Re: Trouble with new PC build

Nil <rednoise+news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I just bought some components from Tiger Direct to
assemble a new PC, and I'm having a problem. I hope
someone can give me some advice. I bought:

- Biostar P4M800 -M7A socket 775 motherboard
- Pentium D 840 3.2 GHz DT 800FSB CPU
- 2 x 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz CL3 RAM
- Ultra 500w Power supply

I've connected the motherboard to the power supply, keyboard, and
video, and installed the CPU and fan, and 512MB RAM. I initially
connected it also to a floppy disc drive and unformatted hard disc,
but disconnected them in order to troubleshoot. Here's what happens:

When I turn the power switch on, the CPU fan spins up, the
hard disk (if connected) spins up, the keyboard lights flash
briefly, floppy light flashes, and one of these things happens:

- the Biostar startup graphic (rolling green hills with a windmill)
appears, with the direction to press <Del> to enter setup

- the POST messages screen comes up. It correctly identifes the hard
disc (if connected) and amount of memory. The options are "Press F8 to
enable system configuration", "Press F9 to select booting device after
POST", "Press F1 to continue", and "Press DEL to enter SETUP".

- just a blank, black video screen.

At this point, the system seems hung, and the keyboard doesn't
respond, if it ever did. The power-off switch doesn't work unless I
hold it in for 5 seconds.

So, my questions are...

- I should be able to get into setup with no storage devices attached,
shouldn't I?

Yep.

How about with no memory installed?

That should fail the POST and may or may not beep when it fails the POST.

- If it's a defective component, which is the most
likely suspect - motherboard, PSU, CPU, or other?

Most likely the motherboard when it gets as far as it does.

Try resetting the cmos with the jumper.

Can be the power supply but not that likely.

Very unlikely to be the cpu.

I've put together several PCs over the years, but not for a few years,
and the technology has changed quite a bit, so it's another learning
experience for me. Am I overlooking something obvious?

Just resetting the cmos. The variable symptoms are a worry tho.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: My processor wont run at the right speed.
    ... Why don't you just avoid reading the newsgroup if it irks you so much? ... A Pentium CPU will *NOT* fit in a board designed to accept an Athlon ... >BIOS has nothing whatsoever to do with the operating system. ... >CMOS: - Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, and is the name appiled to ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Slow death of a PC
    ... Motherboard(with on-board graphic card) with a Pentium 4 CPU, ... this is what happens when I press the ON switch: ... Short circuit the CMOS memory, take the battery out and leave it for 30 mins, then ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: 9-12% CPU Usage At Idle?
    ... Goto Task Manager, look in the Processes tab and then sort by CPU ... Vista installation it may be still indexing files while no applications ... I'm pretty sure I didn't install from the wrong disc. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: New Mobo & CPU wont post
    ... Sorry, meant CMOS, Duh! ... Bob R POVrookie ... It's possible the CPU chip got ... you swap. ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: Users experience with Sun Blades - 150 and 2000
    ... This SB150 blew a CPU within the first six ... amounts of RAM, you can put more in the SB2000. ... SB150 with an external disc array. ... Lights-Out-Management makes 24/7 support a lot easier. ...
    (comp.sys.sun.hardware)