AAAAAARGHHHFFFFFF!!

Fian

Ok, calming down from the subject line I would be grateful for pointers on how to resolve an issue with a computer (my first build) I put together yesterday. I don't anticipate getting back to it today because of a Christmas lunch I will be leaving for shortly, that will mean I am probably better off to avoid working on it this evening.


The Ram I bought was :

http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/16GB-Corsair-Vengeance-LED-rot-DDR4-3000-DIMM-CL15-Dual-Kit_1112038.html

The Motherboard was:

https://www.computeruniverse.net/products/90616460/gigabyte-ga-h170-d3hp.asp

The CPU was an i56600 with stock cooler.

I have also added an SSD and HDD.


I fitted CPU, cooler, RAM and cables. Fans all powered up, including case fans. the Ram has LEDs on it and these have lit up. The Motherboard LEDs also light. When i plug the monitor in however there is absolutely nothing coming up.

I have double checked all leads and I know they are in the right spots.

I have a GTX 970 from previous computer that I installed to see if the monitor would then come to life.

I tried swapping the ram modules - from the two "grey" RAM slots to the two "Black" Ram slots. This time when i powered up there was a spark from one of the RAM sticks and a tiny puff of smoke. I flipped the power switch immediately. I decided at that point to call it a night.

I came back to it this morning before leaving for work and tried each RAM stick alone separately. Now when it boots up everything comes on for about 5-10 seconds, then it powers down, then restarts. Yesterday it was remaining on but it was just not sending any signal to the monitor.

Is it that my Ram is bad (Both?) and I need new RAM. Have I damaged something?

I was really looking forward to building this and I was gutted when it didn't work out, especially when everything initally seemed to be absolutely fine.

If it is relevant (though I imagine not) I am using a Carbide 100r case.

One final question - is there any problem with my fitting the hard drive from my old (windows vista) computer in the boot slot to try to boot into that? It would be handy probably as a mechanism to transfer photos etc. to the new HDD even aside from giving me an OS that i could use. Can a 64bit chip run a 32 bit OS?

Would be really grateful for any help though i am resigned to not getting this sorted before christmas now really.

Edit:

I notice that teh Motherboard specifies that it has:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5521#sp

Support for DDR4 2133 MHz memory modules

Is my problem that these modules are 3000mhz?

Xenoronin

That tiny puff of smoke is probably a bad sign tbh.
If you remember which one it was, remove it. Try with just one RAM stick. While the RAM is wasted on that motherboard, it should still just run at the lowest speed (2133MHz).

I'm tempted to point the finger at the motherboard being the issue.
Before that though, what make and model of PSU are you using?
Avoid the graphics card for now, just use the internal graphics and plug the monitor into the motherboard.
Take everything out of the case and try to start it with the motherboard sitting on the box it came in (This will ensure nothing is shorting out in the case). (one ram stick, no graphics card)
Make sure both the large power connector and the small power connector (usually the 24pin and the 4/8 pin) are connected to the motherboard.

jhud

I would be inspecting the ram and motherboard where you saw spark to see if it was damaged. Was the spark from memory or from the motherboard.

The memory should downgrade to the 2133mhz.

Is there any beeps from the computer?

ED E

(Not an electrical engineer!)

IIRC, sparks(arcing) dont occur at low voltages, only very very high voltages. If you had enough for a spark on a DIMM slot thats normally 1.3 to 1.5V then one could assume both the DIMM and the mobo slot below it had a lot more than the rated voltage running through it. Not good.

I'd put money on the Mobo and DIMMs being dead. Fingers crossed the CPU and GPU are ok.


To get voltage like that in the wrong places it could be a lemon OR you may be shorting across the case. So the first important question: Did you use standoffs?

Fian

Thanks for help all.

Did use standoffs, in fact they came pre-installed in the case. Spark came from the Ram stick not motherboard. I am hoping since the motherboard still lights up and even the LEDs on the ram sticks still light up it is not fried.

No beeps from computer. Is that a good sign or a bad sign?

PSU is 650W Corsair CS series.

