motherboard shorting out

[tomascott]

My motherboard seems to be shorting out on something.

I have it out of the case at the moment on a wooden table hooked up to the PSU.

The CPU and chip fan's spin round a couple of times before the system dies.

I have tried to boot it with a video card in the motherboard. I have re-sat the CPU and tried the RAM in different slots.

If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly welcomed

[PrntRhd]

Start out doing a bare bones boot out of the case:
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=39685

Does it run when outside the case?

[ski]

In addition, check the MB's capacitors for any signs of leaking, bulging, or rupturing.
If they look ok, then reset CMOS either with a MB jumper(see MB's or computer's documents for the correct jumper), or by removing the CMOS battery for 1/2 hour.
If it still shuts down, then either the PS, MB, or CPU may be bad, and have to be either swapped out or shop tested to find the culprit.