New System boots up and shuts down in 2 secs...very depressing

[citiz3n]

I bought $2000 worth of computer parts using my student loan money, and the f'ing thing won't even boot; it shuts down after two seconds. At first I thought the motherboard was at fault, so I had it replaced. The new motherboard doesn't make a difference. I tried booting the new motherboard with just the cpu, video card, and ram, but no dice. Next, I tried using different ram; still no sign of life. I then removed the video card but kept the ram, still nothing. I also tried booting with ram but no video card. Should I try booting it with just the cpu and motherboard?

With the old motherboard, I would sometimes hear a long beep before it would shutdown. Other times, I would hear nothing, depending on where the memory was installed. I thought the ram might be causing the problem, but the other ram I tried is good and it didn't make a difference.

I'm guessing the cpu is bad and maybe the ram. The cpu is not chipped, cracked, or burnt, but maybe it was doa. I really have no idea what the problem is. I've spent the last three weeks trying to get this system up and running with no success. I'm having beginners curse. God hates me.

All help is greatly appreciated.

-Sean

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20-220-006 DDRAM 2x512MB|PDP 64x64 PC3200 RTL
(Serial#: 0C1DUU0700000AN) 1 $183.07 $183.07

22-144-359 HD 300GB|MAXTOR 6B300S0 SATA%
(Serial#: B613CWKH) 1 $188.00 $188.00
This item is serviced by the Maxtor, Please call 800 262 9867 for service. Web: www.maxtor.com.

21-152-005 FDD 1.44MB NEC|FD1231H-302 OEM BLK
(Serial#: JA2L486B4165) 1 $7.50 $7.50

19-103-498 CPU AMD 64 |3500+ ATHLON 939P 90 RT
(Serial#: 1186355A50146) 1 $280.00 $280.00
For Retail AMD processor, please call 408 749-3060 for service after first 30 days. For OEM AMD processor, we will service for 30 days only. Please verify the Processor matches your order Prior To installation. IMPORTANT: Always pack your CPU well for return. We will refuse your RMA if we received it as DAMAGED!

13-136-152 MB DFI|NF4 LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D
(Serial#: D50402425) 1 $152.00 $152.00
DFI (510)-623-5010

17-104-152 PSU OCZ|OCZ520ADJ 520W RT
(Serial#: 0A6LNC0700000AQ) 1 $140.00 $140.00
For Tech support call: 408 986 8400 or email support@ocztechnology.com

24-001-166 MNTR SMSNG|19"CRT 997DF-T/T SBB-Q
(Serial#: LE19HCGXB01981) 1 $185.99 $185.99
27-152-035 DVD+/-RW 16x|NEC ND-3520A BK W/O SW
(Serial#: 5028695370517) 1 $59.99 $59.9

Lian Li PC-7APlus Silver 840556060666 1 109.95
Aluminum w/ Window
(Shipped)

Swiftech Waterblock for 840556037255 1 39.95
K8, Model "MCW6000-64"
(Shipped)

SPECIALS: Swiftech 840556037248 1 145.95
H20-120 Extreme Duty
Liquid Cooling Kit Rev. 3
(Shipped)

Swiftech MCW50 (VGA water 840556007807 1 37.95 Color = Black
block)
(Shipped)

PcToys Arctic Silver 5 840556003052 1 5.95
(Shipped)

ArctiClean kit /60ml Kit 840556003069 1 5.95
includes 30ml ArctiClean
1 and 30ml ArctiClean 2
(Shipped)

Serial ATA Cable 18in 840556028161 1 3.95
Silver

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Seeing you have watercooling, perhaps you spilled cooling liquid and fried some components. Check that there are no standoffs under the motherboard, where there is no corresponding hole for a screw in the mobo itself.
Check that the 4-pin P4 cable is plugged into the mobo. Check that all fans are running. With watercooling your CPU probably has no fan attached to the motherboard-cpufan-standoff. This may prevent the PC from booting. Just attach any fan to that standoff.

