Jimi,
 Have you tried another monitor? Does the power light show green or
amber(if applicable)? I assume, since you've swapped parts, you have
re-connected the monitor which probably rules out a bad cable
connection.
 Just a thought,
-Phil-


> On 3/2/09, jimi moore <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Great ideas once again Dean. I have tried a couple of them already. The
>> HD
>> and Graphics card are still fine. New PS checks out also.  I may have
>> mis-wrote in my first post. The computer never GETS to post. I get
>> nothing
>> but a black screen. The cpu and case fans run. No error beeps. I have
>> left
>> the power on for up to ten minutes. No smoke or smell, I touched the ics
>> chips and they were cool. I just have two 2048 matching ram sticks and
>> have
>> interchanged them a few times. I haven't pulled the cpu yet so I may try
>> that. I have replaced cpu's before and I think I got the paste on right
>> but
>> who knows. It just acts like the mb is dead.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> jimi
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Dean Kukral" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 12:41 PM
>> Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] New Build
>>
>>
>>> This is bad news because the only parts that you are re-using are, as I
>>> understand it, the case and power supply (now replaced),
>>> HDD, and graphics card.
>>>
>>> The HDD and Graphics card checked out okay on another computer, and the
>>> power supply was replaced.  HMM.
>>>
>>> I would go back and re-test the HDD and graphics card on another
>>> computer
>>> just in case the failing (?) power supply smoked them.
>>> Not likely unless the graphics card has it's own power connector.  But I
>>> would try it. Also, you are actually able to SEE stuff on
>>> the screen, because you know that you are seeing the POST, so that the
>>> graphics card is okay.
>>>
>>> Now, after a good scream and, perhaps, a cry, I would do a few more
>>> things, one at a time.  I don't know how experienced you are, so
>>> I'll just give you the spiel.
>>>
>>> First, I would re-install the cpu and cpu cooler, making sure that the
>>> heat-goo (artic silver or whatever) has been properly
>>> distributed.  I have done this many times, but the last time I did it (I
>>> replaced a crummy ASUS motherboard with an EVGA) the
>>> computer shut down very fast, but after the POST.  Looking at the cpu, I
>>> discovered that somehow part of the cpu did not have the
>>> artic silver on it thick enough.  After cleaning it off and replacing
>>> it,
>>> the computer worked much better.  It had been shutting
>>> down automatically when the cpu got overheated.  It is conceivable that
>>> your cpu is overheating very rapidly for some reason.  Boy,
>>> I hope that your power supply did not trash the cpu!  I doubt it,
>>> because
>>> it did get that far.  I mean, you got a bios notice at the
>>> top and then a description of the basic system and then the POST and
>>> then
>>> no further, right?
>>>
>>> Then, disconnect as much as you can and still get the computer to boot
>>> up
>>> to the POST.  You'll need to keep the video card and one
>>> stick of memory.  Test it, then test the other stick.  One at a time.
>>> See
>>>
>>> if you can get farther than the POST.  You might have to
>>> have the hard drive connected to give the power supply a load.  The less
>>> that you have connected the better.  No cd or DVD drives or
>>> sound cards or anything if you can help it!  Not even the internet or
>>> printer.  You do need the keyboard, but not the mouse.
>>>
>>> If you can not get past the POST with the stripped system, then you have
>>> something fundamentally wrong.  If the graphics card and
>>> HDD check out on another computer, then it is your motherboard, cpu, or
>>> memory. And if the system fails with both sticks of memory
>>> (I assume that you have two or more), tested one at a time, then it is
>>> probably not the memory as it is unlikely that more than one
>>> stick of the memory failed at the same time (unless the power supply
>>> some
>>> how cooked them).  If you have success, then add pieces
>>> one at a time to see if you can find the piece that is causing the
>>> trouble.
>>>
>>> Of the above, given your description, thermal shutdown seems most
>>> likely.
>>>
>>> There is another possibility that you need to be sure to check.  If this
>>> is a new motherboard and you have a large amount of memory,
>>> are you certain that the POST is not doing a full check?  When I build a
>>> new computer, I always run the full POST to make sure the
>>> memory is okay.  This can take a long time.  (Five minutes?)  Then, I go
>>> into the cmos settings and tell it to use the quick POST,
>>> which bypasses the memory test.  If your old computer had its cmos
>>> battery
>>>
>>> fail (they last about three years give or take a few
>>> years), then the cmos settings are lost and you likely default to the
>>> full
>>>
>>> POST with the long memory test.
>>>
>>> I'm sorry if you know all this already.  If it is all new to you, then
>>> feel free to ask any more questions.  It never hurts to have
>>> someone else go over things that you might have missed.
