Urgent PC advice needed please :(

[HookeyStreet]

Hi,
Ive just built a PC for my friend (they just wanted a cheap but half decent machine for the internet), Ive connected it all up right (I hope!) but when I power it up Im getting power but no signal to the monitor and the DVD-ROM draw ejects automatically???
Ive been over the connections at least 10 times and all seems fine???
The parts used are as follows:

Antler Supercase PC-115BL Beige/ Blue midi 350W USB2 ATX
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5327&GroupID=511

Samsung 16x DVD ROM Beige OEM
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=2779&GroupID=42

Elite 648FX-A SIS648FX 800FSB DDR Hyperthreading 8x AGP +LAN +snd +USB2.0 ATX
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5763&GroupID=303

Geil® 256MB DDR PC3200 400MHz with Aluminium heat spreader
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=3197&GroupID=57

Intel Celeron® D335 2.8GHz 533FSB S478 256K Cache inc.Fan Retail (3 year warranty)
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=6685&GroupID=32

Powercolor ATI Radeon 7000 64MB DDR AGP +DVI +TV out Retail (RV6D-B3)
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=3971&GroupID=330

Akasa AK-181BK-S Fan 8cm + Screws
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5883&GroupID=335

40 GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus8 7200rpm ATA133 2MB Cache
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=2884&GroupID=195

I checked all of these components out before purchasing and they should all be compatible???

Ive tried a different graphics card in it and still no signal to the monitor, if the motherboard was dodgy would it power up still? Could it be the CPU????

Any help / comments would be great :)

Daz

[HookeyStreet]

Ive tried moving the jumpers and still no luck :( do the AUDIO jumpers effect this???

I have managed to get it to boot up to the Phoenix bios screen once!, it said something about 'the CPU speed has been changed' but it did recognise it has a 2.80 GHz????

So I went into the BIOS and set eveything up but when I tried to save the settings and exit it froze up! and once I powered down the PC I couldnt get it back on (signal to monitor I mean)

Could the motherboard be the problem? Could it be that the bios is not functioning properly???

[BiGShiRley]

not sorted yet m8 ?

[HookeyStreet]

not sorted yet m8 ?

no m8

[Urlyin]

Hookey... try to just get the MOBO up. Disconnect cables and power to all drives, so that only the motherboard is connected. Start with just one memory stick and see if the system boots to BIOS... Make sure the power cable is connected and on some systems there two that need to be connected to the motherboard. I assume you seated the CPU in correctly because you said you saw the BIOS once... did you use thermal paste on it? So start with the least number of items connected which would include removing all other cards other than the video card (make sure the video card doesn't need the extra power connector or that it's connected)... may need to reseat the CPU...then one component at a time... good luck

[HookeyStreet]

Hookey... try to just get the MOBO up. Disconnect cables and power to all drives, so that only the motherboard is connected. Start with just one memory stick and see if the system boots to BIOS... Make sure the power cable is connected and on some systems there two that need to be connected to the motherboard. I assume you seated the CPU in correctly because you said you saw the BIOS once... did you use thermal paste on it? So start with the least number of items connected which would include removing all other cards other than the video card (make sure the video card doesn't need the extra power connector or that it's connected)... may need to reseat the CPU...then one component at a time... good luck

Thanx m8, I will give it a try and post back :)

[Urlyin]

Yes, let us know how you're making out ...

[HookeyStreet]

Hookey... try to just get the MOBO up. Disconnect cables and power to all drives, so that only the motherboard is connected. Start with just one memory stick and see if the system boots to BIOS... Make sure the power cable is connected and on some systems there two that need to be connected to the motherboard. I assume you seated the CPU in correctly because you said you saw the BIOS once... did you use thermal paste on it? So start with the least number of items connected which would include removing all other cards other than the video card (make sure the video card doesn't need the extra power connector or that it's connected)... may need to reseat the CPU...then one component at a time... good luck

I used Arctic Silver 5 :)

[HookeyStreet]

Hookey... try to just get the MOBO up. Disconnect cables and power to all drives, so that only the motherboard is connected. Start with just one memory stick and see if the system boots to BIOS... Make sure the power cable is connected and on some systems there two that need to be connected to the motherboard. I assume you seated the CPU in correctly because you said you saw the BIOS once... did you use thermal paste on it? So start with the least number of items connected which would include removing all other cards other than the video card (make sure the video card doesn't need the extra power connector or that it's connected)... may need to reseat the CPU...then one component at a time... good luck

Hi m8,
F**king machine, Ive disconnected everything but the PSU, Ram, On/Off switch and Reset switch........and it still wont bloody boot up!!! :( Ive even reseated the CPU :(

Should I just give up and send the motherboard back and get another?????

