I'm trying to build a comp from bits (I know, never a good idea )but i'm trying to help a friend who needs a cheap unit. Anyway, the problem is that I have set up the m/b, power supply, memory and graphics card on the bench but when i power up, get nothing on the monitor. i've tried connecting various hard drives from other units that i know are ok, but with no result. I've tried known good ram, known good graphics cards and even known good processors and have tried various speed settings for the processor. At start, the hard drive starts spinning but then nothing, the processor does begin to warm up but the system gets no further. I'm running out of ideas. I thought that the m/b may be suspect but i know it was working before being removed from its case.
I thought that i had assembled enough components to at least get a boot into bios? Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

m/b MSI ms5148 atx
16mb ram - 4 x 4mb ram (simms)
intel p166
creative blaster card

Mike T

Does the computer fan spin?
Get a voltmeter, dcv, put red on yellow, black on any blackk on the power wire that connects to the mobo. If its 11to 14 its all good.
Make sure to unhoook all drives, hd, cdroms,be4 yoiu measure the voltage.
also short the cmos jumper and try it,
another thing is to unconnect all drives, cdrom,,etc. and turn the power on and see if the cpu fan spins.


cards and even known good processors and have tried various speed settings for the processor

Does the processers you ve tried made for the motherboard? If youre not sure your in trouble. Also you have to select the corrrect voltages when you exchange processers,
Did you put a fan on the processer when you change them?
Did you put thermal grease, under the fan?
Post back and let us know the outcome
http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Sledgehammer will save the day!

I've just done a check on the connector pins on the back of the motherboard with the power supply running, with no drives connected and all give the correct voltages as indicated by the board manual. However, i did also check the cpu fan pin header and that only gave 8.25 volts instead of the expected 12v?
I've triple checked the cpu settings for all the cpu's i've tried both from the board and the manual but still no luck. As i've been swapping cpu's i havn't put on a fan, but to my knowledge, the cpu was only ever fitted with a large heat sink without fan. During these tests, the cpu barely got warm and would only warm up the heatsink if left on for 10min or more.
I'm totally out of ideas! is it possible that i've lost the bios for some reason? is this possible? and if so can i reflash if i can't boot?

Install just the power supply, MB, CPU, and system speaker, and place the MB on a piece of cardboard.
If you do not hear any beeps at startup, then suspect a MB problem.
If you hear beeps, install the memory. If the same beeps sound, replace the memory.
If different beeps sound, install the video card. If the same beeps sound, replace the video card.
If you hear a single beep, then the MB was getting grounded out. Make sure none screws are in contact with any of the MB circuitry by installing spacers.

Just tried m/b, power supply and cpu - not a squeak!! let alone a beep, so it looks as if the board may be faulty - shame as its the only socket 7 board i have laying around.
Thanks anyway for the info guys.
Mike T

The Mboard was working before being removed from the case....

Mmmmm. Some of the older Socket 7 Mboards had a jumper that had to be set for either AT or ATX power supply. It was J1 as I recall. Some of the boards weren't compatable with the MMX chip.

We're overlooking something and it's probably something simple. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

Luck.

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......Indecision may or may not be my problem......
...... Kickin' A Rock....

[This message has been edited by ranchdog (edited 11-29-2001).]