New PC built problems
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New PC built problems
I'm building up a pretty nice system -- should be relatively silent -- and hit a snag. I finished installing everything this weekend, plugged it in, hit the switch and nothing. Well, not much of anything. The mobo standby light glows, but the fans turn on for a second, then off, then on again, etc.
I bought a PSU tester and that passes with flying colors. I've unplugged everything except processor and memory -- board has video on it -- and still the same. I pulled the CMOS battery, waited a minute, and something new. The CPU fan spun for a few seconds then stopped. It didn't start again. I repeated the battery procedure and it did the intermittent fan thing.
Any thoughts? I'm thinking the processor is bad.
Here's what I have:
Antec P150
Intel DG965WH board with Core 2 Duo E6300 (1.86GHz) processor
2gb DDR2 RAM
250 Seagate HD
ATI X1900GT PCI-E card
DVD-RW
Internal memory card reader
I bought a PSU tester and that passes with flying colors. I've unplugged everything except processor and memory -- board has video on it -- and still the same. I pulled the CMOS battery, waited a minute, and something new. The CPU fan spun for a few seconds then stopped. It didn't start again. I repeated the battery procedure and it did the intermittent fan thing.
Any thoughts? I'm thinking the processor is bad.
Here's what I have:
Antec P150
Intel DG965WH board with Core 2 Duo E6300 (1.86GHz) processor
2gb DDR2 RAM
250 Seagate HD
ATI X1900GT PCI-E card
DVD-RW
Internal memory card reader
Are you using the stock power supply? It's known to be problematic:
Massive NeoHE problem thread in PSU forum
Massive NeoHE problem thread in PSU forum
That's what I thought at first, especially because my case was built last December. So I picked up Antec PSU Tester at C.C. last night. It tests all the rails and passes or fails each one, and then tests if the psu is sending a boot signal to the board. I had green lights across the board, so it's definitely not the psu.jaganath wrote:Are you using the stock power supply? It's known to be problematic:
Massive NeoHE problem thread in PSU forum
If Antec ships faulty PSUs, what are the odds they ship faulty PSU testers as well?So I picked up Antec PSU Tester at C.C. last night. It tests all the rails and passes or fails each one, and then tests if the psu is sending a boot signal to the board. I had green lights across the board, so it's definitely not the psu.
That's just wrong, but funny!jaganath wrote:If Antec ships faulty PSUs, what are the odds they ship faulty PSU testers as well?So I picked up Antec PSU Tester at C.C. last night. It tests all the rails and passes or fails each one, and then tests if the psu is sending a boot signal to the board. I had green lights across the board, so it's definitely not the psu.
So the tester is in cahoots with the psu...an electronic revolution is at hand.
OK, here's what I tried tonight:
Uninstalled both memory sticks and reset the CMOS. Still got the intermittent fan thing. It should have thrown off an error beep with no memory installed, but nothing.
Installed one memory stick and reset the CMOS. Same result. Tried the other one and more of the same.
Mind you, I'm doing this without a monitor installed, but it's not even beeping when it fires up, so we're not even getting that far in the boot cycle. I'm betting it's a bad board, plain and simple.
Oh, also tried another trick: removed the CMOS battery and put a screwdriver across the contacts to see if the battery was somehow dead. Same results.
Any other thoughts?
A buddy is letting me borrow his board -- exact same one. I'm going to try it with my processor and memory. We shall see...
Uninstalled both memory sticks and reset the CMOS. Still got the intermittent fan thing. It should have thrown off an error beep with no memory installed, but nothing.
Installed one memory stick and reset the CMOS. Same result. Tried the other one and more of the same.
Mind you, I'm doing this without a monitor installed, but it's not even beeping when it fires up, so we're not even getting that far in the boot cycle. I'm betting it's a bad board, plain and simple.
Oh, also tried another trick: removed the CMOS battery and put a screwdriver across the contacts to see if the battery was somehow dead. Same results.
Any other thoughts?
A buddy is letting me borrow his board -- exact same one. I'm going to try it with my processor and memory. We shall see...
Hi, this is sounding exactly the same as my problem.
I only managed to sort it out by going to 533MHz RAM. Is there any way you can try a stick? I went down to my local shop and bought a cheap stick so I could test.
I initially thought it was the board too, but just changing my RAM from 667MHz (OCZ) to 533MHz (Generic) allowed everything to go as planned.
