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General discussion

PSU problem or something else?

by oddtodd1 Sep 20, 2010 4:03PM PDT

I finally tried to build my first computer today with the parts listed below, but when I try to turn on the computer, nothing happens. I disconnected all the peripherals from the PSU to eliminate that as a problem, but it still won't start. When I initially flip the switch for the PSU, the lights on my keyboard (Caps lock and the like) flash for a second, but then when I hit the power button on the case, it doesn't turn on. The PSU never makes a noise and the fan doesn't move.

I thought this might be because I only used 2 out of the 3 cables that you can't detach from the PSU (the website says that all "non-vital" cables are detachable, so maybe I need to use all 3 of these "vital" cables?). I used the 8 pin CPU connector and the 24 pin main power connector, but am not using the 4 pin CPU connector since there is nowhere on the motherboard to put it.

Do the lights on the keyboard mean the PSU works and I'm just doing something wrong or is the PSU dead? Or is it something else entirely, like the motherboard being dead? Thanks.

Build:

ASRock 770 Extreme3
OCZ 700W ModXStream Pro
AMD Athlon II 640
HIS Radeon 5770
OCZ Special Ops Edition Low Voltage RAM, 1600 Mhz, 2x2 GB
Antec 200 Case

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1 Posts

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Have you already rechecked the front panel connections

by Steven Haninger Sep 22, 2010 5:10AM PDT

to the MB to be sure the momentary power switch is on the correct pins? You should also be able to start the PC manually by briefly shorting these pins. If you detect slight fan movement that stops immediately, this indicates that an improper load condition exists. I don't know that MB but most I've seen also have a green LED somewhere on them that indicates power has been applied to the 5v control circuitry. Do you see such a green LED on your board?

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