Upgraded Hardware Won't Boot to Bios

[RGAR]

I definitely need help from the Troubleshooting Gurus in this forum.

Background: I am attempting to upgrade a desktop computer with a new Motherboard, CPU, Memory and Video card while reusing the existing case, power supply (500W), hard drives (2 x 250GB ATA133) and optical drives (IDE). This machine is used for photo editing, web browsing, light MS-Office applications and email. No gaming at all.

The New Components: Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L (version 1); CPU - Intel Core2Duo E6750; Memory - Corsair PC6400 DDR2, 2 x 1GB sticks; Video card - EVGA GeForce 7200GS PCI Express, 256MB; SATA / RAID Controller card with IDE header.

Build Process: Using static protection procedures, mounted the new Mobo to the case tray, added the CPU & fan, installed memory in the paired slots, connected the front panel switches and indicator lights, connected case fans, connected internal speaker, connected power supply and attached the optical drive ribbon cable to the IDE header. Checked all connections were tight and verified polarity. Mounted Mobo tray to chassis and installed Video card and Raid/IDE header card and attached the hard drive ribbon cable to the IDE header on this card.

Troubleshooting Process: On intial power up, no POST. Case lights and fans function, CPU fan spins, Optical drives start briefly, but not beeps or video. However, the hard drives do not spin and the HDD case light is on solid. Cycled the power, but no change.

Removed the hard drive ribbon cable from the RAID card IDE header and restarted. Hard drives spin, but no beeps or video.

Removed the optical drive ribbon cable from the Mobo IDE header and replaced with HDD cable. Restarted - no beeps or video.

Removed the RAID card and restarted. No beeps or video.

Removed the HDD ribbon cable from the Mobo IDE and restarted. No beeps or video.

Reversed the internal speaker connection just in case the polarity was wrong. No beeps or video.

Removed one memory stick. No luck. Replaced it with the other stick. No luck.

I am thinking Video card problem or Mobo problem. My old video card is AGP so I can't put it in to test the Video portion but the monitor reports that the video card is connected, just not sending a signal. Possbily jumping to conclusions, I read through the 10 Steps to BIOS Start and other threads in the forum and tried a BIOS reset on the Mobo. Removed battery and installed the reset jumper. No beeps, no video.

So, here I am with the main family computer in pieces and no idea what to try next. Does anyone have some advice that would save me from the looming dinner-table tribunal?

[Babrbarossa]

Got any other memory sticks that you can try?

[cdn_Madrach]

When you connected the power to the mobo did you make sure to connect both main connection and the 4 pin? Just a thought. If it's not the power supply then it's posiible your mobo is doa Just my 2 cents.

[RGAR]

I don't have additional memory compatible with this board. If I remove all memory should I get a beep code?

[RGAR]

Madrach - Good question about the power supply. My current power supply has a 2x12 connector (total 24 pins) which fit the ATX connector on the board. But I did NOT connect a 4-pin power connector to the board in the other location. When I read the book it was a little confusing and appeared that the 4-pin was not needed when the main connector was a 2x12 pin, only when the main connector was a 2x10 pin. Therefore I concluded that I only needed the 24 pin connection. My old Mobo only had the 2x10 power connector and no secondary 4 pin

On re-reading that section of the manual, one could interpret that both the 24 pin and 4 pin connections are needed. I will try that and let you know what happens. Should there be only a single square 4-pin connector coming out of the power supply? If there are many, does it matter which one I use? If it matters, how do I select the correct one?

[3.0charlie]

The main ATX connector used to have 20 pins. Now the new ATX version has 20+4 pins in 2 connectors coming from the same wire harness. And on those new boards, you need to connect a secondary 4 pin connector (2+2 pins), coming from the PSU.

[Eldonko]

Connect that other 4 pin, it's the 12v and you need it. Should work after that.

[3.0charlie]

Is your PSU ATX 2.0 compatible? That means it must have a main harness with a 20+4 pins connector and a second harness with a 4 pins connector (2+2 pins).

John

[RGAR]

Success! I plugged in the 4-pin power connector and was able to POST and then boot to the BIOS. Many thanks for the assistance in diagnosing the problem; it's clear I came to the right place!

Are you up for another newbie question? How does one capture the output from the POST so that it can be read? When the unit turns on, I can ask for the POST screen by pressing the TAB key when the BIOS splash screen appears. However, the POST output to the screen appears and is gone again in less than 1 second preventing me from learning anything from it. Is there anything in the POST output that I can't see in the BIOS menu itself? I am trying to figure out what the POST is detecting related to the IDE card I installed.

[DurkaDurka]

Originally Posted by RGAR

Success! I plugged in the 4-pin power connector and was able to POST and then boot to the BIOS. Many thanks for the assistance in diagnosing the problem; it's clear I came to the right place!

Are you up for another newbie question? How does one capture the output from the POST so that it can be read? When the unit turns on, I can ask for the POST screen by pressing the TAB key when the BIOS splash screen appears. However, the POST output to the screen appears and is gone again in less than 1 second preventing me from learning anything from it. Is there anything in the POST output that I can't see in the BIOS menu itself? I am trying to figure out what the POST is detecting related to the IDE card I installed.

Press the delete button while posting, that will bring you into the BIOS. Once you are in the bios, go into startup, disable the splash screen, save and exit. When it boots now, you will be able to see the post for a couple seconds longer. Any info about the IDE card should be available to you in the BIOS.