okay i've ruled out all parts being the issue exept the CPU and Motherboard. i do not have any other motherboards to test and see if its the CPU or not and i do not have any other CPU's to see if its the motherboard. i would suspect the CPU because i can put the 24 pin in the motherboard and all the lights and drives work. but when i plug up the CPU's power all **** breaks loose. my guess is that it has to be the CPU because if i plug in the 24 pin on the motherboard then that is completeing a circuit making all the lights come on and if the motherboard was defective i doubt any lights would come on or anything spin up, correct me if im wrong but if a motherboard is defective doesnt that mean theres a break somewhere in teh circuitry or a component is messed up. it would seem ot me if the board was freaky then the lights would never come on.