used a static wrist strap) and hooked it up and it won't post. I've tried using one stick RAM and then the other, then both again, then tried each hdd as primary master and each optical as secondary master. When it powers on i get the power lights and the light on the MSI comes on steady, i am not able to open the MSI drive when the light is solid like that, i thought it was just my configuration of IDE devices but i think i've tried every scenario. Both HDD's are empty.

Any suggestions?

does the monitor come on? and if not do you have a internal speaker conencted?
or is this just a prob with the drives?

does it have 2 power leads? and if so are they BOTH plugged in? (i dont kow if P4's have that but hey...its worth asking)

As mentioned above, you should have an ATX PSU connector on your motherboard, and also probably a 4 pin 12V connector for extra power, if you have the 12V one too, make sure you have plugged it in.

Ok, back to the start. You say no POST. Now do you mean there are no beeps at all ? If so are you sure you have connected the internal speaker correctly? Is this your first system build ?
Could we some detaild info on your Power supply please, Wattage, make, where you got it from etc.

Now if its an MSI board do you have the MSI LED diagnostic panel ? Its the thing with 4 GReen/Red LED's on a backplate. It can be very useful to diagnose problems. If so, check with your manual to get some more info about what the lights are telling you.

You need to give us some more detail on the exact problem signs. Is nothing happening at all? Are the fans just spinning and nothing else happening ? Is it beeping in some way, the more info, the better the advice ;)

also make sure you aren't shorting the board with the screws/mounting to hold it in the case - I sent a MSI board back because of that (sorry Komplett!)

It wouldn't post with a PCI card in a certain slot - which transpired to be because of an extra mounting ridge shorting when the PCI card was screwed in. Still wont POST with my SBLive card though, which is strange.

Make sure your PSU is beefy enough - just put in a stick or ram, processor and gfx card, no HD or floppy or anything - see what happens

Thanks for the replies, I'll try some of those things when i get off work. to answer some questions, no there are no beeps at all, yes i have the speaker hooked up according to the manual, no there is no visual at all on the monitor. I hadn't thought of the cards shorting the boards, i put the paper washers on the MB screws even though everyone says you don't need them cuz the traces are grounded. It is an MSI board but doesn't have the LED panel on it, (i wish it did). I do have both power leads hooked to the MB. It is a 350watt PSU in a brand new case. This is not the first machine i have built, but it's been almost a year since the last one i built.

Thanks everyone for your help, it was the mobo, dead as a doornail....as soon as i put a new one in wham, everything booted and beeped like normal, thanks again :) This is a great tech board, no other board offered me any help at all.

no problem!
hope one day we can all help you again!