Odd problem - power?

[ahluka]

So I just built a new PC. Woot? No.

Here's the specs before I delve into the problem:

• Jeantech Storm 700W PSU
• XFX 650i Ultra
• XFX 8800GTS 640MB
• Intel Core 2 Duo E6320
• 2GB Corsair

So t'is all built. I turn it on, everything "winds up" (fans, HDD, DVD makes a bonk sound - the usual) except the monitor. The GPU's fan does come on, however.

Generally.

Now, strangely, this morning it actually got past POST a couple of times. The first time, I removed everything except the GPU and turned it on, monitor awakens, does POST, then of course, can't boot. So I add the HDD (IDE) and it boots! Sort of... it begins to load windows (XP SP2) then promptly blue-screens (before the login screen). Same in safe mode(s).

I add the DVD (SATA) and it doesn't boot. I remove the HDD, and it boots.

Once (once!) it miraculously booted with both the HDD and DVD connected, so I figured I'd try to boot into windows again, which blue-screened. So I thought I may as well see if the repair console has anything to say, booted up the windows cd, but it hung right before it gives you options. I left it to "think" for about 20 minutes then restarted it.

Now it won't boot at all - back to square one (everything comes on but no monitor and no POST so far as I can tell). Since it's previously half worked I have no idea what the problem is (my first guesses were the GPU is DOA or the PSU wasn't supplying enough power to it - t'is quite a beast).

Any takers?

EDIT/PS: Oh and the manual I found online for this mobo, and the little help leaflet that came with it, both show an 8-pin power connector (the one sitting next to the CPU) although the board only has a 4-pin. Is this a problem?

 

[engiNURD]

So, will it even POST without the drives connected? Do you have another PSU you could try? Do you have a less powerful vidcard (PCI or PCI-E) you could try?

 

[ahluka]

>> So, will it even POST without the drives connected? Do you have another PSU you could try? Do you have a less powerful vidcard ([COLOR=#6ef96e! important][FONT=arial, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', helvetica, sans-serif][COLOR=#6ef96e! important][FONT=arial, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', helvetica, sans-serif]PCI[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] or PCI-E) you could try?

Yes, with only the HDD or only the DVD connected, it POST's. I have tried my other bog-standard 550W Q-Tec PSU to no avail and I don't have any other cards (not PCI/PCI-E at least).

 

[engiNURD]

It may be a power problem... but for a 700W PSU?!?!

1) Try it with only one stick of ram.

2) Take your 550W Qtec, paperclip jumpstart it (connect it to the wall, short the green and any black wire with a paperclip), and connect the two drives (HDD and optical) to that PSU; then try powering the rest of the system on the other PSU and try powering up.

 

[ahluka]

Tried it with one stick of ram, no difference.
Double PSU, same, which is about right I suppose.

 

[engiNURD]

Tried it with one stick of ram, no difference.
Double PSU, same, which is about right I suppose.

So I doubt its a power problem. What mode are your SATA ports set to in the BIOS?

 

[ahluka]

I honestly can't remember and since it's refusing to boot now...
I just tried it again with only the GPU and nothing. I did notice earlier though, that the HDD doesn't make any noise ("wind up") if the optical (SATA) is plugged in. That's not normal is it?

 

[133]

you've tried clearing the cmos i presume?

 

[ahluka]

Indeed, twice.

 

[xpavement]

I have the same motherboard, but no problems here. Is your BIOS up to date? It is a risk to update the BIOS on an unstable system, and I think I updated mine through a winflash program anyways, so you might have to try booting off a USB key or even a floppy to load the new BIOS if windows doesn't load.