# [SOLVED] need help troubleshooting new build problem



## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

Hi,

My old system is 7 years old now and it’s past time for a new one, so I opted to put together the $1300 Intel build from the TSF build guide exactly as recommended. I built the old system (with some trial and error), but consider myself very much an amateur at this stuff (I know enough to get into trouble and not enough to get out of it again).

Anyway, when I tried to boot the system in order to test whether it works and ultimately install the Windows OS, I got 2 short beeps and nothing happened beyond the MB (PW_SW, OC_ignition, and front panel) lights going on (orange color, if that matters) and the fans working. I proceeded to unplug everything, leaving just the CPU in place and reseated the memory sticks. Still 2 beeps and nothing happening. Tried the memory in the 2-4 channel combo and then tried just one stick after the other in the #1 channel. Still not working, so I’m guessing the problem is either the MB or the CPU. The power supply to the CPU is the ATX_12V_2x4 cable. Is this insufficient power and does the CPU need something feeding power into the adjacent 4 pin ATX_12V receptacle (the recommended Seasonic power supply didn’t come with an additional 4 pin ATX_12V cable)?

I’m stuck and would appreciate any advice on how to troubleshoot this.

Thanks


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Hi and Welcome to TSF!

The PSU is powerful enough to boot the system, that wouldn't be the issue.

When connecting the PSU cables, you need the full 24pin connector plugged into the motherboard as well as the 8 + 4 pin. You will notice that an 8pin cable can be broken into two 4 pins as well.

So you'll have two 8 pin cables going to the system.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Thanks for replying.

I'm sorry. I guess i wasn't being clear. The 24 pin power connector to the MB is plugged in (and I unplugged and replugged it as part of my initial trouble shooting). The 2x4 pins are plugged into the 8 pin CPU power connector in the MB (also unplugged & replugged in). 

What I was asking, aside from the general question about how to further troubleshoot the problem, is that the 4 pin female CPU power connector next to the 8 pin has nothing going in to it (no single 4 pin cable nor a second 8 pin came with the power supply and the 2x4 is in use as the 8 pin to the CPU) and I was wondering if that could be the problem (lack of power to the CPU).


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

The video card takes either 2- 6 pin molex plugs or 1- 8 pin as I can't quite see it from the pictures. Do you have those plugged in?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

A six pin will also convert to a 4 pin.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*



Rich-M said:


> The video card takes either 2- 6 pin molex plugs or 1- 8 pin as I can't quite see it from the pictures. Do you have those plugged in?


It takes 2x6 and I unplugged and removed the card as part of the troubleshooting process.

edit: everything is currently unplugged except the 24 pin power to the MB, 2x4 to the CPU, and the memory.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*



Masterchiefxx17 said:


> A six pin will also convert to a 4 pin.


Are you saying that my suspicion about the problem being a lack of power to the CPU is correct and that I need to connect a 4 pin power cord as well as the 2x4?


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*



michaelro said:


> Are you saying that my suspicion about the problem being a lack of power to the CPU is correct and that I need to connect a 4 pin power cord as well as the 2x4?


Not many new Motherboards come out with the additional 4 pin CPU socket as yet.
I would assume that would only be necessary for extra power if overclocking etc, not under normal use.
Have you checked the socket for bent pins prior to placing the CPU in?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

You need the 8pin and the 4pin.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Panther has a good point about socket pins on cpu and socket. You need a magnifying glass to see bent ones these days and actually it is easy to do. I also caught a resource shipping me a returned board where there was 1 pin bent on the saddle that I raised hell about.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

I prefer (if possible) not to mess with the cpu, so I'll buy a 4 pin cable (Masterchief says it's needed in any case) and try that before I start playing with the cpu. It'll no doubt take a day or two to get one delivered. I'll update then.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Finally got the extra 4 pin power cable (took 2 %*#& weeks for the USPS to deliver it). It doesn't help. In fact it makes things worse (nothing powers up at all). So that's not the problem.

But, what with all the plugging and unplugging cables and flipping switches, the computer actually booted to the bios once with 1 beep after I unplugged the extra 4 pin cable. Unfortunately, after I shut it off (the HDs and DVD weren't connected, so I couldn't configure the boot sequence) to test whether the 'fix' was permanent it went back to 2 beeps and no boot. I managed to get it to boot one more time in about another 10 tries of fiddling with cables and switches and have had no success since.

The fact that it actually booted twice suggests to me that the CPU is actually OK and that the problem may be in the MB and I'm going to have to get a replacement. 

Am I correct in my conclusion?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Run the system with one stick of memory, CPU, CPU cooler and the 8+4 pin from the CPU. What are the results?