Will try taking it out of the case and using one Ram stick at a time, I took them both out after the spark so i can't tell which one sparked. Will also remove the GPU again.

the two power connectors are definitely connected to motherboard.

anyway fingers crossed, I will be gutted if the Motherboard is fried. I am hoping it is just a bad ram stick which was preventing the motherboard from booting and that also explains the smoke.

Could i double check on adding the vista hard drive from my old system - is that possible with a new CPU? Should it just boot up into windows vista if i add it in to the "0" SATA slot?

Fian

Hmm, one question. If i remove from case I will obviously remove the wires that run to the front panel on the case. In those circumstances will it power up when i just turn on switch on psu - or do i need to toggle the motherboard "on" somehow?

Digital Solitude

If you put a screwdriver between the two standoffs you've connected the front panel on button to, it'll switch on.

If all the lights are on you may be lucky, I'd keep the GPU out for a little while though, until this gets sorted

Xenoronin

Adding the hard drive won't really give you any information, and windows (most likely) won't start due to the new hardware configuration. We want to at least get to the BIOS at this stage which doesn't require any hard drive attached at all.

frozenfrozen

you need to check how many motherboard standoffs you should have and if they're in the right position. you say they came preinstalled in the case, they could be preinstalled all of the standoffs so there are standoffs where there should not be, and you could be shorting out the board onto the case.

it's always the standoffs except for when it isnt

TerrorFirmer

A puff of smoke is a seriously bad sign that something is fried, that should never happen and usually means something is dead.

Where are you located? On the off chance it's Galway, I have spare 1151 boards and DDR4 if you need a hand testing.

extra-ordinary_

Did you have this booting at any stage?

GHOST MGG

Because your saying the standoffs were pre installed in the case leads me to believe that you missed one or two and when you pressed down on the memory module to click it in this caused a short.
I just finished building a machine last week with the same standoff problem..they had 6 installed in the case but the board needed 9.

Fian

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

A puff of smoke is a seriously bad sign that something is fried, that should never happen and usually means something is dead.

Where are you located? On the off chance it's Galway, I have spare 1151 boards and DDR4 if you need a hand testing.

Thanks very much for the offer - I am actually in Dublin but very nice of you to offer though. As it happens I am a Galwayman (well Connemara Man really), no longer living there though.

Fian

GHOST MGG wrote: »

Because your saying the standoffs were pre installed in the case leads me to believe that you missed one or two and when you pressed down on the memory module to click it in this caused a short.
I just finished building a machine last week with the same standoff problem..they had 6 installed in the case but the board needed 9.

Will check this thanks, intend to take the motherboard out of the case and try it tomorrow.

Bear in mind though that the motherboard was powered off when i pressed in the ram - it was when i powered up the spark happened, so it would not have been pressing down.

It is possible though that maybe they installed more than motherboard needs and one is shorting the board maybe. Or are they insulators? - I guess they may not be in order to earth the case to the earth cord coming into PSU.

there is one standoff point on the motherboard that I can't use, because there is a cutout in the case behind that standoff point. I have been very careful not to flex the board when installing anything, because of that being missing.

Fian

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

Did you have this booting at any stage?

nope, though it did power up for a prolonged time with no signal to monitor, more recently is powering up and then down repeatedly.

Fian

Ok.

Well my GPU is not damaged, still working in this (my old) PC.

I have taken MB out of case and tried it on the box with only 1 Ram stick plugged into it and no GPU. No joy. It powers on consistently for 18 seconds, then powers down, then restarts. This cycle repeats indefinitely with it powering down after 18 seconds each time.

There was no standoff in an incorrect position, so i can't imagine case was causing any problem.

So obviously something I bought it faulty but I can't tell if it is motherboard, Ram or CPU, or even PSU i suppose.

What is my next step - do I return it all to mindfactory?

I presume it would be unwise to take old (i guess it must be DDR1) ram out of old system to try it in new one? That ram is in 4* 1 gb sticks and it is I think over 10 years old (my old PC is 10 years old but i have a vague recollection of upgrading the ram at some point, not sure whether that was on this or a previous system). I presume i can only put DDR4 ram into this MB.

