Firespear

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Feb 25, 2010
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18,510
My new system build is continuing to give me problems. I get short continuous beeps from my motherboard, indicating a "power error." My CPU fan does not start either.

History
Computer has not worked yet. I had put it together before, and received no beeping from BIOS. I connected an older computer's power supply to the motherboard using only the 24 ATX and CPU power cables (The rest were still plugged into my old computer). That lead to me getting short continuous beeps. I decided that since my older PSU was still partially connected to my old computer, that was why I got the beeps. I RMA'd the old power supply for a new one. I received the new PSU today and here we are.

I have the computer breadboarded on my desk on some cardboard. I have connected only the ATX and CPU power. This time, I actually get beeps again - short and continuous. Could I really have received 2 bad power supplies? The CPU fan works what attached to other headers on the motherboard. Could my CPU be the culprit?

Specs
i7 860
GIGABYTE P55A-UD3P
Seasonic X-Series 650w
2x2gb gSkill Ripjaw
XFX 5850
Coolermaster Hyper 212

Steps
With old power supply and breadboarded

1. Cleared CMOS
2. Attached ATX and CPU power
3. CPU fan spins but no beeps when powered on

With new power supply and breadboarded
1. Cleared CMOS
2. Attached ATX and CPU power
3. CPU fan does not spin but get short continuous beeps indicating "power error"

Please help!
 
Your graphics card requires two 6-pin PCI-E connections. You don't mention anywhere that you have them plugged in.

The READ before posting about boot problems! sticky at the top of the forum has a checklist that gives you a methodical way to troubleshoot your problem. Have you tried each stick of RAM in the first RAM slot (the white slots on that motherboard)? It sounds like you've performed a lot of the steps in the checklist already, but you should make sure to perform EVERY step to properly troubleshoot this problem.
 

Firespear

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Feb 25, 2010
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Sorry, I will be more thorough in my description of the steps I took. I'll explain the steps with the new power supply, since that is what I have right now. From the "READ before posting" sticky, I am starting at the step of "Pull everything except the CPU and HSF. Boot. Get the motherboard mad."

1. On my desk I have hooked up the 24 pin power and 2x4 pin CPU power.
2. I turn the power on and get short continuous beeps and no CPU fan spin up.
(3) If I have the video card in with both PCIe powers connected, I still get number 2 above. The video card fan begins to spin.
(4) Your comment on RAM has me confused now. After looking a bit more carefully, you are right, I would want my RAM in the white slots. Putting either single stick into white slot DDR3_1 and powering on causes my machine to NOT beep continuously. The CPU fan still does not turn on. Not sure if this is indicative of anything or not.

 

Firespear

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Feb 25, 2010
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I just updated my original post with my heatsink info. It is the Coolermaster Hyper 212. I've reset CMOS a few times and never made it into BIOS to change anything related to fan speed. That being said, when I used the first power supply (before I RMA'd it), the fan spun up right away and went at (relatively) full speed.

In this case, with the new power supply, it spins once when the power is hit and then spins no more.
 

Firespear

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Feb 25, 2010
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Well I got it. I took the new memory information to heart and put them in the correct slots. I then connected and plugged in the video card. Waited patiently and got a POST beep. Seems to be working well so far.

I thought I would have gotten different errors if all I had was the CPU and ATX power connected. Guess not! Thanks for the help!