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General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Getback on August 26, 2011, 10:58:44 AM

Title: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: Getback on August 26, 2011, 10:58:44 AM
Was building a computer for my daughter but it will not stay on. Fans come on for a brief second and then the computer shuts down. I've checked the connections several times. I even changed power supplies from one comp that I know works. Still no go.

Also I am running 1 stick of ddr3 and it's in the closest slot to the CPU.


Any suggestions?
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: gyrene81 on August 26, 2011, 12:16:30 PM
won't even do a post?

pop that memory stick out and see what happens when you power it up, should get some post memory error beeps.

could also be your power supply, you did test it on another system before you connected it to the new mobo right?
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: MrRiplEy[H] on August 26, 2011, 12:57:39 PM
Was building a computer for my daughter but it will not stay on. Fans come on for a brief second and then the computer shuts down. I've checked the connections several times. I even changed power supplies from one comp that I know works. Still no go.

Also I am running 1 stick of ddr3 and it's in the closest slot to the CPU.


Any suggestions?

Remove all peripherals, including USB devices. Remove all components, including CPU. Replace only CPU, RAM (try another slot) and display card unless your mobo has integrated display. Then try again.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: guncrasher on August 26, 2011, 01:11:42 PM
mobo is shorting out in the back? did you put the "raiser" or whatever you call them that hold the mobo away from the back of the computer?  were they all grounded?  are they in the right holes?  do you have both power cables in correctly?  try all 4 memory slots with only 1 stick.  also one of my old mobo's would not boot with only 1 stick.  I always had to have 2.

semp
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: Skuzzy on August 26, 2011, 01:26:06 PM
I had a brand new motherboard do this to me, just recently.  The mobo was DOA.  First time for me.  Not bad, considering the hundreds of computers I have built.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: cattb on August 26, 2011, 04:19:20 PM
Might also check your wires from the front panel and switch, doubt this is the problem though. I did have a problem with 1 computer once that had some wire chafing or insulation came off the wire from sharp metal on the case.

Try what Ripley says and try jsut the MOBO and CPU and take each step at a time. Also what guncrasher said about tthe shorting.If MOBO and CPU only and still turning off I think I would refer to Skuzzy's comment.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: gyrene81 on August 26, 2011, 05:29:34 PM
getback, what cpu and memory did you buy? i ask because i was doing more technical research on the amd cpu i bought and the memory i was looking at buying...an obscure notation that only comes up when you do an cpu competitive comparison on amd's website, which i never did.

Quote
X2 - Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066MHz) -AND- PC3-8500 (DDR3-1066MHz)
:mad: which means if you bought a dual core amd and 1333MHz memory that may be the cause of your problem  :mad:

i got lucky and found a sale on the ddr3 1066 memory at directron, ocz gold series 2gb stick for $5.99 + shipping...
http://www.directron.com/ocz3g1066lv2g.html (http://www.directron.com/ocz3g1066lv2g.html)

price was right so i bought 4 sticks of it.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: Getback on August 26, 2011, 05:39:32 PM
getback, what cpu and memory did you buy? i ask because i was doing more technical research on the amd cpu i bought and the memory i was looking at buying...an obscure notation that only comes up when you do an cpu competitive comparison on amd's website, which i never did.
 :mad: which means if you bought a dual core amd and 1333MHz memory that may be the cause of your problem  :mad:

i got lucky and found a sale on the ddr3 1066 memory at directron, ocz gold series 2gb stick for $5.99 + shipping...
http://www.directron.com/ocz3g1066lv2g.html (http://www.directron.com/ocz3g1066lv2g.html)

price was right so i bought 4 sticks of it.

So, you are saying that if I used a 1333MHZ stick I should have bought two?
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: Getback on August 26, 2011, 05:40:25 PM
Hey folks thanks for the input! It's RMA. Newegg let me send it back totally free!

Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: MaSonZ on August 26, 2011, 05:54:24 PM
Hey folks thanks for the input! It's RMA. Newegg let me send it back totally free!


once you know, you newegg. :rock
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: oboe on August 26, 2011, 06:11:02 PM
This same thing happens to me - my build constantly cycles between attempting a power up, just like the OP the computer resets after the fans come on briefly.

I figure its power supply rated, as when I power off the power supply with its on switch for a 15-20 secs, then turn it back on, the computer acan boot just fine.

I have a 700W CoolerMaster PS.

Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: cattb on August 26, 2011, 09:17:02 PM
getback, what gyrene is saying is, the memory controller in the AMD CPU has limittations on certain CPUS.

In other words a Athlon CPU may not be able to run 1600 ddr3 memory, but will run  1066 ddr3 .This is juat a example as I have not looked at the newer AMD CPUS nor have I looked at the AMD websight in quite some time. The Phenoms will run faster RAM then the Athlons.

I don't have time at the moment to  post  a link , but go to the AMD websight ( as suggested)and look at the specs on the CPUs and you will understand.

It is very important you have the correct RAM for the motherboard and CPU.