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

I think it is bent pins on the cpu it looks more and more like that or the saddle that holds it. Did the cpu give you any trouble mounting it in the saddle?
It could be defective psu or ram in fact I have been having issues with GSkill ram lately being defective so I went back to Crucial myself. If it was just a compatibility issue with ram usually 1 stick will run the system just not both.


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## Trollenator (Nov 29, 2013)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

No mention about the make and model of the motherboard in question or the actual output of the PSU. That usually helps figure out what's going on.

I'd find out what the beep codes are for your particular MB. Could be a clue there. 1 beep is usually Good To Go but what 2 beeps are I haven't a clue.

My old ASUS M3A board has a 4 pin socket and that has to be used or no boot. where this one has an 8 pin and it's the same there.

Can you get a more powerful PSU to try? Sounds a bit like it doesn't have enough juice to get to boot but managed twice. Or disconnect everything inside but one HD and try that. If it boots with minimum hardware then the PSU is either under-powered or on it's way out.

Double checking everything in the manual helps too. I couldn't get one to boot many years back and after days of gnashing my teeth found one of the 40 pin IDE cables was off one row of pins between the two plugs where I couldn't see it. Back before they wrapped a fool-proof box around the pins to guide the connector in and floppy disks really flopped. 

L8r


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

He has perfectly identified the hardware as he said it is the $1300 build from our suggested hardware builds which is this:
*Motherboard:*  Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SOC Force LGA 1150 Intel Z97 @ $194.79

*Processor:*  Intel Core i7-4771 Haswell Quad-Core 3.5GHz LGA 1150 @ $314.99

*CPU Cooler:*  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO @ $72.08

*Video Card:*  EVGA 04G-2974-KR GeForce GTX 970 4GB @ $349.99

*Memory:*  G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600MHz @ $124.99

*Case:*  Corsair Obsidian Series 450D ATX case @ $119.99

*Power Supply:*  SeaSonic M12II 620 620W Full Modular @ $79.99

*Hard Drive:*  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM @ $54.00

*Subtotal:* $1310.82


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Having read all the reviews on Newegg it appears there is a high number of returned boards lately. One thing I would try is removing the cmos battery for 5 minutes and then retry and if that doesn't reset the bios find the cmos jumper and flip it to other side and then try restart and then return it and try again. In both Award and Ami bios and I can't seem to find out which this board has the 2 beeps means "can't read memory" and that could mean bad slots or bad memory. I am inclined to suggest Rma the memory first as I said I have has some non working GSkill memory lately.
Can you try that memory in another motherboard like even a friends?


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Another note is I see an F6 bios in April of this year and the note is for 5th Gen Intel cpus though the compatibility chart only shows that bios necessary only for the top of the line 1 cpu. That is a bit odd to me.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

@Masterchief: I already tried that yesterday with the new cable. 8+4 is absolutely dead. Nothing happens, not even the power light on the MB goes on.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I'm going to completely disassemble everything including the CPU (and check for bent pins, etc while doing so). I've been trying to avoid doing it because mounting the CPU cooler is a nightmare (it requires 4 hands and still spreads grease all over the place because it slides until fully tightened and tightening it causes it to slide unless you have 4 hands). Time to bite the bullet.

I'll do it later today and post the results.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Try a bench test then it was also a suggestion were you lay the board on it's box or a foam insert on the side of the case and use 1 ram stick, cpu and hsf, psu and video card and trip pins with a screwdriver and see if you can post. If you can then you know something is grounding it in the case. Maybe you missed a brass standoff off the bottom of the case or a wire was laying underneath. You could also use the onboard video as that cpu has onboard video which keeps the plugs to the video card out of the picture also.


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## michaelro (Oct 6, 2008)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Success. Finally.

Took everything apart and reassembled it from scratch and got 2 boots out of 3 tries (first and third), which was an improvement suggesting (to me) that the problem was in the contacts somewhere so I took everything apart again, air blasted everything and reassembled it yet again, cleaned the smeared grease and it worked consistently. Installed windows 7 64 bit and the MB drivers without a hitch including all the necessary restarts for the drivers, so the system seems to be fully operational. Now I'm down to trying to get windows to see my second HD (it shows in the bios). But that seems to be a relatively common problem and I should be able to figure that one out on my own just by searching the forums.

Thanks for all the time and effort you guys put into helping me out. It's much appreciated.

edit: I have a GSD also Rich. Best dogs in the world:smile:


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: need help troubleshooting new build problem*

Good job it had to be simple...yup she is a stray believe it or not but I have had GSD's all my life, they are the best!


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