Need computer help: My newly built computer won't turn on

mouse_clickermouse_clicker
edited July 2008 in Hardware
Hello, I just bought myself a new computer and put it together myself. Once I had everything plugged in and ready to go, I hit the power button. The various LEDs and fans in the case came on for a second and then the whole thing turned off. It never got to POST or anything. The standby LED on the motherboard stays on while the power supply is plugged in and turned on. Any idea what could be causing my problem?

Here are my computer's specs:
AMD Athlon 64x2
Four 1GB sticks of G.Skill RAM
500GB Western Digital hard drive
Samsung DVD burner
Radeon HD4850 video card
Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe motherboard
Rosewill 600W power supply

My first thought was it might be the power supply, but I'm not sure if the standby LED on the motherboard staying on is any indication of whether or not it's working. Unfortunately I don't have a mutlimeter or an extra power supply or anything like that to test with. I do, however, have the voltage set to 115V (I live in the US) and I've already tested the outlet and the cord, and neither are the problem. Is there any way I can figure out what exactly causing the power to be cut to my computer?

-Eric

Comments

  • NiGHTSNiGHTS San Diego Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Pending something I'm completely missing, you can't go wrong if you start eliminating variables. Take everything out of the case and place the motherboard on a piece of cardboard. That'll eliminate the chance of the case causing any shorts. Get rid of anything that doesn't need to immediately be plugged in like your burner. 1 stick of RAM - see if she POSTs. Your standby light means that the motherboard is getting power.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Clear the CMOS on the board (use the jumper, consult manual for location) remove all but 1 stick of ram, use the closest slot to the CPU.

    See if it will boot in this configuration, test each single stick of ram this way.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    OK, take the mobo out of the case.
    Connect only CPU, cooler, one stick of memory, video card, and your hard drive.
    Disconnect everything else.
    Make sure that you have all of the power connectors correct.
    Now will it power up?

    I always boot bare systems out of the case to make sure that it works.
    Then if I have trouble latter I know that it is either a bad mounting job or a bad part.
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    My money is on having all four dimms filled off the bat. A lot of boards are bitchy about that before a bios update. A few good starting points given above tho.
  • mouse_clickermouse_clicker
    edited July 2008
    Thank you very much for your help everyone! It was indeed an issue with the motherboard mounting. I pulled it out and rested it on some cardboard and it booted fine. Then I carefully re-mounted it in the case and it's booting fine again. Again, thank you so much! I really didn't want to have to RMA any parts.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Alright! Glad you got it running. Believe me, what you just experienced has happened to many, many of us here before.

    It's such a joy when a fresh, new home-built starts up, isn't it!

    Hey, stick around. Become part of our community.

    Welcome to Icrontic.
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