HELP! New Build PC won't fire up :(

[Daffy D]

The kids computer finally gave up and as it's fairly old figured instead of messing about spending time on a problem which maybe I could not fix I'd get new parts and rebuild a nice new one.

 

So I got the main parts ASUS Motherboard with Intel CPU and 8Gb DDR4 ram.

 

Spent the morning putting it all together and on switching on I get activity from the SSD and DVD drive but the monitor just displays "check cable connection" not the BIOS setup screen I was expecting. 

 

Yes I did check the cable and monitor with a spare set I had, but didn't help 

 

In the distant past I had set up a new computer before and seem to remember I had to load motherboard chipset before it would work.

 

There is a chipset disk that came with the Motherboard but when I play it on startup the the drive indicator light flashes but nothing else happens.

 

Help!  Anyone know what's the sequence for getting a new build fired up for the first time?

 

Need answer fast 

 

[tifino]

have you Swapped the KeyBoard too as yet?  

 

Wouldn't have gone first to suspect the monitor& cable

- as you were getting something onscreen  

 

if did turn out to be the keyboard (fingers crossed) - anther thing worth remembering is to Force a SafeMode Start, in case you were to encounter a Video Adaptor mismatch

 

[BritManToo]

Nothing at all is usually the 'handbag' disconnecting/connecting the m/b battery.

 

[JaiMaai]

What is the motherboard model and what processor is it?

Are there any diagnostic LEDs on the board?  If so what are they showing?

Are you using a graphics card or internal graphics?

Are the fans spinning up correctly?

[Daffy D]

OK Panic over, it was the power supply.

 

I had tried one from my box of spares that I had previously marked "Good" but that did not solve the problem, but just on the off chance I tried another even older one that did actually work.

 

So much for my labeling fuu  

 

So all's well now 

As a bonus the original system SSD from the old Motherboard and CPU works on the new setup even though its a different make and model.

 

Happy Ducky 

[tifino]

has that 'working' elder P/S enough Capacity - to Live 'Long' and prosper? 

 

[sammieuk1]

Try swapping the power supply for an older one it will work guaranteed ????

[RichCor]

 

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

3 hours ago, Daffy D said:

OK Panic over, it was the power supply.

 

I had tried one from my box of spares that I had previously marked "Good" but that did not solve the problem, but just on the off chance I tried another even older one that did actually work.

Try swapping the power supply for an older one it will work guaranteed ????

 

Oh, sure, use your prognosticating powers of hindsight to give guaranteed results, 

[sammieuk1]

3 hours ago, RichCor said:

 

 

Oh, sure, use your prognosticating powers of hindsight to give guaranteed results, 

Not at all just read his post ????

[Daffy D]

Funny thing is I tested the P/S by shorting out the pins 15-16 to check the fan worked and when in the computer case all those fans worked as well as the DVD drive which also worked.

 

So why would it not power up the CPU?

 

Guess it's one of those strange things that only happen with these new fangled electronic gadgets. Not like the good old days where a good thump would fix most things. 

 

 

Anyway all's well that ends well  

[Daffy D]

23 hours ago, tifino said:

has that 'working' elder P/S enough Capacity - to Live 'Long' and prosper? 

 

The kids computer is pretty basic so should not use a lot of power.

 

The old power supply I fitted is 450w so should be enough 

[RichCor]

1 hour ago, Daffy D said:

Funny thing is I tested the P/S by shorting out the pins 15-16 to check the fan worked and when in the computer case all those fans worked as well as the DVD drive which also worked.

 

So why would it not power up the CPU?

Could be an issue with one of the PSU power rails. 

 

Google Search: how to test a psu with a multimeter

[OneMoreFarang]

Just in general.

To see something on the screen you only need a motherboard, RAM, CPU and power. You don't need a HDD or SSD to see the BIOS information coming up. And you don't have to configure or setup the CPU or RAM. Just plug them in and that it.

 

[Daffy D]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

To see something on the screen you only need a motherboard, RAM, CPU and power. You don't need a HDD or SSD to see the BIOS information coming up. And you don't have to configure or setup the CPU or RAM. Just plug them in and that it.

Quite right, but having power to the drives should indicate that the power supply is indeed working, so even more confusing when the BIOS screen does not appear. 

[JaiMaai]

4 minutes ago, Daffy D said:

Quite right, but having power to the drives should indicate that the power supply is indeed working, so even more confusing when the BIOS screen does not appear. 

Just because it can power up and possibly produce the right voltage, it doesn't necessarily mean it's capable of delivering the required current.

[OneMoreFarang]

20 minutes ago, Daffy D said:

Quite right, but having power to the drives should indicate that the power supply is indeed working, so even more confusing when the BIOS screen does not appear. 

There is more to it then just supplying 5V and 12V.

 

[RichCor]

1 hour ago, Daffy D said:

[...] but having power to the drives should indicate that the power supply is indeed working, so even more confusing when the BIOS screen does not appear. 

I've seen computers that refused to POST because a USB device was plugged into one of its ports.

 

When performing diagnostics it's sometimes best to strip to bare essentials if your first couple of attempted quick fixes don't pan out. 

 

Lucky you had three power supplies, and was willing to even try the third.

Hopefully it IS the power supply, and not something else on the board playing games with you (and just pretending to be a PSU issue). 

[tifino]

Then there is the Video Adaptor, which can be isolated by forcing a Start into SafeMode, to get to use the generic adaptor