JohnCoogan
09-14-2009, 03:44 AM
I just completed my first build today and I'm having a few issues. For reference, these are the components I used:
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UDR3R ATX Motherboard
Intel Core i7 920
OCZ Gold 6GB DDR3 1600
XFX Radeon HD 4890
Corsair CMPSU-650TX Power Supply
Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler
Western Digital Caviar Black
After I finished putting all the hardware together, I tried to turn it on and got no output to my monitor (connected through a DVI cable to the video card), all the fans spun fine and lights turned on but, no POST whatsoever. Upon investigation I found a few problems, the most puzzling of which is as follows: The clips on the motherboard that keep the memory in place seem to be mismanufactured. I am positive I oriented the Ram correctly, and I have pushed it all the way down many times, but I can never get the ram clips to fully grip the ram in place. This is a very weird error and I'm not sure how to fix it. I don't know, but it seems to me as though my motherboard has different clips than in the picture on NewEgg. I don't know if this is possible, but I am guessing that I would need to send it back if this is the case. This is an enormous hassle for me because it took me all day to put the computer together and organize all the cabling. For clairfication, I do understand that ram is keyed to only go in one way and people often make the mistake of putting it in the wrong way, that's not what's happening here, the clips just don't fit.
A bigger problem is the fact that even when I lay the case horizontally the computer still fails to display anything what so ever. I have researched this and concluded that it's not my 2x4 12V power connector (which i made sure was connected correctly. The ram seems to be in snuggly, although the clips are not clicked fully in place still. I have tried 1 stick or all 3 in various positions after the recommended one failed.
One possible problem I have seen is the fact that as soon as the computer powers up, the "Phase LED" lights on the motherboard all turn on, (2 green, 1 Orange, 1 Red), I'm not sure but this might mean that the CPU is over heating. I believe that this motherboard in particular has only 4 lights, although the user's manual does not explain the meaning of the lights. If anyone knows if this is a possibility let me know.
My case is an Antec P193 so I don't have a case speaker, (I wish I had known it was so important). On a side note, the graphics card fan is spinning fine as are the CPU Cooler Fans, and the Case fans. I applied the thermal paste with a credit card and I had a very thin even layer before I attached the Cooler, I also read that too much thermal paste can be very bad so I tried to be sparing but it was hard to measure exactly. I have heard that if the heat sink is uneven the CPU will shut down immediately and the computer won't post, the cooler I used only takes 2 screws to actually attach it to the motherboard (it had it's own frame though) so I don't know if it's entirely even, but it looked fine when I installed it.
I know that I need to get a speaker so I can hear whats going on, but if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. I have yet to try the computer out of the case, but I'm not sure if my symptoms are consistent with that of a motherboard short, although it is possible that it is touching somewhere.
I would really appreciate any advice anyone has because it is really confusing to diagnose this problem. Thanks a lot in advance.
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UDR3R ATX Motherboard
Intel Core i7 920
OCZ Gold 6GB DDR3 1600
XFX Radeon HD 4890
Corsair CMPSU-650TX Power Supply
Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler
Western Digital Caviar Black
After I finished putting all the hardware together, I tried to turn it on and got no output to my monitor (connected through a DVI cable to the video card), all the fans spun fine and lights turned on but, no POST whatsoever. Upon investigation I found a few problems, the most puzzling of which is as follows: The clips on the motherboard that keep the memory in place seem to be mismanufactured. I am positive I oriented the Ram correctly, and I have pushed it all the way down many times, but I can never get the ram clips to fully grip the ram in place. This is a very weird error and I'm not sure how to fix it. I don't know, but it seems to me as though my motherboard has different clips than in the picture on NewEgg. I don't know if this is possible, but I am guessing that I would need to send it back if this is the case. This is an enormous hassle for me because it took me all day to put the computer together and organize all the cabling. For clairfication, I do understand that ram is keyed to only go in one way and people often make the mistake of putting it in the wrong way, that's not what's happening here, the clips just don't fit.
A bigger problem is the fact that even when I lay the case horizontally the computer still fails to display anything what so ever. I have researched this and concluded that it's not my 2x4 12V power connector (which i made sure was connected correctly. The ram seems to be in snuggly, although the clips are not clicked fully in place still. I have tried 1 stick or all 3 in various positions after the recommended one failed.
One possible problem I have seen is the fact that as soon as the computer powers up, the "Phase LED" lights on the motherboard all turn on, (2 green, 1 Orange, 1 Red), I'm not sure but this might mean that the CPU is over heating. I believe that this motherboard in particular has only 4 lights, although the user's manual does not explain the meaning of the lights. If anyone knows if this is a possibility let me know.
My case is an Antec P193 so I don't have a case speaker, (I wish I had known it was so important). On a side note, the graphics card fan is spinning fine as are the CPU Cooler Fans, and the Case fans. I applied the thermal paste with a credit card and I had a very thin even layer before I attached the Cooler, I also read that too much thermal paste can be very bad so I tried to be sparing but it was hard to measure exactly. I have heard that if the heat sink is uneven the CPU will shut down immediately and the computer won't post, the cooler I used only takes 2 screws to actually attach it to the motherboard (it had it's own frame though) so I don't know if it's entirely even, but it looked fine when I installed it.
I know that I need to get a speaker so I can hear whats going on, but if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. I have yet to try the computer out of the case, but I'm not sure if my symptoms are consistent with that of a motherboard short, although it is possible that it is touching somewhere.
I would really appreciate any advice anyone has because it is really confusing to diagnose this problem. Thanks a lot in advance.