New build won't power up.

I just assembled a new box ... but it fails to power up. CPU and case fans function, but the hard drive doesn't power-up/spin and I can't even eject the DVD-RW drive door.

 

I'm using a new TX850M power supply. How should I reasonably proceed with troubleshooting? I provided all personal hardware details when I registered for the forum, but I'm not sure that others can see them. I can re-specify if needed. Thanks in advance for any quality input.

 

In the way of background, my original computer was an IBM PC ... no hard disk drive, but with four 5¼" (full height) floppy disk drives (purchased from Computerland, in the winter of 1981). Since then (and over the 17 years immediately following) I've assembled hundreds of units professionally, including 386, 486, then Pentium CPU CAD workstations — but nothing within these last fifteen years.

That sounds more like a dead MB than anything. If the PSU wasn't powering up none of your fans would be on.

 

I would double check all your connections,especially the EPS connector that powers the CPU.

 

Are you getting any error beeps from the MB?

Thanks for our reply.

 

No error beeps from the motherboard.

(I've joined an ASRock support forum and initiated a support thread for this problem.)

 

The 24-pin connector that provides power to the motherboard feels and looks firmly seated. I find it particularly interesting that there is power for the fans, but yet my 2TB hard disk doesn't spin.

You referenced the "EPS connector that powers the CPU." That's new to me — in the past there was no psupply connector for specifically powering the CPU. Attempting to identify the proper psupply connector and pin-set on the mboard,

 

• The power supply has an 8-pin cable (2x4) whose connector is labeled CPU.
  
• The Corsair website Tech Specs references the 8-pin connector as EPS. No CPU tag reference is made.
  
• There is no User Manual (PDF) for the TX850M power supply on the Corsair website (that I can find). There is one for the TX850 V2, however. That manual references an 8-pin cable+connector as EPS12V CPU Cable (8-pin).
  
• The ASRock motherboard has an 8-pin connector referenced in the user manual as ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1).
  

The seemingly inconsistent labeling is confusing. Are these all varied tags all referencing the same connection that I must make to correct the nonfunctioning system? I certainly don't want to make a power assignment error here. Thanks for clarifying.

next too your cpu is a 8 pin socket some have a cover over 4 of them, you have an i7 therefore you remove the cover and insert the 8 pin cpu power from the power supply, and the EPS is for the cpu some just say cpu on them and some say EPS

Thanks so much for your helpful and timely reply, jhawn.

The 8-pin connector snapped in place like a glove. After 1) plugging the power cord into the TX850M power supply, 2) turning the psupply ON using its rocker switch, then 3) pressing the case power button ... nothing different happened. I double checked to make sure that the power switch was properly connected to the motherboard.

 

Hints?

Ideas?

just for my own reference you do have the dvd drive and hard drive connected with the sata power cables from the psu yes? cause if the cpu fan is coming on and all the other fans then the problem must be in the hard drive and dvd drive. will it boot up too let you see the motherboard bios? the bios will come up even with out a hard drive but if you can get too the bios it will show you if it detected the hard drive and dvd then you will know for sure if they are either bad or not connected somehow. both units need a power cable from the psu and a cable from the motherboard

just for my own reference you do have the dvd drive and hard drive connected with the sata power cables from the psu yes? cause if the cpu fan is coming on and all the other fans then the problem

I have to disagree with this. If the CPU fan is spinning and it's still not posting, I'm betting on a DOA MB. It's either that or the CPU. I'm not ruling out a bad HDD, just dont think that is the issue.

 

But just for further testing purposes, i would remove all the memory except for one stick in the first slot and see if it will POST then. If not I would contact ASrock and ask them about this, but i dont see any issues with the PSU or HDD.

 

The other thing you could try is to see if there is a BIOS update for the board ad update it if necessary. But that you would at least need to get into the BIOS to see what version you have

 

Also try starting the machine using the on board power switch on the MB instead of the case button.

 

The power supply has an 8-pin cable (2x4) whose connector is labeled CPU.

The Corsair website Tech Specs references the 8-pin connector as EPS. No CPU tag reference is made.

They are one and the same. And the ATX 12v would be for a dedicated video card.

 

Does your MB have a speaker? Does it give you any sort of error beeps when attempting to start. That would really help. The beeps would at least point you in the direction of the failing parts.

this is why i also asked the op if it will post the bios screen so he can see if it shows the drives as he has yet too say if the bios is up, reason i thought maybe bad hdd or not plugged into psu is the op said the drive is not spinning and with a bad motherboard the drive will still spin if it has power.

just for my own reference you do have the dvd drive and hard drive connected with the sata power cables from the psu?

