hardware question for hardware knowing people

[drewson99]

I bought a new WD hard drive for my XP2100+ which is noted in my computer details.

I installed it (i have done this many times) and turned the computer on. Nothing happened. no fans moving, no noise, etc.

I made sure I didn't bump the power sw plug on the mobo. it was fine.

I took the front panel off to check the switch itself. nothing

I checked the voltage switch by the power switch, fine.

I checked the power switch, fine.

I tried another power cord, same thing.

I took EVERYTHING OUT but the MOBO and the RAM, no sound, no fans, etc.

I decided it must be the case or the power supply. so I carefully take out the MOBO and buy a new case/power supply with new cables, etc.

finally get it installed, turn on the power switch, hit the power button, NOTHING HAPPENS.

so I talk to a friend, and we figure, it must be the MOBO, maybe a trans. blew.

I go buy a new MOBO, install new RAM and re-install the CPU. I turn it on. NOTHING!!!!!

a few more things:

it isn't the MOBO jumpers, and I have tried many different outlets in my house.

anybody know what it could be at this point?

Andy

[Bob W]

Here is what I would try. Make sure the cpu is seated firmly and the cpu heatsink/fan is attached correctly and plugged in to the correct power connector on the motherboard. Re-seat or replace the memory chip/s with known good memory. Now disconnect all the hardware except for the primary hard drive. Finally you need to locate the "clear memory" jumper on the motherboard and then reset the cmos (be sure to put the jumper back to normal) and then see if the computer will fire up.

[drewson99]

i think buying a new MOBO and new RAM deals with most of that, but I will go try the jumpers right now.

one thing: shouldn't it power up without a HD attached? i know it won't "do" anything, but the fans should start etc right?

[Bob W]

i think buying a new MOBO and new RAM deals with most of that, but I will go try the jumpers right now.

one thing: shouldn't it power up without a HD attached? i know it won't "do" anything, but the fans should start etc right?

Yes it should fire up without the drive at least enough to get into bios. Also I had a new motherboard come with the cmos jumper set to clear and I spent a good hour messing around until I spotted it.

[drewson99]

not a jumper issue. I tried the clear CMOS and put it back the way it was, correct.

could a bad CPU cause this? I just figured that the power supply should at least spin its fan no matter what is going on elsewhere in the computer.

[Nelson37]

If you watch the fan, does the PS fan spin briefly when plugged in or switched on? Should do at least that if a dead short, which is what you have. Use jumper on MOBO switch, briefly, to take the case switch out of the equation, remove power cord to power off.

Definitely do NOT plug in ANY drives, especially the new one. Minimize the variables.

Speculation - If you have done everything carefully, then the only pre-existing part is the CPU, and that new drive. Either the drive shorted and took the CPU (unlikely), or took out the PS and that took out the CPU (possible), or your CPU choose that precise moment to die, which is most likely. BUT, if you can buy, or borrow, a new CPU for test, do NOT connect that new drive until you see it fire up the BIOS.

There is also the possibility that a screw dropped across a connector somewhere when installing the new drive, case switch fried, brass standoff got up and moved, etc. Try the MOBO outside the case, just PS, chip, chipfan, most but not all mobos will at least beep without RAM. then put in case, test, add drives and cards one by one.

[drewson99]

yeah, I did all that, checked all that, etc. and no, the fan doesn't twitch or anything, it is as if it is not even plugged in (it is)

I can only figure it is the CPU now, I am so fed up though that I am thinking of putting the lot up on eBay saying "I can't figure it out but maybe you can" kind of thing.

but I ain't a newbie. just can't stand the idea of taking it into a shop now that I have done so much process of elimination.

thanks for the help though.

[gmatov]

Drewson,
Try unplugging all the drives, leave in the CPU, RAM, video card, pull the reset wires off the header, make sure the "I" on the PS switch is rocked over, "The "O" is "OFF", and jumper the RESET pins on the header. It should start up. This "trains" the PS. I have had this problem several times, even with a new Antec 400 watt. I believe Antec may tell you this in the manual, but maybe not.
You can plug all the other stuff in, one at a time or all at once, no matter. Save all that other stuff. You now have the makings of a new 'puter, bar a few items.
BTW, a lot of new MBs don't actually have Clear CMOS jumpers. They have solder bumps to short. Clear CMOS is an option in BIOS called set to default.

