Assembled computer won't start!

by bugs755 Mar 5, 2006 12:07AM PST

Help!

I just assembled a computer for my kids so they won't mess up with mine.

This is the first time I did one. I don't have any formal schooling in building one but I have been around fixing my friends computers including mine for a while now and did a lot of research on it so I figured I can do it by myself.

I bought almost all of my components from a popular online computer store and got some pretty good deals from them except for my hard drive which I bought from a local store which has put it on sale (Maxtor 200GB!)and a Viewsonic monitor which I got for free from my work.

After carefully assembling all the components (Intel mobo w/ built in graphics, Celeron CPU and fan, CD and FD drives, hard drive and connected all the cables and power supply) into a Power Up case, I turned it on excitedly but power was immediately cut off after I released the power on button! I re-checked my connections again and I found out the I misplaced the connection (power, re set, HDD led, power led). I reconnected it right this time and the same thing happened - starts for a few seconds and shut down immeidately!

Help! My kids (6 & 4)are really looking forward to their first ever computer and I don't want to disappoint them!

Discussion is locked

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The mobo may be shirted to the mounting plate

by Ray Harinec Mar 5, 2006 1:06AM PST

the CPU may not be mounted to the HSF tight enough.

First step was incorrect. Never assemble the entire system in one bang, too tough to trouble shoot.

Start very small mobo on a piece of cardboard, with noting added, power supply on the table, connectoed to the mobo. Power supply plugged in. Then use a small slot screwdriver to momentarily short the two power on pins together. The supply should turn on and stay on noted by the supply's fan running.

Power off. Now put the CPU?HSF on [easier to do when mobo is on a flat surface], plug in one stick of RAM, now mount the mobo into the case.

Connect the Power Switch wiring, no mouse no keyboard, no monitor and simply again see if the power supply turns on and stays on. Get past this point connect thw keyboard, mouse, monitor[because you have onbard video. Get into the BIOS to dset boot options. Add one thing at a time checking each item. First drive to add should be your CD. drive.

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I must be lucky, or very good (tongue in cheek). . .

by Coryphaeus Mar 5, 2006 3:22AM PST

I've built four exactly as he described and mine powered up first time. I just plugged everything in, hit the power switch, and hello Windows. The only trouble I had, on all four by the way, was reversing the power LED connector on the MB so the LED would come on. And easy fix, but a total PITA as the connector invariably was hard to get to.

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(NT) (NT) I'm simply not as talented as you are Wayne.

by Ray Harinec Mar 5, 2006 3:48AM PST

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I doubt it. . .

by Coryphaeus Mar 5, 2006 6:06AM PST

You made some very good points on trouble shooting. I'd probably be lost. I've been very lucky, if it never breaks, you don't get to learn how to fix it.

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That's been totally the

by Ray Harinec Mar 5, 2006 6:47AM PST

way I learned anything. Screwed up first and then when someone told me how to fix it, I never forgot it.

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Try again from the bottom

by bugs755 Mar 6, 2006 9:49AM PST

Thanks Ray, will do as you say! I am really tempted to bring my assembled computer to a professional coz I don't know what else to do, now I have hope! I'm learning it the hard way!

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Still didn't start

by bugs755 Mar 6, 2006 9:38PM PST

Ray, I strip back everything and started from scratch as you suggested. I had the mobo connected to the power supply and shorted the power on pins but it didn't work! I tried using an old mobo I had and it worked. Does that mean that my new intel mobo is dead and should be replaced? I did not proceed with the rest of the test coz I'm thinking the mobo is defective!?

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cheking before test

by gimli89 Mar 6, 2006 10:26PM PST

if i should test a mobo to see if it really works ill first put a piece non conductive material to work on it, like the mobo protection, or a mouse pad. on the board just plug the power suply, and short the pins like before to turn it on.

Lets see .... you said it wont start ... lets check the easy stuff
1 - you must know your power suply is working,

2 - be sure that your memory is the right one and is working (on other pc or at least get 2 or more mods.)

3 - check if the "cmos clear" jumper is set to normal.
if you dont know just read the mobo manual. it wont start unless its set to norm.
if u havnt tried it go to this step first

the go on with the tests that where sugested before

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Just an aside. I doubt that the mobo

by Ray Harinec Mar 7, 2006 3:51AM PST

protection sheet is totally non conductive. It's an antistatic item. Probably high resistance though.

I use cardboard.

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One rthing that I ran into with

by Ray Harinec Mar 7, 2006 3:48AM PST

a bunch of PC Chips, mobos was that they shipped with the BIOS jumper in the wrong place. The power supply would not turn on. After studying things I realized that the jumper was on the wrong pins. Moved them to the correct pins and things worked great. Found that on all four of the PC Chips mobos that I bought.

Also read of some other brand where the jumpers were delivered correct but the manual had them labled backwords. That confused a number of people.

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Don't forget.

by Stan Chambers Mar 5, 2006 7:20AM PST

If it's Intel, their processors will automatically shut down if overheating occurs. Be sure the thermal grease is properly applied to the heatsink. Also be sure that the heatsink and fan are properly attached. I had this experience just yesterday. I use the thin, white thermal grease that came with the cpu. I tried it two times, but the machine would shut down after about 45 seconds.
I cleaned it from the cpu and heatsink, then applied a higher quality silver based paste. All is well.
Best of Luck

Assembled computer won't start!

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