Problems with new rig (help needed thx)

[3dfx]

I'm building a cheap rig for my dad and I installed everything and followed the mobo manual but for some reason when I got to power I get nothing when I hit the power button the psu fan spins but nothing else seems to power. I have tried the mobo outside the case to, to no avail. I have never encountered a problem like this before when builing a PC.

Anyone know what it might be ?

Edit : I even tried a second working PSU and got the same problem.

[J1NG]

Try reseating the components.

Give specs if possible.

J1NG

[3dfx]

Ok, after some more tweaking I've got the rest of the PC powered. The mobo is a Mercury KM400 (cheap) with onboard video. I have inserted the speaker cable but I get no beeps when I try to boot up. The memory has also been installed, and the CPu fan spins but it doesn't frag. I installed a harddrive with XP installed think it might be something to do with on-board video and I still get nothing. I tried a PCI video card and still nothing.

thx for any help.

EDIT: I also tried a CMOS flash

[J1NG]

Remove everything but the CPU. And try and boot. If it gives you a memory error beep, then the CPU is fine. Otherwise, remove the CPU and try. If it gives you error beeps, then it should be the CPU.

Uh, at least, this worked with my Athlon MP system going belly up a month ago.

Keep us posted.

J1NG

[3dfx]

I removed the memory and upon boot I was getting beeps .. finally. 3 beeps, think I should have it replaced ?

[J1NG]

Hmmm, 3 beeps, what BIOS maker is that? AMI? Award? Phoenix? (I got a beep code thing here and can check easily)

J1NG

[3dfx]

AMI .. when I insert the memory I get no beeps and without it I get 3.

[J1NG]

It's a Memory thing. 3 beeps on a AMI BIOS is a Memory error (because you have none at the moment, but the fact that when in they don't work says something about the modules). Try reseating them again, in different slots, or try with a known good module. And if it fails, do try again with the reseating just to be sure. My MPX was giving me the thumbs down with the RAM, but they work now. Just had to reseat them better. (Took lots of attempts, but finally it got there).

J1NG

[3dfx]

What was concerning me was that I only get 3 beeps when the memory is removed but while in the mobo I get no beeps.

[J1NG]

Yeah, with no RAM in the slots, it's supposed to beep telling you something is up with the RAM. In this case, you haven't got any. With them in, they could stall the system and not send any beeps. So we know it's something with the RAM section of the system. We just got to find out what now. Do as I suggested above to see if it's just badly seated RAM first.

J1NG

[3dfx]

I have re-inserted it several times, each time applying enough force to make sure it is secure within the slot with no success. So I guess I'll have to take this stick back to the shop and try another ? ... though I guess it could be the slot itself. I have built a computer before where the mobo had a faulty slot.

oh thanks for your time J1NG

[J1NG]

No problem, I'm reading something anyway.

If you've got a spare working RAM module, try that first. Or try this module in a working system. Either way, you'll know if it's the RAM. If so, take it bad and swap. If not, it's as you said, probably something with the motherboard, or it's RAM slots. But I beginning to think it's the RAM module itself here.

J1NG

[3dfx]

Yeah it turns out that the memory was the problem .. I tested the mobo with a working stick and all was well. Thanks for your late night help there J1NG