 

[Phantasm66]

What happens if you boot it just conventional cooling (as was posted above) just CPU and RAM and graphics card? Have you swapped out PSU? Its something pretty fundamental, like bad chip or bad PSU, bad RAM. Maybe its a faulty power supply.

 

[citiz3n]

Responses to everyone's comments

Thanks so much for the responses. It feels good just to share my plight with others.

In response to realblackstuff's comments, I had a leak with the original motherboard but I fixed it before I recieved the new motherboard. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "standoffs underneath the motherboard." I have 6 motherboard standoffs holding the motherboard in place; there are a few holes on the motherboard that wouldn't clamp down with standoffs because it's too high off the ground. The P4 power connector is plugged in, as well as the 24-pin power connector. Also, a fan is plugged into the cpu fan socket.

Regarding Phantasm66's comments, the psu works fine when tested with an ATX PSU Tester. I tried using conventional cooling before but I can't remember if all I had plugged in was the ram and video card. I will give that a try. I'm almost positive either the ram or cpu is bad, or maybe both. How can I isolate the problem? Can I boot the motherboard without a cpu? How about without ram?

Thanks so much for everyone's help. Let's keep the momentum going!

-Sean

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Test memory with memtest86 from www.memtest86.org. It needs a floppy or burn it onto a bootable CDR. Then run each emeory chip separate, as well as together, through a few cycles.

Sounds like the mounting plate has built-in standoffs for some holes. You need to screw the missing ones in yourself. You may have cracked the mobo, when e.g. pushing in RAM.

 

[gwhite]

Not long ago I had a customers computer on the bench with the same problem. Only this system did run previously. I checked everything. The fans would start for about 2 seconds and then stop. The power light would glow as if all was well. The power supply tester I had said all was well. After swapping ram, cpu, video, it turned out to be a faulty power supply. I guess it wasn't supplying proper voltages. The tester saw that there was voltage and passed it. New power supply in, power supply tester out to garbage. You might try to borrow a power supply to try before you keep on spending cash.

 

[Jamz]

:dead: You know, I'm having the exact same problem!?

I had a ASUS A7N8XE-Deluxe w/AMD 2600+ that just went dead, powered up but no BIOS or Beeps. It was time for upgrade so I did (another story).

My Wife had a AMD 1.6 w/512 ram so I gave her my OLD 1gb of ram and replace the Geforce 256 with my OLD Geforce MX 4200.

All was good for a couple weeks, then BAM, no power on HER PC now! (Fans go on, no bios or beeps).

I swapped mem & vid, no dice. I figured, MAYBE my AGP vid was bad and burned her MB out (and maybe was the cause of my MB death) so I ordered a new ASUS A7N8X-X MB, put in the 2600+, no dice AGAIN! Same thing, fans, no bios/beeps.

Next, bought a new Antec 400 true power PSU, plug it in, nope, now I get what you get, CPU/Vid Fans go on for 2 secs, then powers down...

I put the CPU in the OLD ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe MB, same thing with new PSU. Tried 1.6 CPU (wife's old MB) with new PSU, fan goes on and stays on but no bios/beeps/vid.

What's next?!? What dies more often? Am I looking at just two Dead CPU's? It's the only thing left to try and replace...

-Jamz

 

[citiz3n]

Eureka

I figured it out. I was using the motherboard standoffs as regular screws to attach the motherboard directly to the case. There were no motherboard standoffs underneath the board, therefore the motherboard was touching the case. Luckily, I didn't fry any of my hardware. I'm a lucky yet stupid *****. Why don't they mention anything about standoffs in any manual? Am I just supposed to know these things?

I really appreciate everyones help. It means a lot.

-Sean

 

[Mr.MuFf]

If you made it:

Get a techy to remake it

If a techy made it:

Get that techy to remake it or make him fix it......if he doesn't demand your money back OR get another techy to remake it and charge the person who made your computer

well thats how we'd do it in Aus! harsh...yes...but effective

 

[RealBlackStuff]

They DO make manuals for a reason, and the mobo DOES come with standoffs.