Yes ... powered directly by the TX850M power supply connectors.

I've edited this post, removing the bulk of it's former content. I'll add a post later this morning after I test all new components individually using a borrowed computer.

 

Thanks for your continued willingness to help troubleshoot.

I pulled the new components from the Bitfenix Merc Case, then did some logical testing. In cases 1 and 3 drives were properly connected to the power supply. In all cases the motherboard was properly hooked-up to the 24 or 20-pin ATX psupply connector and the 8 or 4-pin CPU-pwr psupply connector.

 

Test 1

new: AS Rock mboard w/CPU and single memory module

new: Corsair TX850M power supply

new: Seagate 2TB hard disk drive

new: Samsung 22x SATA DVD-RW drive

used: LG E2350V display

• No POST
  
• HD doesn't spin
  
• Power supply fan doesn't spin
  
• No beeps (speaker plugged into motherboard)
  
• CPU fan functions
  
• No image on monitor
  

 

Test 2

used: NMB power supply from functioning Sony VAIO

new: AS Rock mboard w/CPU and single memory module

used: LG E2350V display

• No POST
  
• No beeps (speaker plugged into motherboard)
  
• CPU fan functions
  
• No image on monitor

I then reinstalled the NMB power supply back into the Sony VAIO ... and it booted up with no issues.

 

Test 3

used: functioning Gateway computer

new: Seagate 2TB hard disk drive

new: Samsung 22x SATA DVD-RW drive

used: LG E2350V display

• Boots without problem
  
• HD spins great
  
• DVD drive recognizes power and drawer ejects just fine
  

 

In view of the fact that I've never experienced a bad Intel CPU (in hundreds of new-builds), I suspect that both the motherboard AND the power supply are toast.

 

What do you think?

I really think it's just the MB. the only thing to fail in tests 1&2 are just the MB. Two different PSu and the same results.

Thanks peanutz94.

 

Note, however, that whenever the new Corsair TX850M power supply is employed, the hard disk drive AND the DVD drive fail to respond.

Does the PSu start if you run the paper clip test? Make sure you connect a couple of case fans and maybe an HDD drive to it while it is disconnected from the MB completely, and make sure it starts.

 

If it does and the case fans spiins then you have your answer either way.

 

Let us know how you make out.

I don't know anything about a "paper clip test." I'll have to look into that.

 

I edited my 3-test post above to indicate that whenever the Corsair TX850M was in the loop, its fan never rotated when power was applied. Additionally, there are no error code beeps from the new ASRock mboard when a speaker (just purchased this morning) is attached directly to the motherboard.

Try this first

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=63991

If the unit fails to start and keep a couple of case fans running, then yes have the unit replaced.

I performed the paperclip test yesterday. Flipping the power supply's switch resulted in no hard disk drive spin, and the psupply fan didn't operate.

 

I'm still not sure about the motherboard. My Test 2 indicated to me that the board was dead since there were no beeps ... but that's before I purchased the motherboard speaker (I was using headphones). This morning I'm going to re-test motherboard using the power supply from the VAIO, install a single memory module, and attach the mboard speaker.

I performed the paperclip test yesterday. Flipping the power supply's switch resulted in no hard disk drive spin, and the psupply fan didn't operate.

If all you had connected to the PSU was one HDD it mprobably wasn't enough of a load for the power supply to sense. I would also add a couple of case fans too if you can still do that. The fan should spool up for a few seconds and then shut back off or spin real slow and the case fans should start.

 

I apologize if you already did that. I just wanted to make sure you had enough of a load to start the PSU and have it turn out that the PSU was fine after all. Jus t trying to cover all bases. If it STILL fails to start , then i would have it replaced either by returning back to your reseller or using the lin on the left to request an RMA.

 

Also it may be a good idea to use a separate cable to plug the hard drive and fans too.

 

I'm still not sure about the motherboard. My Test 2 indicated to me that the board was dead since there were no beeps ... but that's before I purchased the motherboard speaker (I was using headphones).

Yeah, if the board is dead the sound card doesn't work either. The MB speaker is on a totally different circuit.

Thanks for the feedback. As far as I can tell, case fans don't have the right type con connector to hook directly to the power supply. Are you suggesting that I match them upm to connectors on the motherboard? Thanks.

As far as I can tell, case fans don't have the right type con connector to hook directly to the power supply. Are you suggesting that I match them upm to connectors on the motherboard? Thanks.

No, don't hook anything to the MB. Just connect the HDD and fans directly to the PSU.

From what I gather your fans only have a 3 or 4 pin connection and you don't have any molex adapters..

 

If you have anything else you could connect, even the dvd drive too and anything else you can connect directly to it.