System Won't Power Up After Motherboard Swap

charliebigpotcharliebigpot
edited February 2007 in Hardware
hey guys, I've got a problem, I just changed my motherboard and processor and 1st, when I plug in the cable (pc still turned off) the keyboard lights are already on (!) 2nd, the pc won't even start when I try to switch it on... what the hell could it be?! the most important info:
- Athlon XP. 2500+
- Gigabyte 7N400 Pro2
- Zalman CNPS6000CU (with FanMate 2)
- 512 Kingstone 400MHZ ddr ram

I have this very strange idea that there might be a problem with the tower.. that there's something wrong with the button.. but that wouldn't explain the keyboard light, does it?

thx guys, francesco.

ps. I think I just posted on the same forum but in another section.. if so I apologize but it's a real emergency..

Comments

  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    Francesco, unless your power supply unit (PSU) has an on/off switch on the back, with the switch turned off, as soon as you connect the power cord to the PSU there is power applied to the motherboard. If your computer will not power up, the most likely causes would be, in this order:

    1. The connectors (power switch, HDD LED, power LED...) to the system panel (far lower right of the motherboard) are on the wrongs pins or are oriented wrong. Recheck your motherboard manual for proper pin placement and connector orientation.

    2. The motherboard may not be grounded properly. It could be the brass standoffs are not snug against the computer case and/or the motherboard is not snug against the standoffs. If those contacts are not secure, your motherboard will short out and nothing will happen except for odd LED or two lighting. If solution '1' above does not work, remove the motherboard, place it on a piece of cardboard or something else non-static, connect one stick of RAM, the main ATX power cable, and the power on/off switch from your case. If the CPU heatsink's fan spins, your motherboard is probably good, but just was not grounded correctly when installed in the case.

    I have made mistakes with respect to '1' many times. Those tiny connectors are very easy to misalign on the panel pins.
  • charliebigpotcharliebigpot
    edited February 2007
    thx for this light-fast answer, I thought about the pins as well, but I just can't get them right it seems... do you know any faq where they actually show fotos (and not only some "+ - pin 1 -2") of how to place the pins?
    francesco. I noticed that there is a small V on the back of each pin, does that mean anything, is that maybe the "+" side?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    Charlie, do you have a motherboard manual? There should be a picture there. If you don't have a manual, go online and find it from your manufacturer's site. LOL, it's rather important! The 'V' designates the positive wire. The manual will show which pin receives the positive wire.
  • charliebigpotcharliebigpot
    edited February 2007
    Leonardo wrote:
    Charlie, do you have a motherboard manual? There should be a picture there. If you don't have a manual, go online and find it from your manufacturer's site. LOL, it's rather important! The 'V' designates the positive wire. The manual will show which pin receives the positive wire.

    LOL, I know, sounds ridiculous.. ha ha ha.. man, thx 4 ur help, I'm gonna try it this afternoon (still some hours to go here in Barcelona) and then I'll post again..

    gracias!
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    de nada

    Come back if you still have problems. Well, come back regardless and let us know how it goes. You are welcomed to become active in our community.
  • charliebigpotcharliebigpot
    edited February 2007
    it was the power button! unbelievable.. ha ha..the tower was brand new (well, apparently not..) and the power button was broken.. but since I've changed almost all the hardware windows doesn't boot.. it just keeps on rebooting and rebooting and rebooting... (and so on), I couldn't find my windows xp cd yday, do you know of another way of fixing it?
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