[Xquizite]

Hi, I just recently got a new hard drive for my PC and I'm needing some help installing it and getting my PC to boot.

This is my first time installing a new internal hard drive, so I have a feeling I've connected something wrong.

As it stands, I still have my computer's original hard drive in the case. Do note that both of these hard drives (the one embedded in the case and the new one are both SATA). The way I have it... the original hard drive is connected to one of the SATA ports on my motherboard and there is a power cable that is linked from the original hard drive to my CD-ROM drive, which connects to my PSU. So basically the original hard drive and my CD-ROM drive share the same power cable.

As for the new hard drive, I have that connected to another SATA port on my mobo and a separate power cable going from the new HDD to my PSU.

Additionally, my CD-ROM drive is connected to a SATA port on the mobo.

The problem: Every time I plug my power adapter back into the PSU, the PC starts on as if it's booting up, but then shuts off 5 seconds later.

Please help as soon as you can! Thanks

 

[Xquizite]

Update: I've gotten the computer to boot normally now (had the main power connector on the wrong set of pins), HOWEVER my monitor isn't displaying anything (keeps going to sleep mode) and my keyboard's lights aren't coming on.

 

[JimE]

Power off and disconnect the new HDD. With everything back to how it started, try to boot and see what happens.

 

[raptor_pa]

When you say main power, do you mean the Mobo connector?

 

[Xquizite]

Power off and disconnect the new HDD. With everything back to how it started, try to boot and see what happens.

I tried, and same thing... the PC sounds like it's booting up but my monitor isn't displaying anything. Also, I'm noticing the front LED around my computer's power button doesn't light up. The computer only starts up once I re-plug the power adapter back in and the only way to turn it back off is to turn off the power switch or unplug it again. That is, pressing the power button on the front of the PC does nothing.

When you say main power, do you mean the Mobo connector?

I mean the connector that leads from the chasis of my case (from the area of where my power button is) to my motherboard.

Here is a pic of the systems panel connector on my mobo that I am connecting it to:



It's a 4-pin connector with a 5th blank space (one row) and I have it connected on the "PWRSW" part from the "PWR" pin on the bottom right to "Reset". I just want to make sure this is correct before figuring out what else the issue could be

 

[JimE]

That connection is simply to connect the power switch and the reset switch. There is no "power" on that connector/wires.

 

[Xquizite]

But the computer is essentially "powering on". The LED on my motherboard is lit up and the CPU/GPU fans are running.

My motherboard has 6 SATA connectors on it, numbered SATA1-6. It doesn't matter which one the hard drive(s) and CD-ROM drive are in, right?

 

[raptor_pa]

No it doesn't matter, try powering with no drives connected and see if it posts. It won't boot but it should keep running. Then attach the drives one at a time till you find the one that stops the boot. Make sure you don't attach or detach drives while the system is powered on. It sounds like you have a drive with a short on the power circuit. First step is to see which drive it is. If it doesn't post and stay running with all drives disconnected, then the issue is power supply or MoBo.

 

[Xquizite]

Alright so I did a bit more testing. I think it might be a PSU issue, but then again, I'm not too sure.

I wasn't able to get the computer to turn on at one point like I was before with the PSU I was using. Possibly might have been a loose wire somewhere, considering I've been disconnecting/connecting stuff in my case the whole night trying to make sure the connections were in the right places. However, I did hear a small "flick" sound once I powered on the PSU switch, so probably not a good sign.

I connected everything to my old power supply to see if that made any difference, and the computer was able to start (like before) but, again, no monitor or keyboard activity. I tried once without any SATA connections to the mobo and once with my original HDD and CD-ROM connected. Both times it started, but with the same monitor/keyboard issue.

Oh also... the motherboard connector I mentioned before (connected to the systems panel pins) turned out to be from my PC card reader adapter. Not sure why I was using that in the systems panel. I switched it with the one coming from my computer's button (just below) and now I can actually turn on/off the machine without turning off the switch in the back (still no LED light on the button). Strange, though, because it was still able to boot with the PC card reader adapter on those pins...

I hope to gods that it isn't a motherboard issue. That would suck, considering I just upgraded everything several months ago. (motherboard, video card, CPU)

 

[dai]

what are you running
video card
cpu
m/board
ram
power supply
brand
model
wattage
check the listings in the bios for voltages and temperatures and post them

 

[Xquizite]

Video card: nVidia GTS 450
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4
Mobo: ASUS M4A785-M
RAM: 4GB
Power Supply: 550W BFG Tech BFGR550WGX

Can't access the BIOS because of the monitor/keyboard issue as described

P.S. An admin can change this thread title to "Unable to correctly boot/New hard drive" if you'd like. I wish we could edit our original posts

 

[Xquizite]

Good news! Monitor and keyboard are now functioning as they should on startup! I disconnected/reconnected just about everything, so maybe something was in the wrong place or not connected properly.

Also, BIOS was able to detect both hard drives (original and new one).

Now how do I go about formatting the new one? I don't see an option to do so in the BIOS. I don't have to set a master and slave drive since they are SATA, right? However, the new hard drive wasn't showing up in the "Boot device priority" option.

Now my computer is trying to run Startup Repair because it detected missing files from Windows or something.

I'll keep you posted

 

[Xquizite]

In my BIOS, I have it set up as follows:

SATA1: DVD-ROM drive (I mentioned CD-ROM before, but it's a DVD-ROM)
SATA2: WDC WD2000JS-60NCB (original HDD)
SATA3: empty
SATA4: Hitachi HDS721010C (New HDD)
SATA5: empty
SATA6: empty

1st Boot device: "Removable Dev." (Not sure what this is)
2nd Boot device: SATA WDC WD2000JS-60NCB
3rd Boot device: CDROM: 3M-ATAPI DVD

Note: I tried loading windows just by letting startup do its thing and not accessing any BIOS or setup menus and I BSOD'd just before the login screen appeared. The mouse pointer was there just before it happened

EDIT: Just changed the boot order to the SATA WDC in position #1, DVD ROM drive to #2 and Removable Device to #3. Now when I power on, I just get to a blank screen with a blinking cursor and nothing else.

 

[Xquizite]

Err, disregard the edit I made above... reset the CMOS and now I'm back to the BIOS.

Actually, I think everything might be working now. I am able to successfully boot to Windows and it successfully installed the driver for the new hard drive.

I know I posted just about every change I made but I wanted people to know where I'm at in case anything serious happened =P

Thanks for the help. Now to partition.