New Build - fans spin then power off

smithsd · 02-14-2009, 11:25 PM

Hi, I just finished my first build yesterday, but when I press the power button the case fans--but not the CPU fan--spin up for a few seconds, the LEDs on the mobo light up, and the PSU fan works, but then it all shuts down and restarts indefinitely until I turn it off.

I've tried removing the mobo from the case to make sure it wasn't shorting out, but the same thing happened. I've tried two different CPU fans, I've reseated the CPU multiple times, connected and reconnected everything from the PSU and case multiple times, reset the CMOS battery, tried turning it on with only 1 dimm of RAM in various sockets, and disconnected everything from the PSU except the mobo.

I'm thinking it might be a problem with the processor, but could it be the mobo or power supply? I don't think my mobo has a speaker, so I'm not getting any beeps to indicate what the problem is. I'm a car-less college student and there aren't any computer repair stores anywhere near, so I can't have any individual parts tested. What can I do to further test it, or which part should I return? I'm just concerned that if it's a mobo problem, as far as I know I only have a 30-day period to return the product to Newegg for a new one--the other products have much longer manufacturer warranties.

Relevant Specs:
GIGABYTE GA-EP45C-UD3R Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro with Arctic Silver 5
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)
in an Antec 300 case

**grimx133** · 02-14-2009, 11:42 PM

Try following the bench test exactly.
How to Bench Test Your System

smithsd · 02-14-2009, 11:56 PM

Thanks for the link--I followed the first set of directions: the CPU fan didn't spin at any point, all 6 of the LEDs lit up, the video card spun, and the monitor stayed on standby.

**grimx133** · 02-15-2009, 01:42 AM

Try the fan on a different motherboard fan header. Sounds like the behavior of a short, but shouldn't be one out of the case. Both cords from the psu, 24 pin ATX and the 8 pin EATX12v.? If you have the 4_4 configuration for the 8 pin, use all 8 anyway, not just 4, and you should have all 8. One stick of ram only, in the slot nearest the cpu? Video card with possible extra power connector(s)? What is the card, btw? No drives hooked up at all. Nothing plugged into any usb ports? This includes keyboard and mouse at this point, they are not needed for post. And cpu w/heatsink, of course.

When you cleared your cmos, did you follow the instructions on page 32 of the pdf manual and short the two pins?
http://europe.giga-byte.com/FileList...5-ud3(r)_e.pdf

smithsd · 02-15-2009, 01:53 AM

Yeah, I have both PSU cords plugged in and 1 stick of RAM in the slot nearest the CPU, nothing plugged in. Video card is a GTX 260 Black Edition - it has 2 6-pin power connectors, both of which I've attached. I didn't short the cmos, only removed it for a couple of minutes and replaced it--do I need to do it again and short it? I'll try the fan on a different header in the morning and see what happens...thanks!

**grimx133** · 02-15-2009, 02:30 AM

Yah, shorting the pins is worth a try. Using battery alone isn't too consistent, sometimes a couple minutes is fine, other times half an hour doesn't do the trick. Variations between boards I suppose. Always short the pins or move the jumper when it's available. And unplug the psu first, naturally.

smithsd · 02-15-2009, 11:02 AM

That didn't do anything, nor did switching the CPU fan header. :( Is it most likely that the problem is the motherboard or the CPU? Or the PSU could be not supplying enough power to the CPU? But it's working fine for the rest of the fans, and the graphics card...

**grimx133** · 02-15-2009, 03:59 PM

Cpu's all use basically the same amount of power Not really, but it's a close enough for government work sorta thing, not like video cards, where the range of power usage is quite extensive.

It still sounds like a short, the loop is classic behaviour. Depending on what parts you have/can borrow, I'd try swapping some things in. An older cpu that's supported by the board, even better would be trying another board with your components.
Looked at the cpu support list, your cpu is supported with bios F1 for both revisions of the board, so the bios version isn't a problem.

Have you tried the one stick of ram in different slots? Also try different ram, and/or your ram in another computer.