If I have something wrong please correct.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: Drano on August 26, 2011, 09:27:25 PM
Getback by any chance is your mobo one of the new Asus Z68s? What you're describing sounds familiar. I just put one together with one and it has features that will do this at bootup as the mobo tests memory and cpu clock combinations. Sometimes mine would do the start/stop thing two or three times before it would finally boot. Nothing wrong with it--it does that by design. I'm not sure but I think some of the P67s do that too. It would have to do with the TPU and EPU features or any of the automatic overclock software that comes with the board.

But I got tired of it doing that and set my own clocks manually and now it just starts up normally. I just set the TPU and EPU switches to "off" and did my own thing.




<edit> Oops! My bad if it just shuts off and stays off. Yeah that's bad. :D
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: gyrene81 on August 26, 2011, 11:22:05 PM
So, you are saying that if I used a 1333MHZ stick I should have bought two?
actually no, according to the little blurb on amd's website it seems the dual core cpus will only handle memory as fast as 1066mhz, even if the mobo will handle faster.

i just happened to find a sale on ocz gold series 2gb 1066mhz ddr3 memory at directron.com today and bought 4 sticks at $5.99 each +shipping.

i'm cheap and it's faster than what i'm running in my intel core duo right now.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: Getback on August 27, 2011, 02:15:57 AM
actually no, according to the little blurb on amd's website it seems the dual core cpus will only handle memory as fast as 1066mhz, even if the mobo will handle faster.

i just happened to find a sale on ocz gold series 2gb 1066mhz ddr3 memory at directron.com today and bought 4 sticks at $5.99 each +shipping.

i'm cheap and it's faster than what i'm running in my intel core duo right now.

So if AMD can only handle 1066 I can't use 1333 or it won't post?

Gyrene, did you receive the memory and did it work?
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: gyrene81 on August 27, 2011, 07:38:09 AM
So if AMD can only handle 1066 I can't use 1333 or it won't post?
from everything i've been able to find, that appears to depend on the motherboard bios automatically stepping the effective memory speed down to 1066mhz at post. i've seen some amd bench mark tests that used 1333mhz memory on amd 780 chipset based boards with dual core amd cpus, like this review from 2010:

http://www.cpu-world.com/news_2010/2010050301_Athlon_II_X2_benchmarks.html (http://www.cpu-world.com/news_2010/2010050301_Athlon_II_X2_benchmarks.html)


Gyrene, did you receive the memory and did it work?
no, i did not. i had been seeing some price drops on memory over the past month, so i was putting it off for a bit. seems it paid off too, that "unadvertised" sale at directron saved me enough that i was able to buy 8gb of 1066mhz ram for about the same price as 4gb of 1333mhz. with the mobo i'm buying, i will probably upgrade the cpu and memory next year once the price of the top end phenom2 black editions gets down below $100.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: BaldEagl on August 27, 2011, 10:03:42 AM
I just had the same problem with my machine.  I replaced the PSU and it's running great again but since you already tried a known working PSU you're probably already pointed in the right direction.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: cattb on August 27, 2011, 01:59:01 PM
running 1333 memory on a AMD CPU which will only run 1066 (ddr3)  may run 1333 memory , but run it at 1066. I have never tried my self , but guessing the outcome. This is also considering the motherboard will run the memory.(It should)
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: zack1234 on August 27, 2011, 05:50:05 PM
I bought a GTX550 card and it caused havoc booting my pc up, bought ATI hd 6970 and it worked fine.

I cleaned all old drivers etc and GTX card still was moody.

I have a AMD Phenom quad core with 8 gig memory 64 bit op.

maybe its a card problem?

anyone want a GTX 550? its new :)
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: cattb on August 27, 2011, 08:58:47 PM
send it in under warranty
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: gyrene81 on August 27, 2011, 09:30:04 PM
send it in under warranty
if it's been more than 30 days, he won't get his money back on it.

i've seen issues similar to zack's trying to run ati graphics cards with some versions of nvidia nforce chipsets on mobos...first time i've heard of an nvidia graphics card doing that on an amd chipset mobo. sell it in the classified ads section zack, may not get back all of what you paid for it.
Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: zack1234 on August 28, 2011, 04:34:15 AM
I will probably swap it instead i don't like selling second hand stuff :old:

Title: Re: Computer comes on and goes off
Post by: icepac on August 29, 2011, 08:35:23 PM
This issue occurs because the motherboard is not receiving the "power is good" signal from the power supply.

The reasons could range from any device plugged in causing the motherboard to go into crisis.......at which point it voltages are not proper.....the computer shuts down.

One thing to try before sending the board out is to unplug all the case to motherboard headers like the ones that go to the leds and the reset button........leaving only what is necessary to run the machine.

I say this because the reset switch resets the system by removing the motherboard's ability to see "power good" signal.......which causes the board to reset.

If you have a LED plugged into the "reset" pins or something else that causes the signal to be pulled, the computer will flash briefly but not boot.