[Nelson37]

Well, crap. Set to default does NOT, repeat NOT, clear the CMOS. It sets several parameters but does not completely clear the CMOS nor re-write ALL settings. You must short the chip to acheive this.

Are you sure you did not bend a pin on the CPU? Check it carefully. Hold it pin side up and scan down the rows for bent pins. I realize that could not have been the original problem, but it COULD be the current problem. You may be dealing with more than one issue, this is extremely common.

If you have a good PC shop nearby, try taking your CPU to them to bench-test. Will take about 5 minutes to install chip and fan on a bench-test rig, If you tell them you'll buy a new CPU if yours is bad they will probably do it for free.

Have you disconnected the IDE cables from the board? It is possible the cable was twisted during HD install, causing a short which would fit all subsequent symptoms - IF the cable was attached, with or without a drive.
This is one of the reasons you should disconnect EVERYTHING while troubleshooting such a problem.

[gmatov]

Drewson and Nelson,
Check your computer profile. You show a 2100 AND an 1800 AMD. The 2100 will fit in the 1800 machine, and if it fires up, you've eliminated that as the prob.
My local shop had no prob putting my burnt out CPU in their board, but not their CPU in my burnt out board until I said I'd pay for it if it burned that one up also. (Course their boss, when I saw him at a show said they were jerks, he'd of had no prob doing so.)
I am not positive but think "Set to default" does clear any changes you make to the BIOS.
There was another thread here recently about new computer won't start and his final solution wasa a badly seated CPU, reseat and it now runs, but with no bent pins, I don't know how you can seat poorly in a ZIF socket.

[Nelson37]

Removing CHANGES made to CMOS and CLEARING the CMOS are not the same thing. Not all CMOS settings are user-accessible.

Anyone who lets you take their new CPU and test it on a burnt, or possibly burnt, board without your agreeing to buy it if damaged is an idiot. Period.
Now, IF they have an older CPU laying around, that would serve to reduce the cost but it still has some value and they still risk destroying it. A bad board can kill a good CPU but a bad CPU is simply dead, never had one blow a board. SFAIK it is not possible.

[gmatov]

Nelson,
If you will look above, that is exactly what I said. They would try my CPU in their machine but would not do vice versa till I said grab a 1 gig Duron, about 60 bucks at the time, and if it burns out, I bought it.
Next point was that the owner of both that store and the other shop 30 miles away, whom I know much better than the part time help in the local shop/branch, said that he would have had no qualms putting his CPU in my machine, burnt board or no.
He does own 2 computer stores, and in my opinion is not dumb, so draw your own conclusion. To go a little further, in my burned out board, for my own satisfaction, I installed my new CPU, which I had just bought along with a new Gigabyte board (for which I paid too much, but it was my local store, between shows, and I do not like being without a fairly fast machine for long).. It did not burn out the CPU. True, it did not work, but it is still working in the machine in the next room.
I don't get your "not all CMOS srttings are user-accessible". If they are not user accessible, then how did you or they change, and why would you have to clear them? You screw the settings up. Not the machine. Restore to default will go to ROM, not to EPROM, the space you can write to with changes. You are back to factory config.
That's neither here nor there.
I'd like to know if Drewson has tried swapping his CPU into his old 1800 machine to see if the CPU works. Quicker than going to the local store and promising to buy their, probably, overpriced replacement. After all, I was charged 141 bucks, plus cooler, for a 1200 Athlon when the boxed version, with cooler, was 95 at the next show, at which I went to an 1800, then a 2000, and I don't know what the hell is this months spur of the moment thing. I think a 2800 means another board.
Ah, well, it's only money, but I do like to hear the eagle scream a little.

Regards

Christ, I hope he didn't burn out his board trying to swap the CPU into the 1800 box. Maybe he can't get on line.