02-14-2009, 11:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
smithsd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Win7, Ubuntu	New Build - fans spin then power off Hi, I just finished my first build yesterday, but when I press the power button the case fans--but not the CPU fan--spin up for a few seconds, the LEDs on the mobo light up, and the PSU fan works, but then it all shuts down and restarts indefinitely until I turn it off. I've tried removing the mobo from the case to make sure it wasn't shorting out, but the same thing happened. I've tried two different CPU fans, I've reseated the CPU multiple times, connected and reconnected everything from the PSU and case multiple times, reset the CMOS battery, tried turning it on with only 1 dimm of RAM in various sockets, and disconnected everything from the PSU except the mobo. I'm thinking it might be a problem with the processor, but could it be the mobo or power supply? I don't think my mobo has a speaker, so I'm not getting any beeps to indicate what the problem is. I'm a car-less college student and there aren't any computer repair stores anywhere near, so I can't have any individual parts tested. What can I do to further test it, or which part should I return? I'm just concerned that if it's a mobo problem, as far as I know I only have a 30-day period to return the product to Newegg for a new one--the other products have much longer manufacturer warranties. Relevant Specs: GIGABYTE GA-EP45C-UD3R Motherboard Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro with Arctic Silver 5 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) in an Antec 300 case

02-14-2009, 11:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,133 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off Try following the bench test exactly. How to Bench Test Your System __________________

02-14-2009, 11:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
smithsd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Win7, Ubuntu	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off Thanks for the link--I followed the first set of directions: the CPU fan didn't spin at any point, all 6 of the LEDs lit up, the video card spun, and the monitor stayed on standby.

02-15-2009, 01:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,133 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off Try the fan on a different motherboard fan header. Sounds like the behavior of a short, but shouldn't be one out of the case. Both cords from the psu, 24 pin ATX and the 8 pin EATX12v.? If you have the 4_4 configuration for the 8 pin, use all 8 anyway, not just 4, and you should have all 8. One stick of ram only, in the slot nearest the cpu? Video card with possible extra power connector(s)? What is the card, btw? No drives hooked up at all. Nothing plugged into any usb ports? This includes keyboard and mouse at this point, they are not needed for post. And cpu w/heatsink, of course. When you cleared your cmos, did you follow the instructions on page 32 of the pdf manual and short the two pins? http://europe.giga-byte.com/FileList...5-ud3(r)_e.pdf __________________

02-15-2009, 01:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
smithsd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Win7, Ubuntu	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off Yeah, I have both PSU cords plugged in and 1 stick of RAM in the slot nearest the CPU, nothing plugged in. Video card is a GTX 260 Black Edition - it has 2 6-pin power connectors, both of which I've attached. I didn't short the cmos, only removed it for a couple of minutes and replaced it--do I need to do it again and short it? I'll try the fan on a different header in the morning and see what happens...thanks!

02-15-2009, 02:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,133 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off Yah, shorting the pins is worth a try. Using battery alone isn't too consistent, sometimes a couple minutes is fine, other times half an hour doesn't do the trick. Variations between boards I suppose. Always short the pins or move the jumper when it's available. And unplug the psu first, naturally. __________________

02-15-2009, 11:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
smithsd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Win7, Ubuntu	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off That didn't do anything, nor did switching the CPU fan header. :( Is it most likely that the problem is the motherboard or the CPU? Or the PSU could be not supplying enough power to the CPU? But it's working fine for the rest of the fans, and the graphics card...

02-15-2009, 03:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,133 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: New Build - fans spin then power off Cpu's all use basically the same amount of power Not really, but it's a close enough for government work sorta thing, not like video cards, where the range of power usage is quite extensive. It still sounds like a short, the loop is classic behaviour. Depending on what parts you have/can borrow, I'd try swapping some things in. An older cpu that's supported by the board, even better would be trying another board with your components. Looked at the cpu support list, your cpu is supported with bios F1 for both revisions of the board, so the bios version isn't a problem. Have you tried the one stick of ram in different slots? Also try different ram, and/or your ram in another computer. __________________