System not working

[FractalWalk]

I am officially frustrated. I just put together my system and it is not working. I have no idea why and I don't know where to start looking. Here's what I got:

Mobo:     ASUS7V333
CPU:       Athlon AMD 1800+
Memory: 256MB DIMM
Video:     ArcadeVGA
Monitor:  WG K7400

This is set for jumperfree set up. I put in my boot disk and powered it  up. All the fans work, the power LED lights and all the drives power up.  But I do not get any beeps nor do I get any video.

I've triple checked all connections and they look good. Any ideas?

[SNAAAKE]

I am officially frustrated. I just put together my system and it is not working. I have no idea why and I don't know where to start looking. Here's what I got:

Mobo:     ASUS7V333
CPU:       Athlon AMD 1800+
Memory: 256MB DIMM
Video:     ArcadeVGA
Monitor:  WG K7400

This is set for jumperfree set up. I put in my boot disk and powered it  up. All the fans work, the power LED lights and all the drives power up.  But I do not get any beeps nor do I get any video.

I've triple checked all connections and they look good. Any ideas?

Pop the battry out and put it back on(clear CMOS).

Other then that,check your RAM or make sure your cpu is working..test the cpu with a different MOBO.

If works then test the MOBO with another CPU just to make sure you didnt short anything out and see if works..

Trying to help..

[shmokes]

Power supply.  It's your power supply.  I mean, it could be any number of things, faulty video card, faulty memory module, faulty other thing that the motherboard just doesn't like so it's not working with anything and not even giving you a beep code to work with...but it isn't any of those things.  It's your power supply.  You can start swapping out parts one by one with known good replacements, just make sure you start with the power supply cos that's your problem.  Even if your power supply worked in the system that you pulled it from just fine and both motherboards are ATX it is still the power supply.  Go to Staples or anywhere else that has a decent return policy.  Buy a new power supply (at least 300 watts and do yourself a favor -- pay $10 extra dollars for a brand name.  Antec and Enermax both come to mind).  Pull your faulty power supply out of the unit and replace it with the new power supply and your problems will disappear.  If I'm wrong you can always return it.  But I'm not, so you won't have to    

[SirPoonga]

How is the arcadevga hooked up to the monitor?

Do you have an extra video card?

[cdbrown]

Jeez shmokes - don't get too carried away.  Fractal may already be using an Antec powersupply (which would be wise) and something else could be the problem.  

The first thing I would try would be to get hold of a video card, replace the arcadevga card and plug it into a pc monitor.  Take the boot disc out and turn it on, hopefully something will come up on the screen.  Get into the bios and have a look through there, maybe the onboard sound is disabled?  You should always go into the bios on a new pc.  The defaults of the board do not necessarily match the defaults of the parts.   I found that my pc first boot up as a Athlon 1GHz (100FSB x 10) and not 133x11.5 like it should have been.  Also the memory was set to the same speed as the fsb instead of 166MHz.

Try a different card before getting carried away (although having a good power supply is very important).  Get into the bios and make your changes so at least you know everything is running the way it should be, then try the arcadevga again.

Report back with how you go.

Good luck
-cdbrown

[AceTKK]

Since it's not throwing an error code it's either a bad power supply, bad CPU, or bad motherboard.  Try replacing those three, in order.

-Ace-

[shmokes]

That's what I'm talking about.  The fact that you're getting no beep codes screams power supply.  Like I said it could be something else, but my money is on the power supply.  They are the shiftiest parts in the computer and probably the hardest to diagnose based on logical conclusions drawn from symptoms.  Replace your power supply before you waste time and money on anything else.  It's you're best bet  (and they're inexpensive -- Antec 300 watt is $50 at Staples and I'm sure you could find a better deal than Staples).
Come back and rub my face in it if I'm wrong  

[FractalWalk]

Thanks for the advice guys.  

FWIW, I do have an Antec 300w power supply. I don't have an extra processor or Mobo lying around but I did pop the battery and re-try. No dice.

I'll swap out the video card and monitor tonight and let you know how that goes. If that doesn't work, I 'll try shmokes suggestion and swap out the . . . what was it again, the power supply?

[DeathMonk]

Since it's not throwing an error code it's either a bad power supply, bad CPU, or bad motherboard.  Try replacing those three, in order.

-Ace-

It could be as simple as the pc speaker lead being on backwards/wrong.  

--I would recommend checking that first...  then like someone else said, replace the video card, reseat the memory, reseat the processor, etc.....

[Xphile]

the pc speaker lead will work both ways...(plus alot of mb's have peizo electric speakers built on to the mb these days..)

[BobA]

Many motherboards have a clear CMOS jumper that is shipped in the clear position.  In order to get the MB to boot it must be placed in the Normal position.  Had this on at least 2 MBs lately.

BobA

[J_K_M_A_N]

Many motherboards have a clear CMOS jumper that is shipped in the clear position.  In order to get the MB to boot it must be placed in the Normal position.  Had this on at least 2 MBs lately.

BobA

I learned about the cmos clear jumper the hard way. (And I felt stupid!) I bought a mobo and the jumper was on clear and I couldn't figure it out. I brought it to the place I bought it from and the guy looked at it for like 2 seconds and moved the jumper and it worked. I spent about 1-2 hours on it and was ready to demand they put in a new mobo since the one they sold me was defective! Instead, I just put my tail between my legs, thanked him, and left as quickly as I could. I don't think I went back for about a year.

