Finally, NEW SYSTEM...Oopps, Whats Wrong?

[cank]

OK, here is the deal. With the help of you guys I finally was able to build my own system. Here is the low-down:

AMD xp 1900 Retail
Epox 8K5A2+
ATI Radeon 8500LE
Crucial 2100 DDR 256MB
Western Digital 60GB 7200rpm
Lite-on DVD-Rom
FoxConn case W/ 300W power supply


I received the last of the goods friday, put it all together today and thought everything went well. However, when I plug in the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and then power, nothing happened.

Actually, when I turned the power on, the keyboard lights flashed momentarily and that was it. Besides that, NADA, ZIP, ZERO.

Have I fried something?
Or is it as simple as a wire crossed?

Thanks in advance,

Cank

[xenomorph69]

With just the Power supply and Mobo hooked up (No CPU, No mem, no nothing) did you get power?
Once you get power then add things one by one till you see the Problem, then you know the Guilty Piece of Hardware causing you the grief:t

[BipolarBill]

Question:

Did you try powering up the mainboard without the heatsink firmly in place - even for a few seconds? If so, you can easily fry the CPU.

Now that the worst case scenario is out of the way:

1. Reseat the video card exactly 4 times. ;)

2. Loosen the motherboard screws a wee bit and try again.

3. Are you using metal standoffs? Is it possible that one of them is out of place and contacting the underside of the motherboard?

4. Is the ATX power connector in the mainboard firmly?

[cank]

This is what I had installed (in order of installation) before I first powered on.

CPU
HeatSink with fan
Ram
DVD-Rom
Floppy
HD
Vid-Card

I tried those suggestions Bill and still no luck.

There is a toggle switch on the back of the case that I turn off before I plug in the power. Then, when I flip that switch, that's when the lights on the keyboard flash. nothing happens when I push the power button or reset. When I turn the toggle switch off, there is a faint tweet sound that I think is coming from the power supply. But since the CPU is close to the power supply it could be that but I hope not.

Is there a way to test a power supply?


Thanks,
cank

[BipolarBill]

I doubt it's the power supply. You must test the motherboard outside of the case. Leave the CPU/HSF and memory in. Place the board on a soft, non-conductive surface and put the video card in place. Connect the monitor to the card. Plug in the ATX power connector. Find the "power button: pins on the board and short them with your screwdriver while pressing down on the video card. If you get results, the motherboard was shorted in the case. Replace it gently and put three screws in place lighty - near the video card and each opposite corner. The cards will hold the board in.

Also try another memory config.

If no joy, I would suspect a bad motherboard or a cooked CPU. Once you have the board out, look at the CPU in profile and make sure the heatsink is dead flat on the CPU die.

[bushmaster]

make sure the reset jumper for the cmos is in the run position and not the clear position. ie; on pins 1 & 2 and not 2 & 3. shouold be jp5

[cank]

Thanks Bushmaster, it turns out the manual was wrong when it said the default position of the jumper was normal. It was set to clear CMOS.

All is going smooth now.

Thanks all

cank