No boot

[PGit]

I've been building up a PC (the first time I have attempted it) and it doesn't want to boot. The CPU fan spins, the hard drive spins up and the lights come on but nothing seems to get through to the monitor. All i get is a black screen.

I thought it was probably the graphics card but i tried it with another and that didn't work either, the RAM seems to be fine so I'm guesing either mother or CPU. However I have heard that if the hard drive starts then the CPU is working, is this true?

The specs are
motherboard PCchips M848a
AMD Duron 800mhz
2*128 DDR SDRAM
HD
Floppy
CD-ROM
300watt psu

Oh and merry Yuletide.

[amigaoneproductions]

Hi PGit,

The first thing to do is simplyfy the setup as much as possible,  i.e. only have plugged in what is absolutley essential to get a boot and work up from there.

Remove all cards except for a video card (unless the video is on-board,  in which case remove all cards)

You do not even need any drives attached, as you will see the BIOS screen if you can get the machine to start up.


Just have some memory and the processor installed and see what happens.  Then work your way up from there.

Good luck

[dawiper]

Do you hear any beep codes?

Edit: Your hard drive will spinup with only the molex(power) connected. Doesn't even need a mobo to get the hd started.

[blobrana]

Hum,
monitor brightness?

Memory in the right slots? (try just one)

[PGit]

Thanks for your replies

I have now tried it with just the cpu, memory and graphics card installed and still nothing on the screen (monitor does  work though) no writing or anything.

It doesn't make any beeps though it is capable of doing as it beeped when I tried the boot up without the video card.

[Doobrey]

If your motherboard has onboard video, double check that it's disabled, or try hooking the monitor upto it to see there's any output from that (Happened to me once on a cruddy old PCChips board !)
 Also, make sure the memory is seated properly. Sometimes you really have to push it hard and the motherboard sounds like it's gonna crack. I found the best way is to take the motherboard out of the case and lay it on a piece of thick cardboard (to stop the backside from scratching the desk) and push hard.
 Finally, try clearing the BIOS settings, it's possible something got fscked up at the factory and some bad settings are stopping it booting.

[dawiper]

Here's the link to your manual:
http://www.pcchips.com.tw/PCCWeb/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?MenuID=24&LanID=0&DetailID=251&DetailName=Manual

First you should try to reset the cmos: See chapter 2, page 11(page 33 in adobe reader).

It might be a stupid quiestion, but do you have a heatsink and fan on the cpu? If not, your cpu is now dead.

If yes, did you install it?
1: If yes, did you put it on the right way? Most socket a coolers can only be mounted one way.
2: If yes, you should try removing it. Clean the TIM(if any) of the core and look for cracks on the cpu itself, Those socket A amd chips are extremly easy to break when installing the heatsink. Look on the corners of the core.

If you spot cracks, the cpu might be dead...

Not sure if any of this will help, but I wrote it because I don't know how much you know about the pc.

Explaination of the AMI bios beep codes:
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/amibeep.htm

[Markus_Bieler]

I had once the same problem. My fault was, that I used a AGP-graphikcard and the bios was set to PCI.

Markus

[blobrana]

@Markus_Bieler
So you had to put in a PCI card to see and change the bios?

[Markus_Bieler]

@blobrana
So you had to put in a PCI card to see and change the bios?

Yes. But I had an old Expertcolor 3d lying around.