old rig won't start

[Boyo]

I have a problem with my old rig. It's been off for a few days, and now suddenly it won't start up. Nothing has been changed, so I'm not sure why this is happening. The green light is lit on the mobo.

Specs:
AMD X2 4400+ stock
Asus A8N32SLI-Deluxe
Evga 7500GT
Corsair 3500 DDR RAM

 

[chockomonkey]

This was happening to my buddies build...

he did like the first few steps of this and got it working:

Back to basics… A Barebones bench test:

If you followed a build guide, this should have been one of the first steps to assembling your computer. If you did not do this prior to building, it may help rule out several issues. Possible common symptoms:

* The system does not POST (ie. the system powers on, but does not complete POST (Power On Self Test)).
* The system powers on for a quick second or two, then powers off.
* The system powers on, but you don't see anything on the screen.
* The system does not power on at all.
* The system was working fine, but not after you moved it from one location to another.
* The system was working fine before you cleaned out all the dust.
* The system was working fine before you installed a new (or replaced an) expansion card.


A Barebones bench test - Procedures to follow if your system does not POST:
It would help to have spare parts. If you don't have any, try borrowing from a friend.

1. Setup everything OUTSIDE of the case, with the mobo on top of its cardboard box.
2. Plug in only the essentials:
* PSU
* CPU w/ HSF
* Single stick of RAM in the slot closest to the CPU.
* Video card (if no on-board) along with its molex or PCI-E power connector if needed
* System Speaker/Buzzer (if no on-board)
* Monitor
* Keyboard

3. Clear your CMOS (Reset the BIOS) by following the instructions in your mobo manual. Some boards have on-board reset switches instead of a jumper. Make sure you have an updated BIOS, and that your board supports your CPU.
4. Power on the system using a spare power switch or by shorting the two power switch leads for a few seconds or less (typically done with a screwdriver). Some boards have on-board power switches.
5. Be sure you have a buzzer connected, to hear any POST error beeps. If you have an LCD on-board, it should give you a POST error code either in addition to or in place of a beep error code. Some Asus boards would "voice" these codes via the on-board audio line-out, in which case you'd need a regular speaker or headphones.
6. If it won't POST, try different DIMM slots. If it still won't POST, remove all RAM and make sure you get error beeps. If not, then try known working RAM and make sure your RAM is compatible with your motherboard.
7. If you do get error beeps but it still won't POST, try another slot for the vidcard (PCI-E, PCI, or AGP, depending on your card) if another is available.
8. If not, or the other slot did not work, remove the videocard and listen for error beeps. If you get error beeps with a single stick of RAM and no vidcard, try another known working video card.
9. If it still won't POST with known working RAM and Vidcard, remove the RAM and Video card, and listen for error beeps. If no beeps, try re-seating your CPU. Be sure to properly clean and re-apply thermal compound (see above for a few more details). If you do get error beeps, then its either the vidcard or RAM.
10. If re-seating the CPU/HSF does not get the system to POST, then its most likely an issue with your CPU, Mobo, or PSU. CPU's rarely go bad, so try a known working PSU that's capable of powering your system.
11. If another PSU doesn't help, you can try another motherboard (spare or borrow from a friend).
* Paperclip PSU Trick: On the main ATX 24-pin connector, short (connect) the green wire with any black wire, using a paperclip.
* How to test with a multimeter @ BFG