Help with a really weird booting issue.

BIOS power and API settings, and if the system is an instant on power up or not.

Check the power cables to the drives are all plugged in fully and not just on and a bit loose. And also try to spread out the power drain over all the internal power leads.

After that, I'd have to be sitting in front of it to watch what's happening.

How would I "spread out the power drain over all the internal power leads"?

coming from them with the power connectors for the various internal components on them. Depending upon the age and type of system and type of PSU, you will have anywhere four to ten sets of lines with various connectors on the end. Some are for specific items and are obviously so due to the connector - like the one for the motherboard, the one for the P4 extra plug on the motherboard; some have little labels on them saying things like 'case fan' etc.

However, the ones for the hard drives and optical drives have either the rectangular four wire plug connector or the thin sata power connector on them - usually there is between two and six of these (depends on the psu make and size).

Hard drives run all the time, while optical drives only run a little bit. So you can spread the load by NOT having all the hard drives on the same line.

I typically have one hard drive per line before I start to double them up, that way I split the full time load over all the lines. I do the same with the optical drives. But I set the main hard drive on one line and the main optical drive on the other.

This way, in a system with two hard drives and two optical drives (a common set up today) that has only two internal drive power lines, you have one hard drive and one optical drive per power line, and the load is shared across them both.

A lot of people tend to just run one line for both hard drives and one for the optical drives, yes this can make the lines easier to lay out, but it puts the bulk of the load on one line, and that can cause problems if there is any minor issues with the power provision.

Another thing I just thought of, the power connectors for the older pata / ide drives and the optical drives is often the same type used for the case fans, if you have one of those plugged into a drive, it won't be supplying the right power levels all the time.

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If the need to have the system powered up for some hours before you can boot it is constant, that's often a sign of a bad capacitor in the system somewhere - but with the changed motherboard and power supply, that should be long gone unless you got two duds in a row - very, very unlikely.
...............

good luck

What size is your RAM and how much do you have?
What's your operating system?

I've been told to remove all peripherals and RAM,one stick at a time, leaving the keyboard and the mouse to see if the computer still fails. It could also be too much thermal paste under the CPU cooler allowing it to get too hot.
Just guessing.

I have two 1 gig sticks set up in dual channel. one is inserted in the 1st slot and the 2nd one is in the 3rd slot.

different speeds could cause some issues, but I've not seen it cause this type, and a RAM issue usually results in no boot or a set of beeps.

by overwrked1 Apr 29, 2010

I've seen issues like this and usually it's one of two things, the hard disk or a shorted keyboard stand-by button. When you hit the power switch the HDD should spin up immediately and you can feel the slight vibration in it and if you listen carefully you can here the servo motor start. Since you built this I assume you pulled all the control leads to the main board except the power switch and tried it.

The single beep after everything is supposed to test itself?

by kenone Apr 29, 2010

turned out that it was the HDD. Nothing wrong with it, it was just to slow spinning up. As I recall I had to go into the BIOS and increase a delay time. My memory is a bit fuzzy but it might be worth a look.

I wouldn't believe it's the HDD because I don't believe that even turns on because the computer gets stuck at the CPU initialization, according to the mainboard manual.

I am having this scary feeling it's the CPU so I hope it's the RAM.

I don't get any beeps.

That tells you your pc is ready for business, to load an OS or whatnot. Here's a list of POST codes, to give you an idea.
http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

Whenever I haven't gotten a POST beep it's been the power supply that was no good.

are on the right way round and pushed down fully - not loose.

I thought it was the power connectors from the case but I used the power button that is integrated onto the motherboard and the same effect shows up.

Ok, I see what you're saying.

I only have 1 HD and it's using the only SATA power connector. The only drives sharing the same power line is the CD-ROM and the DVD drive.

...

It's a matched set by the same company. What I am going to do is take one of the sticks and test it one by one every 10 hours because that is the time it usually has booting issues.

all you can do with many odd problems, check a component at a time.

by peconet tietokoneet Apr 29, 2010

Take out the processor and fan.
Now give it good clean wipe, wipe off all of the paste. Now replace the processor and then very, very thinly spread the thermal paste on top. Now replace the heatsink and fan and then power up.
Please post back if all goes well or not.
:)

So you believe it's the CPU heh? ugghhh, I did not want that to be it. I don't have any spare parts to test for this so I'll have to pay and have a professional test for it to make sure. Thank you for your input.

by leiblera Apr 29, 2010

I'd second checking out the CPU. The fact that there's a specific window of time invloved between shut down and restart always points me towards either a setting somewhere or something thermal. Cooldown time, you know?

It sound like you've already checked BIOS and such. The reply below points out checking the adv power settings in Win7; that's a good thing to check, too.

I'd then try removing the current processor, heatsink and fan, cleaning them really well, and then reinstalling. I had a buddy with an AMD system who had the same kind of problems you're having and he had just put too much thermal paste btw the processor and heat sink. If that doesn't work, then I'd get them checked or replace them.

by nicknielsen Apr 29, 2010

Exactly as PT described. I'll expand:
- Unscrew the processor fan/heat sink assembly and remove it.
- Scrape all excess heat-conductive paste from the bottom of the heat sink and the top of the CPU. Work toward the center of the CPU and leave only a small bead of paste at the center.
- Release the CPU retaining clip (it will be a bar at one side of the CPU. Press down and away from the CPU, then lift to open.)
- Holding only the edges, lift the CPU out of the socket.
- Check for bent pins by illuminating the bottom of the CPU and looking down the rows of pins.
- Reinsert the CPU, being careful to match the notch on the CPU to the notch on the socket.
- Verify the CPU is fully inserted (make sure all four edges are flush with the top of the socket). If it rocks at all, it's not fully inserted.
- Close the CPU latch by pressing down until it clicks.
- Use a putty knife or razor blade to spread the bead of heat conductive paste over the top of the CPU.
- Reinstall the heat sink/fan assembly. Twist it slightly to seat it in the paste.

See how it works. If you are at all unsure about any of the steps, consult a local professional.