Computer Will Not Start Help

[Shorty5553]

After installing all the components into my computer, I was unable to boot the machine. Everything would turn on for a second but then stop.

I am almost positive that everything is compatable and plugged in correctly. My main concern is whether this could be a power supply problem or not.

 

[vegetash]

ugh, another one of these problems...

make sure that the CPU fan is connected to the CPU Fan connector on your motherboard

make sure that your heatsink is on correctly

try reseating your CPU

make sure the memory is installed properly

 

[MontyAC]

Originally posted by vegetash
ugh, another one of these problems...

make sure that the CPU fan is connected to the CPU Fan connector on your motherboard

make sure that your heatsink is on correctly

try reseating your CPU

make sure the memory is installed properly

Try out all of the above.

 

[Shorty5553]

I tried all these things but they did not work.

 

[ScHpAnKy]

Your motherboard may be cracked, if possible try to apply a *small* amount of pressure behind the motherboard. Same problem happened to a kid at my lan, we put a few pieces of cardboard behind the motherboard and it worked fine for the rest of the day.

 

[Shorty5553]

Still doesn't seem to fix the problem. If I had not connected something properly would I have this type of problem where the power seems to come on but the computer will not start up?

 

[Retro Rex]

Troubleshooting.


Step 1. Take apart everything. Connect mobo, cpu, heatsink/fan, ram, video card, and psu outside the case and see if you can get it to POST.

 

[DRJ1014]

Bad install. thats what it is.

possibly a fried processor doubt it. hard to fry one.

 

[DRJ1014]

check the pins on the processor and make sure there all there. remember there are going to be about 5 missing. thats normal. but if you see some the are missing and r suppose to be there its your prossor. ull see when some are missing. also check your power supply

 

[hypertexel]

theres diagnostic equipment that can help it to boot

 

[DRJ1014]

ya and spend a crap load of money doing that. by doing trial and error you find out the problem cheap. just replace one item at a time and if that one doesnt work return it and try the next tihng. also there isnt really any stuff to test it when its doing this. the only things they would do it test the power supply ($70) and test the mobo ($95)

 

[Shorty5553]

My only other concern is that there is a DIMM standby power LED warning light on. The instructions in the manual read "If the light is lghted, you must power-off the system then turn off the power supply'y switch or unplug the powe cord prior to installing any memory modules." I have done this quite a few times but the light remains on. I am not sure if this is related to my system being unable to startup but it continues to bother me.

 

[HRslammR]

reapply the heatsink.

 

[Shorty5553]

I did reapply it. It starts up for a moment but doesn't continue to move.

 

[DRJ1014]

do a tryal and error

 

[jpmkm]

Originally posted by DRJ1014
ya and spend a crap load of money doing that. by doing trial and error you find out the problem cheap. just replace one item at a time and if that one doesnt work return it and try the next tihng. also there isnt really any stuff to test it when its doing this. the only things they would do it test the power supply ($70) and test the mobo ($95)

So replacing stuff is the cheap way of doing it? Okay.
It sounds like there is a short somewhere. Maybe there are some standoffs on the motherboard tray that are touching the motherboard where they're not supposed to. My BP6 did that back in the day with the ide headers and it took me a long time to figure out why my damn hard drives weren't working.

 

[Shorty5553]

Is there any chance that this could be a problem with the psu. The fact that it only starts for an instant leaves me wondering.

 

[DRJ1014]

Originally posted by jpmkm
So replacing stuff is the cheap way of doing it? Okay.
It sounds like there is a short somewhere. Maybe there are some standoffs on the motherboard tray that are touching the motherboard where they're not supposed to. My BP6 did that back in the day with the ide headers and it took me a long time to figure out why my damn hard drives weren't working.

no u buy one thing and if it doesnt fix it then u return it. then go to the next one. if it doesnt work then return it. read wut i say before you type

 

[DRJ1014]

see by doing it this way if its the mobo then it only costs u wut the mobo costs and u dont have to pay to find out that it was the mobo. so if u tested the mobo and it was it it would cost 70 for the test then like 100 for the mobo. if u do it my way and buy the mobo to see if its the mobo then it only costs you 100 instead of 170

 

[Wixard]

Thats one of the reasons hardware is as expensive as it is, people returning things that arent broken.

 

[jpmkm]

Originally posted by DRJ1014
no u buy one thing and if it doesnt fix it then u return it. then go to the next one. if it doesnt work then return it. read wut i say before you type

That's just plain unethical. I change out parts to troubleshoot sometimes, but I don't buy stuff with the intent of testing something and then returning it. And where are you getting the $70 to test a motherboard from? I can test my own damn motherboards for free(and by test I don't mean go out and buy another one for a day). If your solution for everything is to throw money at something until it works then that's okay, but I don't recommend it for anyone else. I would take you a bit more seriously if you capitalized and spelled words correctly.

This guy's problem sounds like a short. First of all, unplug the power supply from everything(except the wall). Take a paperclip or something and short the green and any black wire on on the atx connector together. If the power supply turns on and stays on, then plug it into the motherboard and try turning it on. If it shuts right back off, then take the motherboard off the tray and put it on a piece of cardboard or something and try it again. If it works, then there is a short between the motherboard and the motherboard tray. If it doesn't work, then it's probably a bad motherboard.

 

[DRJ1014]

Originally posted by jpmkm
That's just plain unethical. I change out parts to troubleshoot sometimes, but I don't buy stuff with the intent of testing something and then returning it. And where are you getting the $70 to test a motherboard from? I can test my own damn motherboards for free(and by test I don't mean go out and buy another one for a day). If your solution for everything is to throw money at something until it works then that's okay, but I don't recommend it for anyone else. I would take you a bit more seriously if you capitalized and spelled words correctly.

This guy's problem sounds like a short. I suggest taking the motherboard out of the case and off the tray. Plug in the motherboard(and only the motherboard) and then try it. If it stays on, then there was a short somewhere.

ok u know the store frys?
well the people at frys told me thats what i should do.

 

[ChaseJ86]

Originally posted by DRJ1014
ok u know the store frys?
well the people at frys told me thats what i should do.

There's the problem. Don't listen to them. Most of them don't know what the hell they are talking about.
Once I was told that I need to plug my cd rom drive into my video card (the 2 pin plug where the gpu fan plugs into)

 

[DRJ1014]

Originally posted by TsayYote
There's the problem. Don't listen to them. Most of them don't know what the hell they are talking about.
Once I was told that I need to plug my cd rom drive into my video card (the 2 pin plug where the gpu fan plugs into)

this was a technisian

 

[jpmkm]

Originally posted by DRJ1014
this was a technisian

Regardless of who it was, he was a fucking moron. I know, I used to worship those guys when I was 15 too, but I grew out of it. Think of it this way: if they are so smart, they would have a real job. Not a job at a retail store.

 

[DRJ1014]

lol u have a really good point there.