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How to troubleshoot a build

  • 27-09-2006 9:49am
    #1
    Ginger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,931 ✭✭✭


    Suppose I might as well make a start on this.

    Everyone at some point while building their computer be it for the first time or the 50th has come across a problem when they start off. Most often its a very simple thing but sometimes it can a pain to try and locate the problem especially if you dont know where to start. So without further ado a bit of help to troublshoot your build.

    If you are having a problem with a build as in

    1) Wont start
    2) Powers up and then down
    3) Beeping on start

    Here are a couple of steps to help you troubleshoot this.

    1) Take the Motherboard out of the case and lay it on the antistatic bag that it came in. The reason for this is to eliminate a common problems such as short circut due to an incorrectly placed riser and so on. Also its easier to build it and to add and remove components quickly

    2) Put in the following components only, your CPU with cooler, a Graphics Card, 1 stick of RAM and connect 1 hard drive only and a monitor to the gfx card.

    3) Connect the PSU to the motherboard.

    4) You may need to connect the Front Panel of the case (ie the power switch) to the neccessary headers on the motherboard

    5) Start the machine.

    The computer should start and show you the BIOS and give you the details. Be careful that you dont leave it running for too long because it is sitting on an antistatic bag!!!!

    If it doesnt then consult your manual to identify what errors were given eg beeps in sequence, certain arrangement of POST lights (common on MSI boards)

    If you have more than 1 stick of RAM then power off the machine and replace it with the original RAM with the additional stick.

    Once you have got the machine to successfully POST (Power On Self Test) you can start adding additional components to the motherboard and powering on to see does it start.

    At this point if all is going correctly and it starts out of the case and not in the case, then you have a problem with the system being short circuted somewhere. Make sure you have the correct risers in and that they match the mounting holes on the motherboard. You dont need to put risers in all the holes on the tray.

    If its still doesnt start outside the case

    Check the manual to see if there any BIOS jumpers that need to be set before you start the machine.

    Check that there is no loose screws on the motherboard causing a short

    Check to see if the CPU cooler is plugged into the correct fan header (some motherboards automatically shut down if they dont detect a fan or if the temp of the processor gets too high)

    Make sure that all the components are seated correctly and are in the correct slots. Sounds silly but hey it happens to the best of us

    Check to make sure the CPU is seated correctly and the heatsink is installed correctly.

    After this you have to try and test each component individually on additional systems. This is usually not possible but if you have the resources its a very good way of trying to pinpoint the problem.


Comments

  • #2
    Toolbag
    Closed Accounts Posts: 93 ✭✭Toolbag


    Ginger wrote:
    The computer should start and show you the BIOS and give you the details. Be careful that you dont leave it running for too long because it is sitting on an antistatic bag!!!!

    Can you put it on a wooden table or something instead?

    Also do any motherboards come ready with support for SATA drives nowdays? or does winXP SP2 dupport them?


  • #3
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Toolbag wrote:
    Also do any motherboards come ready with support for SATA drives nowdays? or does winXP SP2 dupport them?

    Most new mobo's fool windows in2 thinking the sata hd is an ordinary ide hd. You set sata mode to ide in the bios.


  • #4
    Ginger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,931 ✭✭✭Ginger


    Wooden table is fine.. reason for the bag, is it just protects the mobo and also the surface of the table :)

    SATA is supported in Windows XP SP2...

    If you are installing just have the driver disks onhand when you start it just in case you have some specialist controller that does something funky. Most are based either around VIA, nVidia or Silicon Image controllers.

    As these can vary in implementation the drivers come in handy.

    HTH


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