I thought it was because of the OCZ incompatibility problems but it may be the speed.
Hope this Helps.
I only managed to sort it out by going to 533MHz RAM. Is there any way you can try a stick? I went down to my local shop and bought a cheap stick so I could test.
I initially thought it was the board too, but just changing my RAM from 667MHz (OCZ) to 533MHz (Generic) allowed everything to go as planned.
I thought it was because of the OCZ incompatibility problems but it may be the speed.
Hope this Helps.
If your mothrboard doesnt have a bleeper built into it, make sure an add-in speaker is wired in the right way round.
Then test the CPU mobo and RAM outside of the case, it could be a short, if that doesnt work test YOUR CPU and RAM on your friends board, that will give confirmation as to whether your board is toast or not.
Andy
Then test the CPU mobo and RAM outside of the case, it could be a short, if that doesnt work test YOUR CPU and RAM on your friends board, that will give confirmation as to whether your board is toast or not.
Andy
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Hello,
Simplify!
Run it with just one stick of RAM, and the video card to get into the BIOS. Then hook up a CD-ROM, the floppy, and one HD, and try to install the OS. Then add all the RAM, and after than any other drives, and the USB ports, etc.
If something doesn't work right along the way, you may find the Ultimate Boot CD very useful, for testing RAM, etc.
Simplify!
Run it with just one stick of RAM, and the video card to get into the BIOS. Then hook up a CD-ROM, the floppy, and one HD, and try to install the OS. Then add all the RAM, and after than any other drives, and the USB ports, etc.
If something doesn't work right along the way, you may find the Ultimate Boot CD very useful, for testing RAM, etc.
OK - I tested my buddy's motherboard tonight and it did the same thing. So it comes down to the RAM or the processor. Each time I've checked all the connections, so I know they're not loose. My mobo does have a little speaker on it, and actually says in the manual that if no RAM is present it will give off a warning signal.
Seeing as his board and my board have the same results, and I tried my board without any RAM and didn't get a beep I'm betting the processor is bad. It's not even getting far enough to recognize if memory is present or not.
As far as simplifying, I'm down to the bare minimum now. My board has video built in, so I just have RAM and a processor installed.
My board will support 533, 667, or 800mHz RAM, but I'd rather not downgrade to 533. Hopefully I can try the RAM on a different machine this weekend to double check, but my suspicions are the processor right now. I'd like to think Intel's quality control is better than this, but things do happen....
Seeing as his board and my board have the same results, and I tried my board without any RAM and didn't get a beep I'm betting the processor is bad. It's not even getting far enough to recognize if memory is present or not.
As far as simplifying, I'm down to the bare minimum now. My board has video built in, so I just have RAM and a processor installed.
My board will support 533, 667, or 800mHz RAM, but I'd rather not downgrade to 533. Hopefully I can try the RAM on a different machine this weekend to double check, but my suspicions are the processor right now. I'd like to think Intel's quality control is better than this, but things do happen....
Going to 533MHz on a Core 2 Duo isnt really a downgrade anyway (actually a bit better than 667MHz when not overclocking as runs synchronus with FSB).
But this is deffinatly the same problem, I really recommend either trying 533MHz RAM or trying a different make.
When I tried removing my RAM and powered on with just my board and CPU, I got no beep either... but my CPU was fine. Once I had the new RAM in it was all working well.
But this is deffinatly the same problem, I really recommend either trying 533MHz RAM or trying a different make.
When I tried removing my RAM and powered on with just my board and CPU, I got no beep either... but my CPU was fine. Once I had the new RAM in it was all working well.
OK, finally got 800mHz memory from Kingston. Intel has a VERY short list of memory that they certify is good. Still got the same problem.
So, at this point, I've tried another mobo with the same results. And I've tried new memory with the same results. I've tested the power supply and it checks out. It has to be the processor. What else could it be?
And YES I've checked both power cables and they were plugged in properly.
I'm lost, frustrated, and very tired. I should have spend another $600 and bought a Mac.
So, at this point, I've tried another mobo with the same results. And I've tried new memory with the same results. I've tested the power supply and it checks out. It has to be the processor. What else could it be?
And YES I've checked both power cables and they were plugged in properly.
I'm lost, frustrated, and very tired. I should have spend another $600 and bought a Mac.