What should i do since i can't seem to make it work? Return one peice at a time and try replacement or just return the lot or what?

Digital Solitude

It won't fit, you should be able to cross test the PSUs though

the_syco

ED E wrote: »

To get voltage like that in the wrong places it could be a lemon OR you may be shorting across the case. So the first important question: Did you use standoffs?

Fian wrote: »

Thanks for help all.

Did use standoffs, in fact they came pre-installed in the case.

Fian wrote: »

If it is relevant (though I imagine not) I am using a Carbide 100r case.

Motherboard has probably been short circuited, and the reason is the case.

I did research into various cases a few weeks ago, and something I found was about the 200R was also the same for the case I got, the Carbide SPEC-02.

Look at 05:10 of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkuBK9jSvIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkuBK9jSvIE

Sadly, the (stupidly placed) standoff may have killed your motherboard.

magentis

Is there anyone with a ddr4 machine you can get to try your ram in?Did you get a little speaker with the case?You should be getting a beep sequence.Is it a vga screen you have hooked up?

Fian

the_syco wrote: »

Motherboard has probably been short circuited, and the reason is the case.

I did research into various cases a few weeks ago, and something I found was about the 200R was also the same for the case I got, the Carbide SPEC-02.


Sadly, the (stupidly placed) standoff may have killed your motherboard.

Fortunately that standoff is not preinstalled in my case - All the pre installed standoffs fit correctly into screwpoints on the motherboard. The case also comes with spare standoffs which can be installed if needed, So I am not using all standoffs but the case was not shorting it.

Fian

magentis wrote: »

Is there anyone with a ddr4 machine you can get to try your ram in?Did you get a little speaker with the case?You should be getting a beep sequence.Is it a vga screen you have hooked up?

I have not gotten any beep sequence. I thought that would come from motherboard rather than case?

I don't know anyone with a DDR4 machine, but today I am planning to drop down motherboard (with cpu installed), psu, and ram to local repair shop and ask them to try to identify which is the problem.

Any tips on what mindfactory are like for returns? How do i go about it? German site does not make this stuff very user friendly. How are they for customer service?

.G.

They refunded me for a dodgy motherboard no problem.I had to pay for return postage though. Just make sure you use registered post to send the item back. Once they get it they'll check it out and send you a replacement or issue a refund depending on what you choose. Use google chrome to view their website, it translates everything.

Fian

Delighted to report that it turns out to be the ram that is the problem, MB CPU & PSU booting to bios when another (2133mhz) ram stick was inserted. Any tips on a bricks and mortar shop in Dublin where i could pick up 2*8GB ddr4 2133mhz? Don't mind paying a small premium over online prices to save the wait, especially since delivery charges likely to apply if I buy online.

Meanwhile I will return the Ram I have to mindfactory. I wonder is it that the MB couldn't handle 3000mhz Ram? I expected it would just run it at 2133mhz.

wotzgoingon

PC world may have some.

http://www.pcworld.ie/action/searchsite/ddr4-ram

I don't know if they will have them in store though.

5rtytry56

It won't hurt to visit this site either OP in that regard

http://eu.crucial.com

minitrue

Not quite Dublin but I've ordered online and collected ram from memoryc.com in Celbridge before.

jhud

Maybe CEX shops might have they are www.ie.webuy.com to check for stock near you 2 year warranty also. If you want it today.

Redfox25

Thumbs up for memoryc.com as well.
Used them a few times and never had any issues.
Ram prices are usually ok too, tried to buy a SSD before but that was very expensive and Amazon got the buy in the end.

extra-ordinary_

Another for MemoryC - if it's in stock you can have it a day later often times.#


Strange that both sticks went bad.

the_syco

Also recommend memoryc. If local, you pick up 30 minutes after ordering, otherwise they'll deliver very fast.

Try to buy RAM with the same timings (speed,, etc) as the broken RAM that you have now. Then get onto the manufacture directly, and see if they'll swap the RAM for good RAM. It'll mean you get the RAM faster.

Fian

Ok, progress of a sort.

