---Someone help me... really stuck.

[wongb18c]

I'm no expert when it comes to computer building but I've put together about more than 10 computers in my 19 years of lifetime. I never encountered a problem like this.

---Set up
CPU - AMD duron 1.6
Board [tried both] - 1. some Asus socket A board
2. Abit kv7 socket A board
Ram - ocz 256mb
psu - 300 watt psu from an old comp that ran on an intel chip.
cd drive - some hitachi cd drive
video card - an old radeon 32mb card from an older comp agp slot.

---Problem
First: I used an old Asus board I had lying around... put everything together, turn the thing on, it gets stuck at the check memory screen when you first boot up. Then I noticed, CD-rom and HD are not receiving any power.
Ok, from here, I tried a different psu...[took the psu from my comp] same problem, same screen, same result.

Second: Checked all the cables, molex connector, made sure everything was plugged in right etc... tried again... no go.

Third: took HD AND CD drive.... hooked it up to my comp.... NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. Windows recognize both drives... both drives are ready to use. [WTF? can anyone give me explination for this?]

Fourth: I don't know what else to do... bought a new Abit board for pretty cheap and figured I'd try that out [although I know the board has nothing to do with HD and CD drive not receiving power]. Took out everything snapped it on the new board. Boot up... this time I don't even get a picture, the Abit board doesn't have onboard video so I used the old AGP radeon card. I get no picture with this. The Asus board at least gave me a picture since it had onboard video.
Also notice the HD and CD drive both are STILL NOT receiving power.

So bascially, I hook up the HD and CD drive to my computer they work FINE. I hook them up to the Asus board or the Abit board they both don't seem to receive power. Tried two different psu's [btw, both psu's function superbly when hooked up to my computer]
There's basically no difference between my computer and the one I'm putting together.
Should I try a more powerful psu? 400 watt maybe?

So my question is... is there something easy I'm missing here? Any input would be appreciated... sorry for the ridiculously long thread, but this is really frustrating me.

 

[Nubius]

Dang....well snap, if it works in your machine, as ridiculous as it sounds it would seem like both those boards are defective or something.

There was someone posting the other day about his CD-ROM drives not receiving power and the only way that could happen is if the PSU was seriously screwed up or if the drives were screwed up.

So let me get this straight:

In your computer, everything works fine.

With either ASUS or ABit board you get no video and no power to the HD's and CD-ROM drive?

Is that an accurate summary?

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

I think that's impossible

 

[KorKwin]

Have u tried using diffren't memory?? that could be it....

 

[wongb18c]

I know it's impossible... that's why this is so gay. Memory is not the problem... the problem is.. the HD and CD drive does not receive power when I'm using the Abit board OR the Asus board... however using my MSI board it works.... what in gods name? The chances of both boards being defective is not likely.... something else is wrong here. Could it be the cpu? Could it be the wires? Could it be the IDE cables? I know the CD and HD drives work properly in my computer, so that can be excluded.

 

[gaara]

Yeah, it sounds like somehow your IDE buses got fried in both motherboards somehow, but this has totally baffled me...

 

[Cappy]

check to make sure the hard drive is connected on the primary IDE socket and the CDrom is on the secondary IDE socket both set to master find the manual online.If for some reason you had them disconected improperly clear CMOS .How old are the drives and boards ? Make sure your using the correct ribbon cables.Heres your options i think im correct ATA 33/66 use the 40 pin cable on the HD . ATA 100 use the 80 pin cable

 

[mortified]

Also check how the board

is being mounted in the case. Are you unintentionally grounding the board out? maybe try a different configuration of your hardware mounting to the case. A lot of older boards used to be very picky with having the paper wafer washers between the board and head of the screw. Is your old system using a AT or ATX power supply. If it's ATX, does it have a companion port that needs to be plugged into the MB?

 

[Laecia]

Similar problem happened to my brother.

Turns out he:

1. Didn't have the small power cord plugged to the chip
2. Had the switch on the power supply flipped to the wrong setting

-L-

 

[wongb18c]

Re: Also check how the board

is being mounted in the case. Are you unintentionally grounding the board out? maybe try a different configuration of your hardware mounting to the case. A lot of older boards used to be very picky with having the paper wafer washers between the board and head of the screw. Is your old system using a AT or ATX power supply. If it's ATX, does it have a companion port that needs to be plugged into the MB?

You know you could be right... I might be unintentionally grounding out the board.... since I have it snug against the case!..... hmmmm why didn't I think of that. Maybe it's cuz every case is different? This doesn't happen with my case... or other cases I've used in the past. Can someone offer an explanation for this so it doesn't happen to me again in the future.

Regardless, therewere supporters on the board that I took off while cleaning it... never put it back on.. but the thing is I think I threw them out... $#@!... sigh... I think you're right though. Where can I buy those new screw suspenders that holds the board away from the case? Does anyone know what I'm talking about.
My board is not a ATX board, doesn't require a smaller power cord plugged into the board.