J_K_M_A_N

[DeathMonk]

the pc speaker lead will work both ways...(plus alot of mb's have peizo electric speakers built on to the mb these days..)

Most do... I've had a few that didn't

[mrhowell]

I would start with a minimum configuration.  Motherboard, 1 piece of memory, video card.  No hard drive or cd drive.  Leave all other cards out.  Some power supplies have two connections, a standard ATX connector and a small sqaure 4 pin connector.  

[shmokes]

I hadn't considered the clear CMOS jumper *smack*.  Not only do I think it's the power supply, though, but I really HOPE it's the power supply for being so sure of myself earlier  

[Odonadon]

That's what I'm talking about.  The fact that you're getting no beep codes screams power supply.  Like I said it could be something else, but my money is on the power supply.  They are the shiftiest parts in the computer and probably the hardest to diagnose based on logical conclusions drawn from symptoms.  Replace your power supply before you waste time and money on anything else.  It's you're best bet  (and they're inexpensive -- Antec 300 watt is $50 at Staples and I'm sure you could find a better deal than Staples).
Come back and rub my face in it if I'm wrong  

No no no.  Check the simplest things first - neither video card or RAM might not be seated properly.  Double check, and re-seat them.  Save yourself $50 and check these first, for the love of god!

Odonadon

[DJ Gary-N]

depending on how often you play around with different computers, you may want to get a power supply tester they run about $15.00 and a lot of computer chain stores carry them. Don't ever try to plug in you power supply without it being attached to either a tester or the computer. It needs to have a load drawing on it. If not you can fry the power supply. I had one go bad on me and it was like the last thing I checked. (Stupid)  Got myself a tester and its come in handy even if just to rule out that that's not the problem. But I agree with shmokes sure sound like power supply to me.

[shmokes]

From original post:

I've triple checked all connections and they look good. Any ideas?

I take this to mean that he has already reseated his components.  Checking connections doesn't generally mean glancing at them  

[FractalWalk]

Okay, here's the status.

The Mobo has "Clear CMOS" jumpers but it is not a regular pin jumper, rather it is 2 bare contacts on the board, next to the battery. To clear it I have to remove power, the battery and short across the contacts. In other words the default is "open".


1) I swapped out video card and monitor with known good components and then cleared CMOS, same problem.

2) I moved DIMMs to alternative slots and then cleared CMOS. Same problem.

3) I removed all floppy, CD, harddrive and all cables and cleared CMOS. Same problem.

4) I bought a power supply tester. Power supply is good.

There's not much left except CPU and Mobo. Is there any known way to test these items without swapping (i.e. without buying new ones!).

Also, any tips on removing the heat sink and fan safely from the CPU socket . . it's pretty tight!

[BobA]

Another kill the computer problem that I have run across is the shorting of the metal posts underneath the MB to the wrong area of the MB.   Most use plastic inserts nowdays to attach the MB to but there are always one or two that are metal to make a chassis ground.   These can sometimes short to an active trace on the MB.

To make sure that this is not happening run the MB outside of the case on a insulated surface.  Cardboard works great.  If it works outside the case then determine where it could be shorting and put an insulating washer between the MB and case.

That about drains my quick fix tricks and you may have to get into MB and Chip checking.   Pretty hard to do without multiples of each.

BbA

[rampy]

just a random thought...

I don't think it applies in your case, but sometimes older motherboards (note: i'm not familiar with that asus board in particular)  they don't natively support the smaller die thoroghbred core AMD xp+ chips (sometimes a bios upgrade does the trick, other times if the board is ancient enough they don't)

I recently ran into this with my biostar m7kq (or wahtever) it would take a 1600 xp palomino core happily but  doesn't support a 1700 thoroghbred core chip...

*shrug* like I said - just a random thought...

Rampy

[FractalWalk]

Another kill the computer problem that I have run across is the shorting of the metal posts underneath the MB to the wrong area of the MB.   BbA

F***ing brilliant! Excuse me while I dance a jig . . .

 (1 jig later)

That was it! There was one metal post underneath the board that I didn't notice. I took it out and voila, we have BIOS. Of course since I have never built my own computer that will probably bring up a whole 'nother set of problems.

Thanks so much BobA! And thanks everyone else for your advice. I learned a whole lot today.

[BobA]

Glad to help out.  Looking at the first post till the fix it took less then 24 hours.  

You were close Shmokes.

BobA

[Odonadon]

Let this learn ya to check the simplest things first, before resorting to buying new components .  80% of the time it's something stupid.  Those of us in tech support know that well.

Odonadon

[shmokes]

I am humbled...

[Odonadon]

I am humbled...

Sorry  If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't right either...

Odonadon

[shmokes]

A little bit, yes...

[BobA]

At least everyone tried to help.  You are only giving the person choices and the more the better as it is often very difficult to troubleshoot remotely.  

BobA

[FractalWalk]

At least everyone tried to help

Amen, brother. I am happy that my problem is solved. But I am even more happy that I got so many responses providing me with a lot of knowledge. I'm much better off having many wrong answers and one correct one rather than having just the correct answer (try telling that to my high school math teacher though).