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Help?!?!

G

Geekling

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
216
Ok...So I decided to build my first computer and its not booting :( This is a low end computer for one simple reason....I didn't want to fry a $300 CPU :p

I have..

1.4Ghz AMD
SystemBoard Socket A M811 series
64mg DDR Video Card
256 DDR Ram
CD-Rom
Floppy
Western Digital 40gig HD
350wat PSU
heatsink =)
I tried booting it in the case and it didn't work so I decided to take it out and try that....
nope :( The heatsink fan did spin a little but that was it. I tried clearing the CMOS, but nope...

I've tried a couple different PSUs and nothing.

Maybe I have some bad parts? but I don't know how to test them. In the manuel for the Mobo is says the board takes 184-pin modules...Is all DDR 184-pin?

Any suggestions?
 
Yup, all DDR is 184-pin. (Except for 200-pin SODIMMs, which are laptop memory.)

So you already have the system?

If so...take it out of the case, and try running it with the motherboard on a slab of cardboard or something. You can use a flathead screwdriver to short the power-on pins (where you would normally connect the case's power button) to turn it on. You'll want to connect power supply, CPU, heatsink, memory, video card, and a monitor; you might want to connect a keyboard if you want to goof off in the BIOS. Basically, run it with as little stuff as possible just to see if it'll power on.
 
You might also want to try researting the heatsink. Also, unplug everything you do not need. No cards in there, no drives plugged into the PSU....
 
Thanks guys...I actually have to go to work soon so I have to try those tonight. =( When I get this computer going I'm going to hit the second step....Networking :p
 
Alright guys...its sitting on my table with a video card, ram, HD and I started it up...

BIOS came up :p It said it was detecting IDE Drives and never moved. how long does it take to do this?
 
Different boards take different amounts of time. Check the jumpers on the HD and check the HD cable, though. Sometimes those can make it screw up there.
 
There is also another option....says Master with Slave present. Should I set my HD to that? with the CDrom?
 
If the hard drive is with the CD-ROM, then set it to master (with slave).

For the cable, just use another one to test it.

If the jumpers are correctly set, the cables have been replaced and it does NOT hang up with NO drives connected, your drive is probably gone. Try another drive before buying something, though, because it could be the controller as well. You can try throwing the HD on the secondary channel.
 
can I boot it without a HD? I've tried another IDE cable and nothing. I'll try setting it to Master w/ slave and try that tonight. I gotta head to work now :(

Damn work....always getting in the way...
 
well I just got home and I'm trying it with the Master w/ slave setting....At this moment its trying to Detect IDE Drives ...

If this fails I'm going to try it without the HD and CD-Rom to see if it works.

Should the HD be making any kind of noise? The CD-Rom will open and LEDs will light up....
 
Alright so I tried it without the HD and CD-Rom and this is what I got...

Primary Master : None
Primary Slave : None
Secondary Master : None
Secondary Slave : None

Floppy disk(s) fail (40)
Keyboard error or no keyboard present
CMOS checksum error - Defaults loaded
 
I tried doing something else with the HD and now I can't get anything to come up on the screen with or without the HD, :( This is pissing me off lol...

The heatsink fan is going but thats it.
 
Ok...got that fixed without anything connected...

It seems I have a friend HD? Why wouldn't it detect the CD-rom tho? This would go faster if someone other than me replied :p
 
If the IDE controller has trouble detecting the HD, then it's going to hang up there before it ever gets to the point where it wants to check for the CD-ROM...
 
Hey, you have a Western Digital HDD, right? And it's the only drive on its channel?

Take the jumper out. That's right, no jumper. This sets any new Western Digital HDD (anything that follows the WDxxxyy model name setup) to "Master, Slave Not Present". And jumper your optical drive to master like normal.

<insert gripe about WD's quirky jumper behaviors>

Oh yeah, make sure the two drives are at the ends of their cables on separate channels.
 
TheMostWantedPolishTwin said:
do you get the "CMOS checksum error" everytime you're trying to boot?
Click to expand...


No...The only time I get that is when I don't have the HD hooked up.
 
Should I try it in the IDE2 port? maybe the IDE1 is fried? I dunno :( I'm just kinda pissed....

It would suck if I have to buy a new HD.
 
Also what I would do is take off the CD-rom for now, set the drive jumper to cable select. I've found this works best.
 
How do I do that? I've tried it a couple of times now without the CD-Rom....how do I set the drive jumper to cable select?
 
I'm not sure on your particular drive. But I;m looking at a WD HDD right now (WD600) and its cable select setting is pins 1+2 (the two pins all the way to the right, put the jumper in vertically)

I'm pretty sure all WD drives are the same.
 
Trying it now...so far its Detecting IDE drives...

How long should I let it do this? Before trying something else?
 
do you have another system you can swap HDDs with ?

this will A)Test your new HDD (in the old system which we know works)
and
B)test your new motherboard/IDE cable/slot w/ the old HDD (which we know works).
 
all I have is this HP :( and I really don't want to tear this one apart. A friend of mine has a spare HD that I can use to test it.
 
wait, so have you A)tried a diff. IDE cable B)tried a diff. IDE port ?

EDIT: ah, k, well, try to use your friend's comp ASAP.
 
I have tried like 4 different IDE cables...

The other IDE port doesn't seem to be working either....
 
Are you sure everything is plugged in correctly? IIRC, don't IDE cables /Floppy Cables have to be plugged in a certain way in order to work? Maybe try flipping connectors around, checking closely to make sure they are plugged in correctly.
 
pbXassassinX1524 said:
On his 1st build maybe he shorted something installing the mobo incorrectly...
Click to expand...

could be, could be...that'd suck though :(

tried mounting the mobo outside on some wood or cardboard or something ?
 
I don't understand why it would be the Mobo....It won't detect the HD :( If I unplug it then BIOS comes up no problem.
 
Ok...so I bought a Seagate 40gig HD and it detected it this time....BUT...

Primary Master : None
Primary Slave : ST340014A 3.54
Secondary Master : None
Secondary Slave : None

Hard disk(s) Diagnosis Fail
Floppy Disk(s) Fail (40)
Keyboard Error or no keyboard present
CMOS checksum error -defaults loaded

Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter SETUP

I have the jumper set to cable select....maybe I should put it on master?
 
I just tried it on Master and it still came up as primary slave...

I'm so confused :(
 
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