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RAM needed for power test?

Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
edited January 2009 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
I'm in the process of trying to figure out why my new hardware setup wont work.
Power supply tested fine, it managed to spin up the hard drive, but when I connect the main plug to the mobo, no power up. Green power light on mobo lights up, but no cpu fan action, etc.

However since I did not yet get new ram for the new mobo (dimm2, all i have is dimm1), do I need to find a stick of RAM, plug it in, and then know for sure if its a DOA mobo?

Firematic. on

Posts

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    yea, you need at least mobo, cpu, and ram to determine whether or not the system will boot at all.

    wunderbar on
    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    okay, thanks. off to find some RAM.

    Firematic. on
  • KrikeeKrikee Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Firematic. wrote: »
    okay, thanks. off to find some RAM.
    It should still power up without RAM in any of the slots although, it will give you an error code via the PC speaker (newer models will output via onboard sound ports too). If you can't get it to power on at all even without RAM you have a slightly different problem.

    Krikee on
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Krikee wrote: »
    Firematic. wrote: »
    okay, thanks. off to find some RAM.
    It should still power up without RAM in any of the slots although, it will give you an error code via the PC speaker (newer models will output via onboard sound ports too). If you can't get it to power on at all even without RAM you have a slightly different problem.

    I've seen motherboards not even power up with no ram, or bad ram installed. Best at the very least to rule it out.

    wunderbar on
    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    okay, even with RAM in, all i get is the green motherboard light. power supply fan doesnt even start up.
    any suggestions as to what to try next?

    Firematic. on
  • KrikeeKrikee Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Firematic. wrote: »
    okay, even with RAM in, all i get is the green motherboard light. power supply fan doesnt even start up.
    any suggestions as to what to try next?
    Take a flathead screw driver and short the ON jumper? Make sure all of your power connectors to the mobo are plugged in! (ie p4 connector)

    Krikee on
  • Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Krikee wrote: »
    Firematic. wrote: »
    okay, even with RAM in, all i get is the green motherboard light. power supply fan doesnt even start up.
    any suggestions as to what to try next?
    Take a flathead screw driver and short the ON jumper? Make sure all of your power connectors to the mobo are plugged in! (ie p4 connector)

    p4 connector is in.
    I'm not entirely sure im shorting the on jumper? the power button from the case goes to the COM1 port, so I assumedI should be crossing the 2 connectors where the 2 wires from the power button would go in.

    Firematic. on
  • KrikeeKrikee Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Not quite sure what you meant by that but it would be the 2 pins the power jumper goes onto; make sure the big P20/24 connector is clicked down. Next, I would re-seat the proc & fan.

    Krikee on
  • Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    okay, just got back from work and tried again, new results:
    I crossed the power jumpers, and now the cpu/psu fans both spin up for about 2 seconds, and then quit.
    progress, but still no boot, no beeps, just a quick spin up and nothing.

    Firematic. on
  • EgoEgo Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Check to see if your heatsink/fan is mounted 180 degrees from it's proper orientation, putting one on 'backwards' can cause those symptoms.

    Make sure the CPU fan is plugged into the CPU fan header on the motherboard, and not the case fan header. This can also cause your problem.

    So can a short, so if all else fails, pull the motherboard tray (or motherboard itself) and run it inside outside the case (inside the box the mobo came in works well, just take the PSU out of the case and set it beside the box) with your memory and nothing else hooked up, and see what you get.

    Also, you're not keeping the power jumpers shorted, right? I'm sure you're not but I mention it just in case (as realistically it's not like it's obvious to everyone that it's an intermittent switch, most jumpers headers aren't intermittent.)

    Ego on
    Erik
  • Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Turns out the motherboard was shorting against the case.
    With the motherboard out of the case on a piece of cardboard, psu/cpu/video card fans spin up fine.
    Now I just need to get to post.

    Firematic. on
  • ShensShens Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Firematic. wrote: »
    Turns out the motherboard was shorting against the case.
    With the motherboard out of the case on a piece of cardboard, psu/cpu/video card fans spin up fine.
    Now I just need to get to post.

    I know this will sound insulting, but I don't mean it to be if you already know this, but...

    You did use risers (or standoffs) between the mobo and the case, right? I have seen some systems come from hardware shops that had the motherboards screwed directly into the case without risers. Some would work and most would fry in a week or two if they managed to get it boot.

    Shens on
  • Firematic.Firematic. Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Yeah, one was just cracked and was allowing contact between case and board.
    I have decided this process would be easier if ASUS actually admitted they even made this board, their website frequently doesnt even list it as a model they make. (p5q-vm)

    Firematic. on
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