Help With New Computer

[brucealmighty00]

Ok I went to CompUSA yesterday and bought Gsome parts to build a computer. Here are my specs:

Gigabyte P4 Titan Series 865PE Motherboard
Maxtor DiamondMax 10 100GB Hardrive
Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.40GHz
NEC 16X DL DVD+R/RW DVD Burner
GeForce MX4000 128mb PCI Graphic Card
2 PC3200 256 MB RAM
and a 300 Watt Power Supply that came with the case

Now here's the problem. When I have the switch for 115/230 on 115 the computer starts but shuts back down in about 2 seconds. When I put it on 230 the computer starts up and the lights turn on and fans start spinning but the monitor won't turn on. I'm positive everything is connected correctly and I'm almost positive the problem is the Power Supply is to weak. So is that whats wrong with it or is there something else.

[Rick]

the 115/230 is for VOLTS
the US has 120 volts system
So don't put it on anything but 115

Then we can start working on the shutdown.

[brucealmighty00]

Well it's on 115 now, but it still does that quick power on and then it goes back off.

[saphalline]

Bundled PSU's (the ones that come with cases) are often total $#^*!! Not to mention that 300W is extremely borderline with that set-up. I'd say 350W minimum, 400W or more recommended.

Go back to CompUSA and get yourself a nice Antec 350W or higher and test that. Double-check to see the return policy on it before you plunk down the cash. Afterall, you bought all that hardware from them, and you're just trying to get it to work.

[brucealmighty00]

Thanks. I thought that's what the problem was. I'm going to go buy another power supply and if that doesn't work then I'll try something else.

[pangea33]

I always assumed that selecting the wrong voltage setting for an electronic device, could possibly destroy it. Selecting 230v in the US would result in not enough power, but it would seem that choosing 115v in the UK might be fatal.

I would have expected Saphalline to say something if this thinking were correct. Am I just missing something? In any event, it doesn't seem like this sort of thing is a good habit to get into.

[brucealmighty00]

Well, I had it on 115 the first time when it started doing that. So, I changed it to 230 and it would power up but nothing happened, so now it's back on 115 and it still does the same thing.

[saphalline]

Yes, setting the voltage setting to the wrong one is usually fatal. But if there was no smoke or fire, I think the hardware survived. In fact, yesterday I saw something I didn't think possible. My brother, in his haste, connected an optical drive to a computer without shutting it down first! :eek: Windows was up and running and everything! But... no shorts, no smoke, no fire. Maybe it was just the fact that it was Xmas ;) but I've never seen a system not get fried from something like that.

As long as there's no indication of damage, I say the hardware is fine. Just don't do that again.

[brucealmighty00]

Well that's good because I didn't see any smoke or a fire, so I think I'm safe.

[brucealmighty00]

Well, I went and bought a new Power Supply "Antec 500W" but now it turns on if i hit the power switch twice, but when I do I still don't get an image on the screen. Is there just something wrong with the motherboard?

[saphalline]

There could be. Can you test the other parts to make sure they work? Replacing parts can be a time-consuming process.

[brucealmighty00]

Ok, well I got a replacement motherboard and everything is working now, but I have another problem. I have a PCI graphic card and the motherboard doesn't have integrated graphics, so I can't get it to recognize that I have a PCI card, and I can't see anything on the monitor.