Please help! New build won't boot/post - nothing!! Argh!

jolynsbass · Post by **jolynsbass** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:36 pm

Let me just start off by saying that I've successfully built several computers in the past (2 k6-2s/socket 7, and 2 or 3 p4's/socket 478) so I'm not new at this - but I'm stumped!

So, my computer goes kaput last week, and I figure "time to upgrade!". Let's see what the fuss is about the E8400 that's so popular... Any way long story short: I bought an E8400, 4gb of OCZ ram, a HIS 4670 vid card, and a gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P mobo, and a corsair 450vx psu. I did some research, and it seemed like a good combo.

I finally get the stuff I ordered today (though I ordered Arctic Silver 5 compound with my stuff and they didn't send any! newegg will hearing about that!) I assemble it all into my Antec p160, using my scythe Ninja rev B from my previous build. My first experience with pushpins - ugh. Hate 'em.

So, the ninja's heatpipes come out far enough that they are touching both the northbridge heatsink and some heatsink that is attached to some chips above the CPU socket. I don't really notice this in my struggles to get those stupid pushpins to seat properly... So, I got everything hooked up - turned on the power, and the following happened:

1) leds for power/hdd are lit up
2) leds on mobo are lit up
3) all fans are spinning (using a scythe fan controller)
4) CDROM access/test led comes on
5) HDD spins up
6) Nothing else - period. No post. No video output at all. CDROM remains in "test" state, and does not respond to eject button press. The lights on the mobo remain all lit up (they are CPU usage indicator lights.)

So, I turn off the computer, unhook all peripherals - try again, same results. So, I see the heatsink fit issue, and wonder if it's causing a short. Remove heatsink (no easy task - dumb pushpins!) , put the pathetic stock cooler on, hook the fan on it up to the mobo PWM header. Turn it back on - same result. No post, and the fan is NOT spinning! it does an initial pulse when I turn the computer on, but stops after that, with those CPU lights fully lit. So, I decide to really test if it's using the CPU at all, and take the heatsink off entirely. No heat is produced at all - the CPU is not being used. (btw, with the peripherals unhooked from mobo, the CDROM responds to eject button normally.)

So, I'm kind of thinking it's the mobo. Do you think I shorted it out with the touching heatsinks? or maybe a DOA? Can anyone reccomend a good heatsink that won't run into issues with the heatsinks on 3 sides of the CPU socket? (I tried rotating the ninja, but then it hits the heatsink by the I/O stuff.) i'm wondering if the Xigmatek tower would work.

What do you guys think of this whole thing? (sorry for the long post, but I really appreciate your help!)

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:15 am

Look in the box again, when I got my new stuff a few weeks ago Newegg had a tube of Arctic Silver wrapped up in about 4 yards of bubble wrap.

Anyways, the questions you know we have to ask:
Ram installed?

Auxiliary power on motherboard plugged in?

What video are you plugged into? I have had a motherboard require the onboard be used first and switched to vidcard in the BIOS (okay, it was an older socket-A but still).

If separate video, aux power to vidcard plugged in?

Pull the battery and clear the CMOS?

RTM?

Swear vigorously?

Sounds more like the CPU is DOA, but who knows. I don't think the Ninja issue could have shorted it out but... You don't have any alternatives to swap for the mobo or cpu do you? Oh yeah, I think it sucks and know the feeling, good luck!

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:21 am

psiu wrote:Auxiliary power on motherboard plugged in?

This.

morglum · Post by **morglum** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:02 am

Matija wrote:
psiu wrote:Auxiliary power on motherboard plugged in?
This.

That's what set me back 1 day on my last build..

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:15 am

morglum wrote:
Matija wrote:
psiu wrote:Auxiliary power on motherboard plugged in?
This.
That's what set me back 1 day on my last build..

I like the *really* smart feeling you get when you notice it.

antivenom · Post by **antivenom** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:44 am

psiu wrote:
morglum wrote:
Matija wrote: This.
That's what set me back 1 day on my last build..
I like the *really* smart feeling you get when you notice it.

Haha I'm glad it's not just me!

A months worth of anticipation only to turn on a brand new build and have no video output.
After swearing my t*ts off for several hours, I finally noticed the loose plug and empty socket and blushed to myself.

JoeWPgh · Post by **JoeWPgh** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:07 am

Try removing RAM. If you have 2 sticks, try running with one. If 4, try one or 2. If this solves it, you might have to use different RAM, or you might have a bad stick.

This is an area of a build that can be more voodoo than science. I've had systems refuse to boot that were identical in every way to others that did. In my experience, some systems can get very RAM fussy with 4 gigs, while they'll run 2 of anything.

Also, if running 4 sticks, the odds increase that one might be bad.

jolynsbass · Post by **jolynsbass** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:20 am

antivenom wrote:
psiu wrote:
morglum wrote: That's what set me back 1 day on my last build..
I like the *really* smart feeling you get when you notice it.
Haha I'm glad it's not just me!
A months worth of anticipation only to turn on a brand new build and have no video output.
After swearing my t*ts off for several hours, I finally noticed the loose plug and empty socket and blushed to myself.

Time for me to blush as well...

I just checked on it, and yep, I forgot that 1 simple step... I'll plug it back in and reinstall/attach everything later today. I imagine it will work just fine!

also, does it seem okay for me to put the scythe ninja back on? I can't honestly imagine that it would short anything out, since they've already connected two of the heatsinks together with a heatpipe...

maf718 · Post by **maf718** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:13 am

Just a thought about the Ninja.... those pushpins usually bend the motherboard a fair amount, if you were to use a bolt-through kit with a backplate instead it may no longer touch the heatsinks on the board.

I don't think it's going to short anything, but I still don't like components to be touching if it can be avoided.

jolynsbass · Post by **jolynsbass** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:28 pm

I put it all back together and voila! It worked perfectly - What a silly oversight!

maf718 wrote: I don't think it's going to short anything, but I still don't like components to be touching if it can be avoided.

I ended up pounding on the heatpipes with a hammer and bit of rubber (to soften the blows!) to bend them just slightly in at the curves just below the fins, and now it is mounted without touching anything (about 1 mm clearance). Installed windows without a hitch... We're back in business!

Thanks for your help, everyone!

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:38 am

Hahaha

Much better that than something you have to return.
Did you find the Arctic Silver?

ntavlas · Post by **ntavlas** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:05 pm

Glad you got it sorted out

If that makes you blush, how about a friend of mine who forgot to plug in his cpu? His board was damaged after being powered on without the cpu in, and the RMA dept. wouldn`t accept it. There was a warning about possible damage due to this omission in the first page of the manual with bold letters. Conclusion? Even if you`ve worked for 10 years as an IT exec, RTFM!

edit: my thermal paste too arrived wrapped in 100 yards of plastic! Did you find it?