Computer trouble #2

Omatic810Omatic810 Gainesville, FL
edited February 2004 in Hardware
I hate to ask for help on a 2nd PC so soon, but here it goes:

I've finally put together my new computer, and just tried turning it on. All that happens is the keyboard lights (caps lock, scroll lock, and num lock) flash in strange patterns, and my monitor doesn't respond at all. Here are my specs:

a7n8x Asus motherboard
2800+ AMD Athlon Processor
512MB Corsair XMS Extreme Memory DDR
120GB Maxtor HD
Lite-On DVD Burner
ATI Radeon 9600xt

I don't have a floppy installed yet, but it shouldn't affect it like this. Anyway, please help!!

Comments

  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited January 2004
    Is this all new stuff or did something happen to it?

    Does it POST at all?

    If its new then try running memtest on it. You will need a floppy or burn a CD ISO. Thats only if it POSTs.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Sounds like something funny with the CPU - is the heatsink in firm contact with the CPU core, and does the fan on it work?
  • Omatic810Omatic810 Gainesville, FL
    edited January 2004
    Nope, it doesn't do anything. It won't even display anything on the screen. The thing that worries me is that the cpu might be the prob., like you said GH. The fan works, and the heatsink seems to be on tight, I used the retail AMD heatsink and attached it as per their instructions.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    could it be the video card? maybe try reseating and reconnecting it's power cable (if applicable)
  • Omatic810Omatic810 Gainesville, FL
    edited January 2004
    Unfortunatley, there is no power supply for the vid card. In additon, it did display a screen just now, but it was a scrambled screen.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited January 2004
    Do you have another video card that you can try handy? An old pci vid card would work fine for testing purposes. Also, diconnect everything from the mobo except ram and vid card and see what happens.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    1. clear bios. I have gotten that even when I do simple changes of hardware I clear the bios and reset things.
    2. Has this machine ever booted correctly?
  • MortinMortin
    edited February 2004
    Until it POSTs, there is a hardware issue. Either:

    a) Bad vid card
    b) Bad CPU/heatsink
    c) Bad motherboard


    The blinking lights lead me to believe it is B, and you may have yourself a bad processor.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Mortin wrote:
    Until it POSTs, there is a hardware issue. Either:

    a) Bad vid card
    b) Bad CPU/heatsink
    c) Bad motherboard


    The blinking lights lead me to believe it is B, and you may have yourself a bad processor.

    Add to that:

    RAM on mainboard bad in first module of first DIMM where that DIMM is only DIMM or first DIMM in line the way BIOS uses RAM so shared workspace for video card cannot be established. THEN, if you have an LED or post diagnostic you have an indicator, usually.

    BAD PSU can also cause this, but it would have to be a majorly damaged PSU. In that case, typical behavior is PSU cycles the case fan on and off real quick. I had a fellow tech bring me one like that the other day, brand new CASE and PSU, plug into tester after three tries, PSU DEAD on 5 and 3.3 volt lines and before that it would only cycle fan on and then off in about 5 seconds-- the parts seller was local in this case, I told the tech to take the whole assembly back to dealer that sold parts and make them fix or refund. They WILL do so. If you get a situation like this with fan going on and then off, no HD spinup, no video, all at once, experimentally part out PSU. If same issue, then is RAM, video card, CPU, and\or motherboard at fault, or badly seated RAM, CPU, and\or video card.

    I have seen some Intel motherboards that NEED a working floppy drive connected to post completely. They are rare, and most got BIOS patches to keep that from happening again-- the unpatchable ones got RMA'd as those also had other faults.

    John D.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Mortin wrote:
    Until it POSTs, there is a hardware issue. Either:

    a) Bad vid card
    b) Bad CPU/heatsink
    c) Bad motherboard


    The blinking lights lead me to believe it is B, and you may have yourself a bad processor.
    Mortin is that you? :scratch: I guess it is who else would it be!!! ;D
    Wow long time no see!!! :thumbsup: Hey guys look it's Mortin!!! :leet:
  • MortinMortin
    edited February 2004
    Yep I'm back from the depths. Gonna try to help out around perhaps for a new boss - MM :). I do a lot of cool stuff in college w/computers that I'd like to bring to the site.

    Good to see you csi :P
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    hey mort :D Welcome back :)
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Mortin wrote:
    Yep I'm back from the depths. Gonna try to help out around perhaps for a new boss - MM :). I do a lot of cool stuff in college w/computers that I'd like to bring to the site.

    Good to see you csi :P
    Great to see you back! Cool stuff with computers eh? Get some :fold:folding:fold: so I can get the recuiting credits!!! Hehe
  • MortinMortin
    edited February 2004
    Actually I never stopped folding for SM. Team 93 for life baby!

    Thanks fellas :)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Goddamn, the main man is lurking :D

    Anytime Mortin.. anytime! :D
  • Omatic810Omatic810 Gainesville, FL
    edited February 2004
    I finally got it to post, but every so often when I'm messing with the back of the copmuter and conecting/disconnecting stuff, It reverts back to it's zombie state (the one I mentioned above).

    I took apart the power supply, stared at it, and reassembled it. Then I shook it around (good ol-rage) and powered up again. It beeped. It gave me the wierd screen again, so I used my old vid card, and it worked right. Turns out my beautiful 9600xt was defective (i tried it in other systems, and I got the exact same screen). But I still get messups with the thing shutting off and going zonbie on me.

    I don't have an I/O shield, maybe it's something there. Anyone else have any insight?
  • MortinMortin
    edited February 2004
    my bet goes to the motherboard w/that new info
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Omatic:

    Take the whole thing apart. Take the motherboard out of the case.

    Check to make sure that there is a standoff ONLY UNDER THE HOLES on the motherboard. I've built hundreds of computers and even now I make this mistake sometimes: You put a standoff where you think there's a hole, by eyeballing it, and there's no hole, but the standoff is now shorting against something.

    Also, make sure the standoffs are all identical - the same height. I've seen this same kind of problem because of mismatched standoffs.

    Also, make sure there is no stray metal between the mobo and the chassis - a dropped screw or whatever.

    It's a pain to take the whole thing apart and put it back together, but it just might work.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Mortin! Good to see you!

    Leo
    :wave:
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Omatic, i have the exact same issue. As soon as i unplug or plugin something at the back of the mobo, it zombies. Same with 2 other mobos. It's either a bad PSU or a grounding problem, but i'm almost sure it's the later.
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