>>>
>>>
>>> Dean Kukral
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "jimi moore" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks Dean for your insightful reply. In fact we got a PS tester and
>>> the
>>> ps
>>> was bad! We bought another one..checked it before installing it and it
>>> was
>>> fine...low and behold. The same results for the system..can't get by
>>> post!
>>> This was a bundle from tigerdirect which i've never had a problem with
>>> before but i'm starting to wonder now.
>>>
>>> jim
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Dean Kukral" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>
>>>
>>>> It sort of points to the power supply, doesn't it?  You  had the same
>>>> problem with the old system, and the other two parts test okay
>>>> in another system, so it is reasonable to suspect the power supply.
>>>>
>>>> Also, your two basic "known's" are not correct.  First of all, some
>>>> things
>>>> could be going and/or lit up, but the power supply still
>>>> could be weak enough to not be able to boot the whole system.  Second,
>>>> things could have come dead on arrival.  Many of the bad
>>>> reviews on NewEgg.com come from people who got bad products.  Some even
>>>> returned the product and got another bad product
>>>> replacement!  I think that you are right to think that this is rare.
>>>> But
>>>> I can tell you that I once got an ASUS motherboard, which
>>>> in the past was known for quality, with bad networking hardware right
>>>> out
>>>> of the box.
>>>>
>>>> One thing that you might try is to unhook the power to the hard drive
>>>> and
>>>> see if you can get past POST.  That would indicate that
>>>> the power supply can supply a little power, but not enough to get the
>>>> job
>>>> done.  The one problem with this test is that some power
>>>> supplies need a load to start up, and the motherboard may not be enough
>>>> of
>>>> a load by itself.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.pcpower.com/support/ATX_troubleshoot.htm has a check for a
>>>> power supply, but it is a very poor test.  Your power supply
>>>> could be failing and still pass this test.  (I have had a power supply
>>>> that passed this test but was no good.) You might try it
>>>> anyway.  If it passes, then that does not mean anything, but if it
>>>> fails,
>>>> then you know that the power supply is bad.
>>>>
>>>> Make sure that the motherboard is standing well off of the case so that
>>>> there is no chance of the traces on the bottom of the
>>>> motherboard touching the case, except where the stand-offs are screwed
>>>> in.
>>>>
>>>> If you can borrow a power supply to try the system out, then that would
>>>> be
>>>> ideal.  Swapping in new parts one at a time can get
>>>> expensive.  Cheap power supplies are not too bad (nice to have a
>>>> spare),
>>>> but powerful game power supplies can run pretty expensive.
>>>>
>>>> And, of course, there is the time-honored technique of disconnecting
>>>> everything and adding components one at a time, with the caveat
>>>> that the power supply may need a load to run at all.  So, you may have
>>>> to
>>>> leave a drive connected.
>>>>
>>>> HTH
>>>>
>>>> Dean Kukral
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "jimi moore" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I've recently started building a new computer. I believe I've assembled
>>>> all
>>>> of the parts and connections correctly. The problem however is that
>>>> upon
>>>> booting up, the system doesn't past POST. There are no sounds, and no
>>>> beep.
>>>> There is also no red light showing at all. However all of the fans are
>>>> spinning, and there is a green light on the motherboard, so I know it's
>>>> getting power. My system specs are as follows:
>>>>
>>>> Power Supply: 700W GameXstream
>>>> Motherboard: Asus P5N-D
>>>> Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700
>>>> RAM: Two 2048MB sticks of DDR2 Corsair RAM.
>>>> Graphics Card: Nvidia 8800 GTS
>>>> HDD: 500 GB Western Digital Caviar
>>>>
>>>> The HDD, Graphics Card, and Power Supply are from my old system. Now,
>>>> the
>>>> reason for building a new one in the first place was that my old one
>>>> was
>>>> having the exact same error. I know the HDD works, because I've tested
>>>> it
>>>> in
>>>> another machine. I've also tested the Graphics Card in another machine.
>>>> Both
>>>> worked flawlessly. I highly doubt it's the Power Supply, because of the
>>>> green light on the motherboard and the fact that all of the fans spin.
>>>> I
>>>> also doubt the new parts I've ordered were shipped dead on arrival.
>>>> Hence
>>>> we
>>>> have a problem that really confuses me. I am getting the same error in
>>>> my
>>>> new machine as I was having in my old, but the only things that could
>>>> be
>>>> the
>>>> problem I'm certain are not.
>>>>
>>>> So, can anybody help me out here?
>>>>
>>>> Jimi Moore
>>>
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>>
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