No Power- AGAIN ASUS A7v133 w/1.2 T-bird

[dbl_0527]

I purchased the above motherboard and hooked everything up and no power. Determined to be bad motherboard, and it was replaced (no hassles with Newegg, I recommend them). Just got the new motherboard tonight.

I mounted the processor with a VolcanoII HSF, plugged in ATX power (300W psu), inserted a 128MB RAM chip, plugged up the floppy, inserted a PCI video card, and connected the power connector. So basically everything except CD and HD.

By they way, I had everything except motherboard and processor working in another system before I built this one (intel mobo celeron 733). So I just took old mobo out, put new mobo and cpu in.

Gave it power and voila! I put a boot disk in floppy so it booted to DOS. I even restarted it and went into BIOS to check it out and look at the CPU temp. I monitored that for a while and it was fine. Then I powered down and hooked up CD and HD and nothing, no power, no fans no nothing. So I unhooked The CD and HD and it still didn't boot up. Nothing.

Before you starting hollering BAD HARD DRIVE or BAD CD, keep in mind that I am using both of them right now to type this in the old intel board and 733 processor. I took out the asus board and put in the intel board, all other components are same.

Could the HD and CD be shorting this motherboard out? If so wouldn't it do the same in this Intel board? The psu is 300W and ideally you want a higher Watt psu with Thunderbirds, but I should still be able to boot up. I am very frustrated and tempted to dump the ASUS mobo and get refunded and go with another manufacturer if I can't get this resolved. HELP!!

[SPEEDO]

Why don't you take the motherboard out of the case and set it up externally.

When you replaced the motherboard did you move the standoffs to their proper locations.

If not when you push the IDE cables onto the board you may be creating a short between the board and the case.

Something to consider SPEEDO

[dbl_0527]

What do you mean when you say standoffs?

[SPEEDO]

The little brass threaded gizmos that screw in the side of the case.
So that you can attach the motherboard to them without shorting the board to the case!!
They are there, Aren't they??

[dbl_0527]

No, they are not, and that's probably what happened. So the first time I plugged the IDE cable up, it probably shorted. Can you recommend a case I can buy that would include these standoffs? Definitely less than $100 and preferable closer to $75.

[giant69]

Are you sure that your PS is up to the task? Even though its a 300W, it seems that once you hook the CD and the HD up you get nothing. That is an indicator that its weak on the 5v rail. I thought I saw a thread somewhere(another site) regarding the A7V and 5V's. Otherwise I agree that you have something grounding the mobo from the chassis. steve

[SPEEDO]

Try this before you go out and buy anything.

Take the motherboard out of the case and lay it on an anti static mat or on the mousepad.

Place it next to the case so that you can plug in the power connector from the power supply to the motherboard.

Leave the CPU, Fan and Heatsink on the board, Make sure the fan on the heatsink is connected to the proper header, (cpufan usually)!

Must have the ram installed.
Install video card and hook up a monitor!
Try this and see if you get a boot, fans,screen anything!

[dbl_0527]

Great suggestion SPEEDO. I'll try that tonight.
Edit:I see where you suggested that originally but I got so caught up in the "standoff" thing I overlooked it.

Giant69 (why did I snicker when I wrote that), the first time I booted up I went into Bios and I remember that the 5v was at about 4.86. But like I said earlier, I am using that same power supply and HD and CDROM right now. That's why I was curious if the ASUS motherboard demands a touch more voltage than the Intel, b/c it's obviously not the other components.

I'll try SPEEDO's suggestion and post the results shortly.

[This message has been edited by dbl_0527 (edited 08-12-2001).]

[dbl_0527]

SPEEDO, you're the man!! I did just what you suggested and put the motherboard on an antistatic pad, put memory and vid card in, hooked up power supply, and used a screwdriver to short the two power connector pins and voila!! It booted and I went into the BIOS.

What next? Should I leave the motherboard out like it is and hook up the HD and see if it works, and then hook up CDROM and see if it works? Or can I just go ahead and properly mount the motherboard in the case instead of just laying it in there?

[dbl_0527]

All right, I went ahead and hooked up a floppy (motherboard is out of case) and it booted. I then hooked up the HD and it booted. I then hooked up the CDROM and it booted. So everything is working. Finally!! Thanks for all your help. Now all I have to do is mount the motherboard in the case and cross my fingers. If I have any trouble with that, I'll post another topic. In fact, I'm fixing to post another about a recommended case for this. Please reply to it. Thanks.

[SPEEDO]

Standoffs are brass hex material that have a male thread partway on one end, A female thread on the hex end, They are 3/8" to 1/2" long.
These screw into the case inline with the mounting holes in the motherboard.
If you do not have these you may be able to get some at your local computer repair shop.

hand SPEEDO

[Graham]

It would be a little more difficult( time consuming), but you could get some nylon nuts and bolts, no problems there with short circuits.
Reading this again, did you mount the MB without any spacers/stand-offs at all?, if you did you got very lucky, no major dramas !!

G

[SPEEDO]

Ya G
I was a little suprized at that myself,
Got really lucky he did!!

[dbl_0527]

G, yeah I just laid the motherboard in the case. That's what I've always done, but you better believe I won't do that any more. Hmmm, that's probably what happened to the first board.....

Thanks for the help SPEEDO