PC cutting off after 3-4 sections...

[MR. HT]

OK so we have a problem.

I just got everything hooked up (with new fans, an IFX-14, and new cold cathodes). I tried to turn it on and everything started up just fine. Fans started spinning, everything lit up. After about 3-4 seconds, everything shut down. Then 2-3 seconds later, everything started back up and then shut down again, this kept repeating in a cycles until I cut off the power supply. There is no post on the monitor.

I have no clue what is wrong...

Any ideas?

And I have no clue why I put 3-4 sections in the title, I meant 3-4 seconds...

[MR. HT]

Truthfully, right now I think it is a RAM issue. The LED's on the bottom of the RAM turn on but the LED's on the top don't turn on in the few seconds the PC is on. These LED's are supposed to come on and show that the RAM is processing but I never really checked to see how long it took for them to come on before the upgrades.

This is just an idea though, not really sure...

I'm kind of persuaded that this is not the problem because I'm getting no monitor post...

[Rick]

Time to try a bare bones
Startup
Disconnect EVERYTHING that is Not needed to boot the system

Only the CPU memory and video
Disconnect all the rest and boot

If it still fails to boot.
Remove and reseat the video card
If you want to start by removing all But one of the memory dimms
Reseat it as well

Remember
The Power Must be disconnected and the Power Button MUST be pressed before removing any Component

This will discharge any and all voltage stored in the capacitors
It should help prevent any static discharge damage

[MR. HT]

So basically I have to go into the nest behind the mobo tray and disconnect all the lights and fans and hard drives, etc. and then start it up...

Is this right or is there an easier way?

[Rick]

Disconnect the power to the drives at drives
The lights SHOULD NOT cause the problem.

BUT then again they may
So It shouldn't hurt to have them Connected.

What you need to do is find the failure cause.
memory?
Video?
Power?
Fans?
BTW. Do NOT disconnect the fans
Keep them running

[MR. HT]

Ok. I figured that but I blanked out when I made that post. How do I find what the problem is?

I really only have about 30-45 min. to figure out the problem and then I have to leave in the morning. I may have a little time in the afternoon but late tomorrow I am leaving and won't be home for 2 weeks...

I would like to get this sorted out before then if possible but I know this may be hard.

It would be great if you could just give me a step by step so that I can do it quickly in the morning and hopefully isolate the problem.

Also, does this sound like a serious problem? I am hoping it is just a minor error that can be corrected quickly and doesn't involve any expensive hardware malfunction considering this is a brand new PC...so what do you think it is? (just an educated guess, I know you probably can't pinpoint the problem...)

Another thing, I do have a lot of MOLEX connectors running together. Is it possible that I put too many together and overloaded this part of the PSU, causing the PC to shut down?

I really don't know, I'm just trying to throw some things out there...to tell you the truth, I'm kind of scared that I messed something up bad...

Anyway, thanks a lot in advance for the help, it really is appreciated!!!

HT

[MR. HT]

On another forum I was told that the heatsink could be on too tight (on the CPU). They also said that the mounting bracket could be too tight as well (to the point that it is touching one of the CPU capacitors and causing problems this way...

I don't know what to think of this analysis nor what to do about checking these issues. The Thermalright website said to tighten the spring loaded screws until they couldn't be turned without significant force and this is what I did...

How would I fix the problem if the mounting bracket is hitting a CPU capacitor. It seems to me like this would be Thermalrights problem because their website says that the heatsink will fit on the Rampage Formula.

It just seems like there are so many possibilities of the culprit of this problem, some serious and some not, that I don't know where to start.

I pray that it is not serious because I have put a lot of time, money, and effort into this PC just for it to have problems after a few weeks...but then again, you never know...

What do you think about the tightness issue and/or the capacitor issue?

[George Hallam]

What do you think about the tightness issue and/or the capacitor issue?

i have never heard of that problem before but i see what they are saying, but if u only hand tightened i don't think it should be such a problem.

Apart from modding the NB, did you do anything with the other main parts?

did u do a bare boot?

also something about cable management, because i have lots of fans i cut all the molexs off wired all the + together and all the - then attached them to a single molex its alot simpler and tidier

Edit: After re-installing everything did you reset the CMOS it u usually helps

[Rick]

You reduced the pressure when you lapped the heatsink and removed all the nickel coating

A number of things can cause this issue
a sensor, a power problem, a defective component, heat, or even having to much draw on One 12 volt rail
Especially if that is the rail supplying the cpu it's 12 volts


Hence the barebones boot

[MR. HT]

So what do I need to do?

I need to disconnect all the drives and what else? and then try to boot up the PC? What should I expect? I just need to know what I need to do and what the results should be...

Thanks in advance,

HT

[MR. HT]

Problem solved. I had plugged my memory card reader mobo connection into the wrong spot...not sure why I did that.

New thing, Vista is not showing up...

It wants me to reinstall it but I figured that since it should already be on the hard drive that this would not be neccessary...

Should I reinstall it or does this mean that I don't have the Velociraptor hooked up right?

For a little preview, I entered the BIOS and let it sit for about 20 min. and the CPU fluctuated between 15-16 C. Before the upgrades, after 20 min. in the BIOS, the CPU was sitting at 39 C. I take this as a pretty good improvement...

Thanks for all the help so far, it's just like me to make a stupid, minor mistake and make everyone here think so hard...

Anyway, after I get this Vista thing sorted out I will be ready to upload some pics of the upgrades, rebuild, and new and improved PC, but, you will have to wait a week, because I will be out of town...

Thanks for the help and I would love to hear some opinions on the VISTA issue ASAP because I will be able to fix that before I go...

Thanks,

HT

[Rick]

The Raptor may be connected to the wrong sata

Check the cable make sure it is connected to sata 1 and the others connected after that

Then check the boot order in the bios and make sure it is listed as first