New system boot up problem

[zenofeer]

I just recently homebuilt a new system. I loaded Windows '98 and all necessary drivers, etc. with no problems. I rebooted many times with no problems. I got the computer home and tried to boot it up and the power supply (set at 115) would come on for maybe 3 seconds then shut itself off. I switched the setting on the back from 115 to 230 and then the power supply came on and stayed on, but the system wouldn't boot. There was no "startup beep" but the LED indicators on the motherboard were lit to show that the system was working properly and loading the operating system. I tried using a different outlet, different power cord, booting from Win98 startup floopy and nothing works. Why did it work with no problems and then less than an hour later refuse to boot up? Could this be a power supply problem?
Thank you for any ideas!
-jennifer

[Randy_tx]

YIKES.........115 is the ONLY setting that will work in the US !!! I dont know what happened to the PS when you changed it to 230, but it cant be good. If you are plugging it in through a "power strip" I've seen them create problems before by not delivering the correct voltage to the powersupply. Try (with it set to 115) powering it up directly to a power outlet and the monitor plugged in direct as well (was it the same monitor when it worked?).

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"As hard as a rock & dumb as a brick"...Windows CEMeNT

[zenofeer]

"Try (with it set to 115) powering it up directly to a power outlet and the monitor plugged in direct as well (was it the same monitor when it worked?)."

I did try it to plug it directly into the wall outlet and the monitor is a different monitor, but I still don't get the initial 'beep' when I booted it up, so I don't think it is a monitor problem. I will stay away from 230 now that I know. What kind of problems could that have caused?

[Reid]

I don't think you hurt the power supply by having it set to 230V for a short time. It sounds like the power supply is responding to an over-current condition, possibly a short circuit, and the power supply protection circuit is turning itself off. It is possible that in the 230V position, the lower output voltage reduced the current below the trip point.

Check to see if you have any threaded metal mounting posts in the wrong location under the board, and that the fiber washers are used on top of them. Also look for any wires rubbing against sharp metal edges. A complete tear-down and rebuild might be a good idea, then put it back together with just the motherboard, CPU, and power supply and see if the power stays on. If it does, then power down and add one piece of hardware at a time and turn it on again to possibly isolate a bad device. A switching power supply needs to see a specified minimum load, so that is why I think the CPU should be plugged in.

Does the CPU have an adequate heatsink properly installed? An overheated CPU could be a possiblity.

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reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME

[This message has been edited by Reid (edited 02-21-2001).]