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Case Help!

P

Panda Man

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
300
hmmm, i'm sure if this is the place, but anyways:

I've been trying to build a computer from scratch, and my first try i failed. The problem is that after i hit the power button all the LEDs flash and the fans will spin for about a hlaf second and then die. I replaced the PSU and got the problem. I tried one last time with nothing but the processor, heatsink, and PSU, and no dice. So i RMAed the MoBo, thinking that could be the only solution, as i would get a warning beep if anything else happened. I got the replacement board, and installed the processor, heatsink and PSU and fired up. The heatsink ran perfectly. So i thought "GREAT!" and got to work putting it together. after i was finished, i plugged in the monitor and power cable and hit the power button. I was back to the old problem!!! so i took out everything again but the CPU, heatsink, and PSU, and still had the same problem. So i unscrewed the MoBo and put everything back on with and hooked up the power switch outside the case, and it worked perfectly, and the BIOS screen came up. So obviously, there is a short in the case. Any help in how i may be able to get around this would be much appreciated.

specs:
Intel 3.0e P4 800MHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache (did i say that right btw?)
ECS 865PE-A ATX Intel Motherboard
Radeon 9600XT 256MB AGP 8x/4x
Kingston ValueRAM 512MB x2
Salvaged 10GB HDD + 4GB(I'm poor right now, i'll get a replacement when i get the moneyz! please don't beat me up!)
Sony Combo-Drive (if this is important ill go into details)
 
make sure there are no lose screws floating around in there. make sure there are no standoffs taht don't belong (match up the screws)
 
JSquid said:
make sure there are no lose screws floating around in there. make sure there are no standoffs taht don't belong (match up the screws)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the fast reply! I don't think there is any screws or anything out of place, i just tried it with the Mobo in place on the in the case, lined up with where it should be, and it still ran fine.
 
I have had this problem a couple times.
Motherboards are not realy designed with todays High performance Heatsink/Fans in mind. These HSF have large slow spinning fans. Most Bios's are set to default to detect the HS fan, if it doesn't setect the fan spinning at a certain speed it will automaticly shut down. Well alot of your "quiet" fans spin at about 1500 RPMs or less, well this is to slow for alot of Bios's to detect. So the bios thinks the fan has failed and in order to save the CPU the computer shuts down.
Theres 2 ways you can get by this problem, First is to get a fan that spins faster, at least 2000 RPMs, second is to hook up a differant fan to boot the computer, Go into the Bios and disable the Fan Fail Safe in the Bios then shut down and hook the CPU fan back into the HSF fan header (hook the HSF into a differant header or use a 3pin/4pin adapter, Dont run the computer without the fan running!!!)
Also make sure you have the HSF pluged into the proper fan header! Most motherboads label it "CPU FAN".
 
kuyaglen said:
Are you using a standard momentary switch for the power?
Click to expand...
come again?

Diablo2K said:
I have had this problem a couple times.
Motherboards are not realy designed with todays High performance Heatsink/Fans in mind. These HSF have large slow spinning fans. Most Bios's are set to default to detect the HS fan, if it doesn't setect the fan spinning at a certain speed it will automaticly shut down. Well alot of your "quiet" fans spin at about 1500 RPMs or less, well this is to slow for alot of Bios's to detect. So the bios thinks the fan has failed and in order to save the CPU the computer shuts down.
Theres 2 ways you can get by this problem, First is to get a fan that spins faster, at least 2000 RPMs, second is to hook up a differant fan to boot the computer, Go into the Bios and disable the Fan Fail Safe in the Bios then shut down and hook the CPU fan back into the HSF fan header (hook the HSF into a differant header or use a 3pin/4pin adapter, Dont run the computer without the fan running!!!)
Also make sure you have the HSF pluged into the proper fan header! Most motherboads label it "CPU FAN".
Click to expand...
It runs fine and i get to the BIOS screen. I hooked up everything, the case fans, all the drives, Vid. Card and memory, Processor, and so on. The only time it does not work is if i actually screw the board in place.
 
Panda Man said:
It runs fine and i get to the BIOS screen. I hooked up everything, the case fans, all the drives, Vid. Card and memory, Processor, and so on. The only time it does not work is if i actually screw the board in place.
Click to expand...

probably some contact happening between mobo and case, check the standoffs like jsquid said and check all cables for tearing or possible points of contact, chances are something's shorting out and the psu is shutting down your machine... pickup cheap paper/rubber washers to put in between motherboard and standoffs/screws if you can
 
i had this exact same problem. It turned out it was a bad video card. If you've got another pc to try the video card in, or another video card to try in your problem computer, you might just figure out the problem.

I had an all in wonder 9700 pro, but after i returned it to ati, they gave me an aiw 9800 pro for free :D . works like a charm!
 
Do you have a multimeter? What power supply are you using? I had a similiar problem once where the cheap power supply wasnt grounded and was actually sending 5 volts to the chassis!!!
 
atom said:
Do you have a multimeter? What power supply are you using? I had a similiar problem once where the cheap power supply wasnt grounded and was actually sending 5 volts to the chassis!!!
Click to expand...

I don't think that could cause any issues :p
 
If this is only happening when you board is screwed in, then chances are you're grounding out or shorting your board somewhere. Like the guys have mentioned above, double and triple check your motherboard's standoffs and make sure you haven't placed an extra one in there. Also verify that your board isn't touching any part of your chassis except for the IO shield and motherboard standoffs.
 
i've actualy seen boards/cases that had the hole placment a tad off. So between tension thanks to the standoffs and screws, and the mammoth heat sink it was causing the board the bow and fubar. :rolleyes:
 
Agree with the others saying to double check your standoff positioning. Also take a look at the back of your mobo and make sure that there's no long wires or anything there that could be touching the mobo plate.

Did your case come with a hardware kit that had those little paper washers? You might try using those on top of the standoffs just in case somehow there's current to the standoff that's being sent into the board.

This is a pretty common problem and usually not too tough to fix: your mobo is shorting out somewhere to the mobo tray-you have to figure out where and you'll have fixed it.
 
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