No post, no beep, no DVI signal

[xiiijojjo]

Let me start of by informing you that i have in fact read the " troubleshoot no post " - sticky thread and actually GONE through the list several times now.

I'm building a computer for my lil' brother and have built around 10 in my life time. Never had any issues i did not know how to handle. But now i face the dreaded " no post, no beep " so i ask you computer gods to my aid!

Brother's Built Specs:

CPU: Phenom II x4 955
GPU: Asus 560 TI
PSU: Corsair CX 600(watt)
RAM: 2x4Gig 1600MHz Corsair Vengeance
MOBO: Asrock 970 pro3 ( no onboard video )


First i wanna say that i already built a system like the one above (for the other lil' brother) about a month ago, had no problems at all only difference was that this first built had a " Radeon 7850 Core Edition " instead of a " Asus 560 TI "
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Okay now to this built. So i was very confident and skipped the breadboarding (or whatever it's called) and went straight ahead an installed it in the chasis, checked, double checked, and finally turned the system on... Nothing... Not even Any beeps from that lil' 4-pin speaker thingy. So i went through " The troubleshooting sticky thread" once again and at one point i removed all the sticks of RAM and heard the Beep code for " RAM problems detected " (3 long ones if i remember correctly).
Anyways after having worked my *** off trying to get this to work for 2 days i finally sent back the Motherboard. They sent me another one that they had tested for flaws.

So with this new motherboard i thought part 2 of the now week long project had come to an end... but i was mistaken... Same Issue as before " No post, no beeps, the screen said " NO DVI SIGNAL " Just as it did before but now i had another problem. The 4-pin speaker would no longer make the 3 long beeps even with NO RAM installed???

So i figured why not use the process of elimination, what's the worst thing that could happen at this point right? I had already promised to have the computer ready a long time ago by now. So here is what i found by doing a line of tests both in the using my brothers built and my own to find out which components were the culprits.

My own built used to eliminate which parts doesn't work:

CPU: I7 2600k @ 3.4GHz
GPU: PNY 580
PSU: Energon 1000W
RAM: 2x4Gig 1600MHz Corsair Vengeance (yup the same RAM as in his built)
MOBO: Z68A-GD65 (G3) rev.4 LGA1155

1. I tested the " Asus 560 TI " in my own rig and it worked as any other GPU without drivers installed for it: post, beep, win 7 desktop (bad resolution of course)
I also tested my " PNY 580 " in my Brothers build and again nothing.

2. I did the whole 1x RAM installed in DIMM 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 ( with 4 different pieces of 1600MHz Vengeance. Then i tried the dual channels and even tried installing all 4 at one point... I even had another noname 1600MHz single 4Gig of RAM lying around which was tested in all DIMMs and it worked fine in my built (Also no beeps with zero RAM installed)

3. Used my 1000W PSU on my brothers built, and his 600W PSU on mine, both PSU's booted my system, none of them booted his.

But i'm still skeptical of whether or not the company i sent the MOBO back to actually sent me a NEW MOBO or just tested the original one and sent it back.

Also i've had no way of testing another CPU in the built.
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So from what i can deduce Some thing is either Wrong with

1. The CPU

2. The MOBO

but i want to add this last option in here after a lil' explainin'

I think the RAM might've actually been the problem all along. The Mobo only supports:
- Supports DDR3 2100(OC)/1866(OC)*/1800(OC)*/1600(OC)*/1333/1066/800 non-ECC, un-buffered memory (taken from http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970%20Pro3/?cat=Specifications)

and i noticed that i have to enable XMP Profile in Bios every time i take 'em out of MY system to have them run on 1600MHz again. By default they register themselves as 1333MHz, which i figured might be the initial problem. I heard about other people who had to " kickstart" their system with other, often, inferior RAM, set the whole thing up, install windows and all that AND THEN plop in the nice shiny pieces of RAM afterwards...

Thanks for reading that wall of text and sorry that i have not been addressing every basic step in troubleshooting that i've performed but i'm sure ONE of you brainy guys can help a frustrated Big brother out

sidenote- all the tests i did was done in breadboarding or my CoolerMaster HAF XB ( very good cable management )

 

[Dhamilton]

When you try to power it on, do any of the Fans spin?

 

[xiiijojjo]

When you try to power it on, do any of the Fans spin?

Oh yes i left out quite important info, sorry about that. When i power the system on CPU, GPU and chasis fans spin, Leds light and all the fans seems to be at highest RPM or close. I also do not have the option power down the system naturally by either connecting the " POWER SW " - front panel 2-pin connector and pressing on the assigned button on a chasis neither can i do it by holding a screwdriver to the 2 pins. The only way to power the system down is by pressing the switch on the backside of the PSU.

 

[Dhamilton]

If you have indeed done every step in the "troubleshoot no post" sticky then I am at a loss.
Triple check that all of the power cables and front panel headers are connected in the proper places and orientation.
Reset the CMOS as directed in the MB Manual.
Maybe try to connect with HDMI or VGA instead of DVI?
After that I would take a good look at the CPU pins and/or socket to be sure of no damage.
Sorry cant provide a definite answer.
Good luck.

 

[xiiijojjo]

Reset the CMOS around a dusin times now, followed the instruction in the Mobo package. I only have 2x DVI slots and 1x mini display port. I have tried both DVI ports. Also the CPU has been checked and double checked and handled with the utmost care.

It's not ya fault Dhamilton But thanks for trying at least ^_^

I'm still here if someone has an idea what my problem is, from the now quite well-explained prognosis.