New build first timer - problems!

filmund

OSNN Newbie
Joined
14 Mar 2007
Messages
3
Hi All,

I'm having some trouble building my first custom pc. After about a minute of switching it on the pc switches itself off. It posts, and I am able to get into the bios settings briefly before it powers off. There is no beep before it switches off, but my chassis doesn't have a speaker and I don't believe the motherboard has one built in either. The fans all spin freely, the heatsink doesn't get hot to the touch, and I am sure I have plugged the CPU fan into the correct pins on the board.

In an attempt to find where the problem may be I have removed every non essential part one at a time until I am left with the RAM, which I have also swapped with ram from another machine so I know it works, and the CPU. Literally everything else is unplugged from the motherboard including the power/reset switches and LEDs. The problem persists.

This suggests to me that the cpu may be faulty, but since it's my first time I'd like a second opinion before I return it to the supplier. The parts I am using are listed below:

  • Asus P5N-E SLI 650i Socket 775 Onboard Audio ATX
  • Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (2.4ghz) Socket 775 FSB1066 4MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor
  • Ebuyer 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz PC2-6400 240pin Extra Value Ram
  • Hitatchi Deskstar T7k500 HDT725032VLA360 320GB SATAII - 3.5in 7200RPM 16MB Cache
  • Hiper 580W Type-R Modular PSU SLI/CrossFire Certified - Black
  • Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950 XTX 512MB GDDR4 256bit ViVO PCI-E
  • LG GDR-8164BL 16x52 DVD-ROM Internal IDE (Black) - OEM
  • PLEXTOR PX-130A/T3BP

TIA,

Phil
 
Ok, there are some older "build your pc" type threads, I would read them becuse they demonstrate how to diagnose basic issues.

I would disconnect EVERYTHING from your motherboard except the CPU and video card and memory and see if it POST's. Don't put all your memory in, one modules will suffice.

If there are issues there, then you can start a further process of elimination.

See if this helps.

I'll post more when I get home, kind of in the middle of a conference call :cool:
 
Sazar, next time approve the post so the members can see the post and your reply :rolleyes:
 
Phil

Since you POST and die after about a few seconds my first guess is that the MB is not getting the fan speed indication.

The CPU fan connector has a speed wire (usually yellow) and it should be plugged into the MB. Specifically the MB header marked for the CPU fan. Most MB have 2-3 fan headers now. You can probably disable the fan speed sensor function in Bios, if you could stay up long enough.

No speaker, yuk. On the other hand if you get to the bios screen you don't need the beep codes anymore.

PS Nice rig, the jealousy monster is striing. ;)
 
Sazar, next time approve the post so the members can see the post and your reply :rolleyes:

Um, sure thing J ;)

I'll just get off my conference call, close out my 15 apps and pay very close attention to the state of every post while at work :smoker:

lol
 
Phil

Since you POST and die after about a few seconds my first guess is that the MB is not getting the fan speed indication.

The CPU fan connector has a speed wire (usually yellow) and it should be plugged into the MB. Specifically the MB header marked for the CPU fan. Most MB have 2-3 fan headers now. You can probably disable the fan speed sensor function in Bios, if you could stay up long enough.

No speaker, yuk. On the other hand if you get to the bios screen you don't need the beep codes anymore.

PS Nice rig, the jealousy monster is striing. ;)

The other thing is that the PSU may not be providing adequate juice. As items power up and draw more power, the system may be shutting down as the psu can't provide enough to the whole system.

If the issue is the cpu fan, most mobo's will beep or flash a warning saying that the cpu fan is not detected.
 
sounds like something as simple as placing the wires from the case in the wrong slots of the motherboard... ya know that bundle of wires with tiny headers that go to the power button, hd light, reset button..ect.

also socket 775 is pretty common nowadays ... maybe one of your buds has a 775? if so ..obviously the simple thing would be to drop your cpu in his computer ... not his in yours ..cause its possible that your mobo is bad as well.
 
sounds like something as simple as placing the wires from the case in the wrong slots of the motherboard... ya know that bundle of wires with tiny headers that go to the power button, hd light, reset button..ect.

Those wires are the bane of my computer building life! When oh when is someone going to develop a single-wire solution for this?

I've managed to get them wrong first time round on every new build I've ever done! :dead:
 
Um, sure thing J ;)

I'll just get off my conference call, close out my 15 apps and pay very close attention to the state of every post while at work :smoker:

lol
Thanks. Next time I won't be nice, I'll have to spank you
 
Phil

Since you POST and die after about a few seconds my first guess is that the MB is not getting the fan speed indication.

The CPU fan connector has a speed wire (usually yellow) and it should be plugged into the MB. Specifically the MB header marked for the CPU fan. Most MB have 2-3 fan headers now. You can probably disable the fan speed sensor function in Bios, if you could stay up long enough.

No speaker, yuk. On the other hand if you get to the bios screen you don't need the beep codes anymore.

PS Nice rig, the jealousy monster is striing. ;)

Great points...

BUT... I would like to give you a hint:

CHECK YOUR SOLDER JOINTS!!

why?

When I built my first PC:
A Cyrix 6x86 I put everything together... the hardware didnt scare me since I was an electronics tech, but that darn thing was doing EXACTLY what yours is...

WHat I found out was that even though I had not put in the isolators (WHICH YOU SHOULD EVERY TIME) my PC was perfectly content to humm along without issue until I would turn it back upright, where it would shut down.

It was driving me absolutely BATTY! What I found out was that because I did not have the isolators in, every time I turned the PC right side up, ONE STUPID &*(*&*%$!##%%#^!@^!^ solder joint was touching the case and shorting the +12V leg to chasis, and the PSU I had (some no name brand) had a good enough protection system that forced a system shutdown.

SO: Ensure you have installed your plastic isolators, and if you have, and it is STILL shutting down, check to ensure a solder joint isnt shorting to the chassis.

CHEERS!

Mike A!
 
I've managed to get them wrong first time round on every new build I've ever done! :dead:

Read the Motherboard manuals, its clearly detailed in every manual I have read and the wires have indicators written on them such as HDLED, PSW, PLED, SPKR, USB1... :dead:
 
Yes that's true but on some of them there is no actual way of telling which way round the wire goes!
 
My M2N-SLI deluxe I just bought has a little plastic thingy you plug the wires into, then connect it to the motherboard.

IMG_6514s.jpg
 
Yes, very, since my HDD light was my power light on my last case ;)
 
Nice. That's pretty convenient. :)
I agree - very nice to see some vendors doing that. It can be a bit of a pain sometimes - have to give it to Dell and others for at least bunching it together :p
 
Awesome. That'll be the deal breaker on my next mobo purchase!
 
Hi All,

Thanks to everyone who made a response; I've been taking things out and putting things in and checking everything according to your suggestions.

Well... I kinda dropped my motherboard yesterday with the cpu/fan, memory and video card still plugged in (it was leaning against something and fell over when I moved) so I went over the board pushing everything down firmly and now it seems to work! I guess I hadn't seated something properly despite my super meticulous approach.

I haven't installed an OS yet but fingers crossed that everything works as it should, we'll find out tomorrow when I have some time to sit in front of it for an hour or two

Phil.
 
Damn, 35 years in engineering and kicking the malfunctioning hardware is still the best method! :(
 

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