Here's a problem for you

[Nooyawkah]

Here's a problem for you. I was helping a friend build his first computer. We put all the parts together, made him a plexi window, added a cold cathode, loomed the wires and, ack! no video.

The lights work, the fans spin, the CPU is level and we used Arctic Silver 3. I plugged it into his new Sony LCD and nothing happened. I tried my monitor and also NG. I took out the video card and put in a different one and still nothing on the screen.

We stopped by my local computer repair shop and even though he was closing in a half hour he told us to bring the machine in. He tried both cards, his monitor, took out the modem and put it back, same with sound card, same with harddrive. Every once in a while it would boot up and he'd add another component. Then it wouldn't boot up. After 45 minutes he wanted to go home for the weekend. I never wanted to see the computer again so I left it there 'till Monday.

I'm sure he'll fix it somhow, but I've been mulling ideas around in my head: bad mobo, bad hdd, bad PS, I shorted something. What do you think?

If it helps, here are the components: ABIT KR7A (no RAID), Athlon XP 1800+, 512 DDR 2100 Crucial RAM, Radeon 64mg 7000, Sound Blaster 5.1 Live, Generic Win Modem, Lite On 48x CDRW, Maxtor 40GB, 7200 hdd, Evercool CUD 725 Cooler (I used the cooler for a week then gave it to him, it was perfect).


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[Reid]

Is the power supply adequate? I just put an 1800 XP system together and one instruction recommended a power supply capable of 3.3V @ 25A, 5V @ 25A, and 12V @ 15A. Fortunately, I had already bought a 480W power supply. It wasn't overkill as I had one time thought.

[Nooyawkah]

Wait a minute, maybe I've had brain lock. Could a screw left under the mobo, that does't match the holes, be the culprit? I might have done that but I can't get access to the machine until Monday. If so, it wouldn't cause permanent damage, would it (he asks hopefully)?

Antec True Power 430 (a good one)

[Fruss Tray Ted]

What it's shorting out.

You're gonna have a hard time sleeping tonight aren't you? :D

Read my sig...

[Reid]

Originally posted by Nooyawkah
it wouldn't cause permanent damage, would it (he asks hopefully)?


It could.

[YODA74]

very interesting

Could a screw left under the mobo, that does't match the holes, be the culprit

If it is just touching the board and not any silver or roadways or gold conntacts I wouldn't think this is it?
But it is possable but it seems it would have shorted the Board.And you would not be getting any boot ups
v

Every once in a while it would boot up and he'd add another component. Then it wouldn't boot up.

Your getting intermitent pwr ups, I would have to lean twoards something with the psu is the psu connector attatched pretty solid?
You would be surprised to find out what kind of problems a psu can cause things you would not expect could even be related.

I would take all the {pardon the expression}Crap out, and start again and make sure the darn thing worked before hot rodding and looming wires and adding cathodes,and windows(which may have or may be the prob.)

The Pc has to walk before it can run But anyway start from the basics before this costs more than it is worth. just my 1/2 cent worth


And before you go off just becouse the psu is an antec(good one) does not mean it does not have prob.There just like anything else in Production they do get lemons once in a while.

[Nooyawkah]

Thanks to all for help and suggestions. The problems were:
1. An extra metal thingy under the mobo that was NOT connected to a screw.
2. A dead video card.

Screw removed, card exchanged for same and is fine, and as an aside, replaced cheap modem with 3COM hardware modem.