[LilDave]

What it do, all?

I have been having some similar issues to others on here. However, my situation is slightly different. Can someone please help me?

I have built a computer and is having problems with it staying on. Everything is new, from the case to wiring. It will power up and allow me to go into the BIOS, but it will not allow me to fully go through and read the current configurations and make any necessary changes before powering down. It may stay powered up for approximately, 1 to 3 minutes, if that long. Once it power's down, it will not power back up but the mobo lights stay on. The lights are as follows: yellow-power led, blue-standby led, and green-dimm led. However, sometime if I unplug the PSU from the wall and turn off the power supply switch and go back to it later, it will power up again and perform just as it did above.

Can someone please help me with this situation? I don't know anywhere else I can turn. I have checked and checked the connections and have even made some changes to my connections, but to no avail, it continues to do the same thing. Once, I was able to go out of the BIOS and load up but I could not get far because I have not yet had the opportunity to load the OS. I have installed the following components:

Case: Thermaltake Black Widow SopranoRS 101
Mobo: EVGA X58 3X SLI Intel Core i7
CPU: Intel Core i7 (Quad-Core Desktop optimized for the Intel X58 Express Chipset)
HDD: Seagate SATA 640GB
Graphic Card: Sparkle GE Force GTS 250 (incl HDMI connection)
RAM: Corsair Dominator DDR3 6GB - 3 X 2GB (recommneded for Intel Core i7 processors)
PSU: Corsair TX750W (NVIDIA SLI Ready - 80 PLUS certified)
ROM Drive: LG Blu-Ray Rewriter & HD DVD-ROM
Monitor: ASUS 21.5" flat panel (incl HDMI connection) - p.s. was not able to get continuous video. So currently using my older KDS 17" until I can get OS loaded.

I will be loading Window Vista(X86)-Business, once I am able to get far enough again to do it. By the way, it does beep before going to the splash screen where it tells you to hit the "delete" key to go to setup or "F1" to continue. I guess that means it is going through POST, so it seems to be working a little bit.

I appreciate any assistance anyone can give me regarding this situation.


Thanks in advance,

 

[grimx133]

Since you can get into the bios, check the voltages and temperatures there, the bios is considered the most accurate for that. Should be under PC Health or Hardware Monitoring or somesuch, usually in the power section. I wouldn't expect the voltages to be out of spec, Corsairs rarely are doa, but stranger things have happened. Heat is a good possibility, but in that case it should do the same all over again once it cools. Try clearing your cmos, making sure that you unplug the psu during the process.

 

[neonjuice]

Try running your PC with the case door open. Sounds like overheating.

 

[Tyree]

I'm thinking along the same lines as grimx133 on overheating.
Are you CERTAIN all four legs of the Heatsink/Fan unit are securely latched into the Mobo?

 

[LilDave]

Well, I didn't think the processor would get hot that quickly. However, since I have sent this post, I have unhooked everything and taken the mobo out of the case to ensure the heatsink was completely and securely installed. Now that everything has been reinstalled, it will come on and go right back off after approx 10 to 15 secs. Won't even make it to BIOS now. Should I have cleaned the thermal paste off the processor/heatsink and reapplied it? Or, what else could be wrong? I have also run it with the case open before I posted and afterwords, still the same results.

I'm def not an expert but I did not have these issues in class, while working towards my degree. That's why I decided to build my own. I cannot figure out why I am having these issues and not sure which specs you are requesting. I hope the info below will help.


CPU (i7-920): freq 2.66GHz, Core: 45nm, QPI: 4.8 GT/s, Socket: LGA 366, L3 Cache: 8MB, PCG 08

MOBO: Supported CPU: CPU Socket Type LGA 1366, CPU Type Core i7, FSB QPI 6.4GT/S, Chipsets: North Bridge Intel X58, South Bridge Intel ICH10R, Memory : Memory Standard DDR3 1600/1333, Maximum Memory Supported 12GB, Channel Supported Triple Channel, Expansion Slots: PCI Express 2.0 x16 1 x PCIe x16, 1 x PCIe x8/x16, 1 x PCIe x8, PCI Express x1 1, PCI Slots 2, Storage Devices: PATA 1 x ATA100 2 Dev. Max, SATA 3Gb/s 9, SATA RAID 0/1/0+1/5/JBOD
Features Core i7, 3-Way SLI & Crossfire Ready, E-LEET OC Utility

Graphic Card: 1024MB, GDDR3, PCI-Express 2.0, CRT, DVI-I, HDMI

 

[mattcart]

Other than possibly a short somewhere, it shouldn't be over drawing 750w.
And the only way it would be heating up that quickly, is maybe if you had no cpu fan, or a short within the CPU could cause the massive heat influx.
Try giving it a little sniff next time it shuts down if you know what burnt metal smells like, and putting your hand inside the case to feel for any unusually hot areas.
It's also possible that a metal shaving is inside your cpu seating(Not that rare).. try taking your cpu out and spraying some canned air into the seatings.

 

[Net Jockey]

Well, I didn't think the processor would get hot that quickly.

On my first computer...I replaced the fan that cooled the CPU...The computer store sold me a fan that put out out less air than what was required...It took all of 10 seconds to destroy the CPU.

 

[LilDave]

Thanks for all the info, but it just seem to be one thing after another. Now, it is staying on-fans and all but for some reason the system will not boot up to the BIOS. On the mobo there is an error/cpu temp LED and it is giving a boot code. Any ideas? I truly hope I have not messed anything up. Actually, wishing I would have just bought a computer from the store now..lol

 

[grimx133]

What does the manual say about the error code?

Anytime you take the heatsink off, you should clean off the old, and reapply fresh thermal paste. Once the seal on the old is broken, you can get air gaps and that means heat, since air is a fine insulator.

I spread the paste to the thinnest layer I can, while still covering the top of the cpu. There's also the drop the size of a cooked grain of rice and let it spread itself method, as well as Arctic Silver's line method. They all work. Too much paste can be as bad as not enough, a layer too thick can become an insulator itself.

Try redoing the paste, and make sure the heatsink is making good contact (no gaps) and solidly mounted.

Here's arctic silver's take on paste application.
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

 

[Tyree]

Remove the CPU-Clean the heatsink and CPU surface with 90% alcohol-reinstall thermal paste-reseat CPU-be absolutely certain all 4 legs are snapped securely into the Mobo.
I would suggest disconnecting everything except the PSU-CPU-Hdd-ONE stick of RAM-Graphics.

 

[LilDave]

My apologies for just now replying. Had gotten a little busy. However, I did clean the heatsink & cpu. Still nothing. Same error code. The manual just said "boot". So, I called the EVGA support and they had me take mobo out and only connect power supply because the mobo has a power button on it. I did that and got the same code. It did not beep or anything. So, they had me return the mobo. Now, Im waiting for the new mobo and hopefully everything will load up as it should. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for everything.