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General discussion

Help with building pc

Aug 23, 2004 10:06AM PDT

I am currnetly building a pc for my sister. I have everything hooked up correctly(or atleast i think) and when i press the power button the system comes on for about 8 seconds and then shuts back down. Please Help!!! Motherboad-- Asus A7V8X-X
Power supply-- 420 watts
CPU-- AMD 2600+ Barton

Discussion is locked

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Really shouldn't put it all together
Aug 23, 2004 10:25AM PDT

at one time.

Lets go back to the correct way to start. gisconnect all drives etc, remove all cards. No mouse, no keyboard. No video card, thus no monitor.

Only mobo, CPU/HSF, a stick of memory, the power supply connected only to the mobo. Front panel connections and speaker connected.

We want to find out if you mounted the mobo properly and didn't short it to the case, that the power supply isn't overloaded and the CPU has the HSF put on properly and is not immediately overheating [only takes seconds].

Turn powewr on and hopefully get a lot of beeps because you have no video card.

If he system stays on for a fe minutes shut down and insall a video card and connect to monitor. Trun power on and hopefully see the first video screen showing video card and BIOS info.

Can't get that far, no use adding anything else. Solve the problem.

Get that far and then power off and connect a key boar. Turn on and get into the BIOS and set the FSB et al properly.

Get that far, connect one item at a time floppy drive next. Turn power off beteen intallation of each item.

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Re: Really shouldn't put it all together
Aug 23, 2004 11:07AM PDT

Well I hooked everting to where there was only a dimm, cpu, hsf, front switchs and the speaker. Unfortunatly the system still cut off shortly.
???

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That's called successful troubleshooting
Aug 23, 2004 11:31AM PDT

You reduced the possibities immensely [and to the CPU] LOL

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Also, be aware to observe all
Aug 23, 2004 10:29AM PDT

ESD precautions and also that in ATX systems when turned off by Windows or the front power switch there is still 5 volt logic voltage applied to the mobo. Best to turn that off while inside the computer by turning the PS off by the switch on its rear. [no switch, unplug from the wall outlet].

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Re: Help with building pc
Aug 23, 2004 10:37AM PDT

That MB shuts computer off if CPU overheats. Do you have the HSF on correctly. Did you use a retail HSF? If you bought one somewhere else you will probably have to use thermal paste on it!

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Re: Help with building pc
Aug 23, 2004 10:56AM PDT

Thank you for the help. I will goin and try the methhods you all posted and as forthe heat sink... we brought the board online with the cpu on it. It was suppose to come with a hsf but it didnt so we went to circuity city to buy one. There was a sticker on the bottom but it didt look like paste. This is my first time putting on a hsf but my third time building a pc (wierd). Can you explain how the paste would look like.

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Re: Help with building pc
Aug 23, 2004 11:11AM PDT

If it was teflon looking square on bottom of HSF, you don't need to use the thermal paste. Are you sure you have HSF seated on cpu correctly?
It sounds like the cpu is over heating.....time sounds about right

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It may have been a phase change type
Aug 23, 2004 11:28AM PDT

it conforms after the heat from the CPU "melts" it [change of phase in Physics terms].

Two possibilites either you removed it or it had a peel off cover on the phase change material that you didn't peel off.

If you need to now use thermal compound, be certain to completely clean both surfaces of any prior material. The thermal paste only requires a thin film, not a big glob. Too much actually becomes a heat insulator.

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Re: It may have been a phase change type
Aug 25, 2004 5:28AM PDT

Don't mean to tread but , Don't forget to connect the fan.

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Re: Help with building pc
Aug 25, 2004 7:20PM PDT