Help! Comp won't start and cnet didn't help much!

[darkpowrjd]

No hating on CNet (they're usually pretty good), but when I posted something about this issue and someone replied back to do something and then post what happened, I did so and have yet to get a reply. Ick! I thought CNet was one of the better people to go to for issues.

Anyway, the issue itself as I posted it on CNet ( http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6122_10...39906&messageID=2440341&viewMode=flat#2440341 ):

I recently bought a Asus A8V-VM Socket 939 Motherboard (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-detailsInactive.asp?Sku=A455-2136) (about a month or so ago) and then even more recently got me a Aspire X-Infinity case (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811144076) to put all of this in (the AMD Athlon 64 processor (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819103023), two memory sticks, a Sound Blaster sound card, two Maxor HDDs, two DVD disc drives (one just a DVD Rom, the other a DVD Burner)). I had plugged everything in several times, trying different orientations and what not, making sure everything is in right, but nothing will turn on except the mobo LED light on the board. I am not sure if it's the power supply or something not plugged in right (there are two extra cables that aren't plugged in, one that according to the instructions I shouldn't have to plug in and the other is a male connector to something in which the directions give no heed about whatsoever). I assume the mobo is working right because the LED light is turning on (hopefully that's a good sign), but the case came with its own power supply with a bunch of M/F connectors that I had plugged in, but I have done everything, I think several times, to no avail.

It may not be important, but on the side panel of this case, there is a side fan that should connect to a M/F connector (I think) on the PSU. I don't know if that is something that should be considered or not (there are two green cables that come out of the front of the case that I've been hooking it up to. The pictures of the case in the link I gave should provide good indication of the type of connectors it is, one female, one male, and right now, I have them in such a way that if you take out those green cables, the other cables connect to themseves and not the PSU). I thought I should include this because I've been thinking that this may be the last thing, other than the PSU itself, that I could see wrong since I've read that computers can be finicky in what it needs to find to turn itself on (I've plugged, unplugged, and replugged everything else in a variety of ways).

Any quick help could be appreciated. I need this up and running ASAP, so any help anyone could give would be helpful (I'm praying it's not the case's PSU, because I cannot wait too much longer, and I don't make an awful lot of money, and PSU's are looking expensive at Newegg and Tiger).

Now, the person said to strip all of this down to the bare essentials, and to try to power up then (no word on if the side fan was needed for the thing to power up). The results:

Did all that you ask, even unplugged all of the 1-pin things like the HDD LED lights and all that (wanted to go for the basics), and even switched orientation on the PWR cord to try it in different orientations, but it won't turn on still (I'm thinking that something became unplugged on the other end on this cord, because I heard a snap last night when trying to get this to go when I pressed the power button).

There was one more thing I didn't say, but when I first attempted this, I had plugged the PWR cord in the wrong place, but when I went to plug it in the right place the night before, the fans went for about a second and then stopped, as if it WAS going to work, but then just stopped, and hasn't done anything since regardless of what I've done (don't remember what the specifics were when this happened. God I hope I didn't blow the PSU when that happened. I'm using a heat pipe that clips on, so that will be kind of hard to get off (I feel like I'm going to break the clips or worse whenever I go to remove it). Feel like I'm gonna have to, though.

But yeah, it is still not starting up (LED light is still turning on, though. Still wondering if that is a optimistic sign that at least the mobo has a chance of not beingg fried. Hope not)....For a little clarity, this is my cooling mech: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=ULT31796

Also, when I said hope not, I meant that I hope my mobo wasn't fried, not that I hope that it WAS. Was hoping that no one took it the latter way.

This is when I stopped getting replies (maybe they thought I was dumb or something. This IS my first attempt at building my own PC, mind you). And the reason why I need this going ASAP: I am a frequent Final Fantasy XI player, and I have a few characters that I have been playing on for about two years now that need renewing by the end of April (or else Square Enix might perm delete my data and I would have to redo EVERYTHING). Might sound stupid, but after all the time I put into that game, I would hate to be screwed over by my inexperience at comp building. So anything at ALL would be VERY appreciated.

By the way, a bit of additional info: Working on two HDDs, two disk drives, and one floppy drive.I have seen a decent PSU so far at a decent price at Tiger Direct, but holding out until I see if it's just something that I didn't do right because of my stupidity.

 

[honvetops]

I'm with you brother*

First* I bought that mobo (motherboard) and all my hardware and an Aspire case too, except at newegg. I did not have 2 hd's and that much stuff. I had a much better experience getting mine going but still had snaggs. ie... I didn't have all the front case wires plugged correctly. I exhausted myself to no end with my 1st build and it was for my 16 son.
I asked around for a week and found a lone-guy puter shop in a town next to mine who took me right in, reconnected everything, gave me his own ide cables and setup the bios for 50.00 freaking bucks!

Get some sleep, find someone reputable in your area , call explain like I did about for your son, etc... and get some prices. If the guy is as good as mine was, he explained what "i did wrong" and you will learn from it. 1st time is the hardest, I swear once it gets cranking you'll be building another asap.
Just food for thought, i was on a time-table though and had to get it done by xmas!

The simple standard is- take the mobo out and place on top of it's cardboard box.
put in one stick of ram, attach the cpu & heatsink/fan
plug in the monitor / mouse
plug in the psu
say ten hail mary's << just kidding.
turn on
start there if you please, I couldn't anymore and let the ego- go and brought to that guy* "" JUST MY OPINION""

 

[darkpowrjd]

First, we do have a computer place just a 7 min walk from my house so that would be interesting enough kind of easy if it's somewhat inexpensive, if I cannot get this done any other way. I'm on a strict timetable, as well, so I need this taken care of ASAP.

I had unplugged everything but the CPU/Heatsink (I've given up trying to get that damn heatpipe off, that thing is ON THERE unless I can find someway to get it off without harming the mobo), a stick of memory, and the PWR cord in both orientations, to no avail. But I didn't take the mobo out of the tray yet (it has a weird I/O panel that I don't want to mess with if I can help it because it was a pain to get that in with that I/O panel for some reason).

A question (maybe a dumb one but I'll ask anyway): do you have to plug in the monitor/mouse before you try to turn it on? I've so far done it without those things on there, so stupidly enough, that could've been a good reason.