slots not working

[kkb111]

I got a new motherboard and when I set it up, only the fans will turn on. The power supply is obviously working but nothing else will run.

I decided to try a floppy drive from the comp I'm using right now. Before I took it out of this comp, I decided to make a MSDOS startup disk, thinking maybe it MIGHT work..... but nothing. Nothing happens with the floppy at all, no lights no movement.

I have no video and no beeps so I have no clue as to where to go from here. As far as I can tell, none of the slots are working. It won't read anything I put in, including the video card (hence, no display!). I have a cd rom with all the motherboard's drivers on it, but since the CD drive won't do anything, I can't get any info onto the motherboard. I've tried 3 cd drives as well.... that's what leads me to thinking it's the actual SLOTS that don't want to cooperate.

It's not a great motherboard, just something I was working on for a family member to use for basicly word processing. Here's the exact motherboard I bought.

http://3btech.net/ask8so754maw2.html

I have the correct ram, I checked that 3 times now, I have the correct processor, I checked than numerous times as well.

I have tried to reset the BIOS and everything, still no display or disk drives working. Only the fans. I can't even tell if the reset worked because I don't have any display. Any ideas would be helpful in trouble shooting this problem. :) Thanks TONS!

[mjc]

Back up a bit...

I'm guessing you have the board installed in a case?

You have all the auxiliary power connectors connected?

Do you have any signs of life, without the RAM installed (beeps would be nice)?

What CPU?

[kkb111]

Yes, the board is installed into a case. No, there aren't any beeps at all... even when no ram is in place (I tried that thinking if I could just get some beeps it would be awesome). The processor is an Athlon 64 (3400).
I checked all the power connectors and they are in place (I know there's a larger one and a smaller on that's a 12v, right?). I read in another forum to make sure to install that 12v one correctly or it could disrupt or even short out the motherboard... but that wasn't the case, it is indeed in the right place.

I just wish I could get all the drivers installed somehow, it's frusterating.

[mjc]

OK...pull it from the case and try it with the board sitting on a piece of cardboard.

It looks like that CPU has been supported since the original BIOS version, so that shouldn't be a problem. Make sure that the heatsink is properlyu attached and that the fan spins up.

[kkb111]

Okay, so I just read the post, and I'm going to do that now. What would I do next?



PS, Thanks for resonding so quickly and helping a gal out. :)

[kkb111]

Alright, it's completly out of the case, laying on a piece of cardboard. I have only the power supply, graphics card (w/ monitor attached), and 2 sticks of ram in the motherboard itself.

[Sylvander]

A functioning internal speaker would be helpful.
Then if you Startup with all RAM removed and hear the waning beeps of the failure of the 1st RAM test, you'd know that the POST is starting, running, testing, warning [a good beginning].

Bare minimum that needs to be connected:
PSU, mobo, CPU+heatsink+fan, keyboard, internal speaker.
No video card or RAM needed to begin with.

If you think the on-switch is functioning, use it, otherwise short the pins on the mobo.

[kkb111]

I do not have a functioning on/off switch, hence no internal speaker... I will look around tonight to see if I can find one that will fit on this motherboard, there's bound to be something in my storage unit. I totally agree, any kind of a beep would probably help solve the mystery.
If I start it up without the video card, how will I know if it works or not?

btw, when I did start it up, I still had no response with video. Also, I can't remember if I mentioned, the fans do run, it seems to definitly have power, just no response from anything plugged into the slots. (I also tried a different power supply, just to rule that out).

What should I do next?

[Sylvander]

1. "I do not have a functioning on/off switch, hence no internal speaker"
Huh?
How does it follow [you used the work "hence"] that if you don't have a functioning switch you also won't have an internal speaker?

2. "If I start it up without the video card, how will I know if it works or not?"
The warning beeps would tell you the POST was doing its job.
[Doesn't need a video card for that; the video initialization comes AFTER the RAM tests]
Then you reconnect the video card and Startup, and there should still be RAM warning beeps.
[Connecting the video card isn't shorting the mobo, or otherwise causing NO POST]
Then you connect 1 stick of RAM to the 1st slot, and the RAM error warning beeps should no longer be produced, and...
IF there are no other POST test failures, you should hear a single short beep and the video card should be successfully initialized, produce output, and if properly connected to the monitor so that the monitor gets input...
You should see that signal from the video card produce some image on the monitor.

[shawnhenry]

With the pc powered *OFF* I would unplug the pci usb card and then plug it back into the *same* slot.

This is because slightly dirty contacts can cause all sorts of strange problems.

If you want to take it a step deeper, before plugging the card back in, clean the card's contacts with a typist's rubber pencil.

Take precautions against static electricity, by not touching any electronic components with any part of your body. What I do, is leave the power cable in and ground myself on the metal case.

If the fault persists, try moving the card to another pci slot.