I'm trying to assemble a new comp for mother using an old mobo/CPU that I last used two years ago, but when I try to power on it doesn't boot (e.g. the power LED on the monitor stays orange), the BIOS doesn't seem to load at all. Everything else besides the mobo and CPU I know are funcional having used them in a different computer right up until the new install, so the obvious guess is the mobo or CPU. So it's a mobo prob right? Any convenient way to check if the CPU is still good to go?
― Leee (Leee), Thursday, 13 March 2003 21:28 (twenty-three years ago)
its tricky when you don't know that the mother board is working. I'd try and pick up a mother board and cpu second hand that you know works.
― Ed (dali), Thursday, 13 March 2003 21:44 (twenty-three years ago)
Is there anything happening at all? You might not have the power plugged into the mobo properly (the power button has to be plugged in properly for it to start up).
― Bryan (Bryan), Thursday, 13 March 2003 21:46 (twenty-three years ago)
Does the power supply fan start up? Is the CPU firmly in it's socket?
What's the CPU anyway?
― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 13 March 2003 21:57 (twenty-three years ago)
You can get a total no-go for a handful of reasons:
Bad/incompatible CPU: If you've used the two together before then this isn't an issue. If you haven't used the two before, check the specs on the board to ensure it can actually handle the CPU you're trying to put into it; it may actually require a BIOS upgrade before they will work together.
Bad motherboard: Why were the mobo and CPU taken out and set aside? If the motherboard is just plain fubar'd then there's a good chance nothing will happen at all; with a lot of bad boards I've looked at in the past, though, maybe the fan will come on over the CPU, or a light or something.
Bad power supply/not all power connections attached: if you're sure the power supply works, make sure you've plugged in all of the necessary connections. If it's a P4 board (unlikely from what you've said), some of them require 3 connections, and all of them require at least 2. If it's even earlier, it should only be a single ATX connector or the two side-by side connectors (but if it's the latter, you may want to consider just upgrading, since it would be old enough to make the works exceptionally slow).
Bad/badly seated/incompatible memory: Make sure the memory you have is compatible with the board, even if it fits properly. If it is, make sure it's seated 100%--I've occasionally had memory that looked like it was in properly but wasn't quite, owing to a slight bowing in the mobo underneath the memory slot...and if that's the case make sure you have adequate numbers of standoffs underneath the board to prevent this from happening.
Bad/badly seated/incompatible graphics card: sometimes if the video card isn't in all the way (bent bracket mount can do this) then the system will just sit there like a dolt, doing nothing at all. Check that the card is in all the way; also check that your motherboard supports the card...some newer cards are AGP 2x/4x but don't support AGP 1x, so if the board and card don't sync up you'll have to swap one or the other.
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Thursday, 13 March 2003 22:02 (twenty-three years ago)
Also, further to what Bryan said, make sure you have your front panel connections on the right jumper pins...if you have your reset or power jumpers on the wrong front panel pins, nothing will happen.
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Thursday, 13 March 2003 22:03 (twenty-three years ago)
It's an old p2 300mhz CPU that I had used for two years before upgrading to an Athlon, and the case tower that I'm installing the p2 board is the same one it came in when I orig. bought the system (so the thing is 4+ years old). The fan starts up, some lights come on (the jumper pins are labelled directly on the mobo, so I've already tried plugging in the jumpers turned 180 to no avail), but the video never kicks in nor the crunching startup sound.
― Leee (Leee), Thursday, 13 March 2003 22:10 (twenty-three years ago)
I'm telling you, those PIIs you really have to push down hard on when you install them. I've had that happen before and freak out and then realize that the thing wasn't properly seated.
― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 13 March 2003 22:15 (twenty-three years ago)