I replaced the ram, can now get machine to post with only one dimm slot. However it is not outputting through the DVI-D output. I suspect i was probably previously getting it to post with previous ram also. But only with one stick and only in the one slot. However i didn't realise it was posting because i have no speaker and also because it will not output through the DVD-D output slot. I can get a signal out through hdmi which I have plugged into a TV, I can't get it to send a signal to my monitor through DVD-D.

Either stick of ram will work, but only if it is plugged into the one DIMM slot that seems to be working.

If i plug any ram into any other slot it will not post to bios.

Clearly my ram is ok. My PSU is ok.

Strong indications that my MB is not ok. Can i be certain the problem is the MB and not the CPU in these circumstances?

Weird that i can only get a signal out through the hdmi slot and not the DVD-D slot. My monitor cable uses a DVD-d single link slot like this:


Is this too old a cable for a modern MB maybe?

Google tells me there are now dual link monitors as well.

It may just be that the MB has more than one problem and that as well as only being able to work from one of the Dimm slots it can't output from this connection.

Is there any adjustments i need to try in the Bios setup to get the output working or another Ram stick working?

wotzgoingon

The cable is fine.

Sounds like it is a motherboard issue alright since the RAM will not work.
Out of curiosity what RAM have you got?


Edit: I just looked back at the first post and seen your RAM may not be compatible with the motherboard.

ED E

Which DVID are you using, the motherboard or the 970s? The Motherboards DVID/VGA/HDMI should not work if the 970 is in.

extra-ordinary_

If it posts your CPU is certainly OK - it's looking like you may have fried at least one of your RAM slots (possibly no fault of your own). RMA the board.

Is your display DVI cable connector connecting/mating correctly with the DVI connector on the board? If so and it's the only output connected than yes you should have a signal on the DVI

Fian

Thanks all.

Will RMA the board.

Did not have GPU in the board when trying to get output from that video slot.

Glad to hear that CPU is ok and that it is the board, I suspect the ram i have already returned was probably ok and it was the board that was the problem all along.

Will I need to reapply heatpaste when I install CPU into a new board? Should I clean the paste off it now or leave it on while i wait for a replacement board?

extra-ordinary_

When you get the new board start again with everything clean and apply new thermal paste and take your time. Like when you were troubleshooting, I always first assemble the bare minimum outside the case to make sure everything is working before rebuilding again inside the case. Hope all goes well second time round.

frozenfrozen

you will need to clean the paste from your cpu

Fian

Thanks, yeah i intend to rebuild again outside case. I will clean the paste off before putting the chip back in its box and I guess i need to buy a tube of paste then.

Fian

Well replacement motherboard arrived yesterday. Rebuilt it and it worked without issue - though curiously I still can't get it to output from Motherboard to my monitor so it is running to a tv through a hdmi cable. Hmm just occurs to me that i probably have a tv that takes the other type of cable so maybe i should check that.

Windows 10 installed and it is working fine.

I will be installing GPU and a few other bits and bobs (card reader and DVD drive) from old computer this evening - or tomorrow depending how long it takes me to make sure i have transferred everything I need to over form old one's hard drive. Hopefully when I have installed GPU I can just output to old monitor from that, particularly since the old monitor is currently plugged into and working from that GPU in my old computer.

Thanks very much to everyone who was of so much assistance to me in this thread. I really appreciate it.

Should also note that Mindfactory customer service was exemplary. New Motherboard, return postage refunded and full refund on the Ram (which was probably never faulty) all with no questions asked. This despite google translate being the extent of my German so I wonder exactly how garbled my responses to them were.

Edit: And as a final update, GPU and DVD installed and working perfectly, it is outputting to my existing monitor from GPU. I didn't install teh card reader from old pc because it turns out to be a 3.5" and I have a 5.25" bay. I didn't bother transferring over a second DVD drive to the empty bay since tbh i don't know if i will ever use the one i did install. Anyway I also ordered an external usb 3.0 card reader, so will use that and can use it in multiple machines if i want to transfer photos from phones - so kids can back their phones onto their own laptops. One of the case fans seems to be clicking (very faintly) but i will track that down and see if i can sort it out. must be just barely touching off the outer rim, since they are both spinning freely.