[Urlyin]

Not being there to see what you have makes it difficult. It could be a number of things... I believe the Elite board is a ECS mobo. I assume you verified the PSU connections to the board and that the CPU HSF is turning. Do you have any lights on the board? Have you tried to clear CMOS with a jumper? Speaker hooked up to hear any post errors?

[HookeyStreet]

Not being there to see what you have makes it difficult. It could be a number of things... I believe the Elite board is a ECS mobo. I assume you verified the PSU connections to the board and that the CPU HSF is turning. Do you have any lights on the board? Have you tried to clear CMOS with a jumper? Speaker hooked up to hear any post errors?

The mobo is Elitegroup ECS, the CPU HSF is turning, I dont have any lights on on the mobo, Ive tried to clear the CMOS, the PSU is connected to the mobo and with the case speaker hooked up Im not even getting the usual error sound. Im clueless now :(

[Urlyin]

Well without a board to test the CPU in, the test would be to take out the memory and if the board and CPU are good then it should beep... However if either the CPU is dead or the MOBO then you'll most likely not get a sound ... local computer shop around to see if they can test the CPU for you? That should narrow it down for you...

[mariuski]

............and from one who has done about all the mistakes one can do......
youre sure about mounting the mobo correctly? if the mounting holes on mobo does'nt match the cabinet well enough, then you do have a problem.
also if you "forget" to use the supply of "mounting-shims" (or whatever it's called in English)

a fawlty connected frontside (power/p-led/hd-led/restart) could also cause similar symptoms. (alright! but it's a long time since I trashed my first mobo this way)

:) :)

[Urlyin]

............and from one who has done about all the mistakes one can do......
youre sure about mounting the mobo correctly? if the mounting holes on mobo does'nt match the cabinet well enough, then you do have a problem.
also if you "forget" to use the supply of "mounting-shims" (or whatever it's called in English)

a fawlty connected frontside (power/p-led/hd-led/restart) could also cause similar symptoms. (alright! but it's a long time since I trashed my first mobo this way)

:) :)

Yes, it can be a number of things, however sometimes when helping someone you have to take the risk of making assumptions... given he's seen the BIOS on the screen should rule out the frontside connection but then again you never know :)

[HookeyStreet]

Im sure I mounted the mobo correctly but I will check again (but I suppose if this was the problem the damage would already be done)

[Urlyin]

Hookey.. I had a friend who had a post in the wrong spot. The board worked until he tried to clap the CPU HSF down... then system would not boot. Drove him crazy for awhile but it didn't kill the MOBO... So it may not be toast, sometimes it's something simple staring you in the face... so if possible take care doing it but sometimes taking the mobo out of the case and setting it on the MOBO box and hooking it up can get you past the ground out issue... you'll figure it out

[ReconCX]

I had a problem w/ a celeron way back when, it turned out the CPU was just kinda loose. Press it in tight before clamping and see if that works.

[Qwerty]

I suggest you take the mobo out the case disconect all cables put it on a static bag, hok the power on cable to the jumpers take the psu out and hook it up to the mobo, reset the chip without the ram in (on the staic bag), fhit power and the psu spins turn off (thats ok), then insert ram and the gfx, hook up to monitor and hit power again, if it fires up it was just a short on the case,

check all the brass plugs make sure none are making unwanted connection on the board.

Qwerty

[HookeyStreet]

Thanx everyone, Im now going to try everything suggested :)

I will post the results :)

Daz

[HookeyStreet]

Still no good :( Im just going to hope its the mobo and return it for another :)

[joyandsorrow]

hey i had you same problem many of times but did you ever turn the computer on with out a heatshink,worst thing you could ever do, and make sure nothing is shorting out......... cheers

[C&C Freak 2K]

Just try the aforementioned steps for making sure the mobo works. If it doesn't, send it in for a replacement/refund.