Strange power problem.

[EniGmA1987]

I am having an issue with turning a new computer on. When I hit the power button, the power comes on but it sounds like the power button is constantly being pressed every half second or so and the power up cycle keeps starting over. The post numbers on the motherboard just keep flashing "FF" like when you first hit the power. A very soft clicking type of noise is coming from the power supply as well, in time with the continuous power up cycle going on. Nothing ever comes up on the screen and it never goes through the post sequence because the cycle just keeps starting over. To turn the computer off I have to hold down the power button for 4 seconds. Right now I am using the power button on the motherboard itself, not through the tower. I also took the motherboard and power supply out of the tower and put it on a wood desk to see if the problem persisted. It did the same thing for a second and then powered up fine. So I put the motherboard back in the tower, used new Nylon standoffs and Nylon screws to make sure the motherboard wasn't contacting anything metal in any way, and then tried to power it on only to have the same constant power cycle issue.

Has anyone seen this kind of issue before? Could it be the power supply maybe? Or the motherboard?

I tried it with 2 sticks of RAM per CPU, and 4 sticks of RAM and got the same result. I am about to go try a single stick for each CPU now and see what happens although I suspect the result will be the same. Right now nothing is plugged into the motherboard except the power cables (24 pin, 8 pin, and 4 pin), the two CPUs, and some RAM for each CPU. The bare minimum it can have.


EDIT:
video of the issue, cant hear the clicking of the power supply over the fans though :(
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3244044/strange_power_issue/
And now another place:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdc7lEPMie8

^^^^
videos still being processed, will be available soon.


Also as you can see in the video, now the computer has started randomly turning off instead of just going until I hold the power button down for 4 seconds. Kinda odd.

[Aothen]

I am having an issue with turning a new computer on. When I hit the power button, the power comes on but it sounds like the power button is constantly being pressed every half second or so and the power up cycle keeps starting over. The post numbers on the motherboard just keep flashing "FF" like when you first hit the power. A very soft clicking type of noise is coming from the power supply as well, in time with the continuous power up cycle going on. Nothing ever comes up on the screen and it never goes through the post sequence because the cycle just keeps starting over. To turn the computer off I have to hold down the power button for 4 seconds. Right now I am using the power button on the motherboard itself, not through the tower. I also took the motherboard and power supply out of the tower and put it on a wood desk to see if the problem persisted. It did the same thing for a second and then powered up fine. So I put the motherboard back in the tower, used new Nylon standoffs and Nylon screws to make sure the motherboard wasn't contacting anything metal in any way, and then tried to power it on only to have the same constant power cycle issue.

Has anyone seen this kind of issue before? Could it be the power supply maybe? Or the motherboard?

I tried it with 2 sticks of RAM per CPU, and 4 sticks of RAM and got the same result. I am about to go try a single stick for each CPU now and see what happens although I suspect the result will be the same. Right now nothing is plugged into the motherboard except the power cables (24 pin, 8 pin, and 4 pin), the two CPUs, and some RAM for each CPU. The bare minimum it can have.

A: Make sure no keys are sticking on your keyboard, try another keyboard if need be.

B: Make sure that you have your power and reset leads hooked up right on your mobo.

C: Try another PSU...

D: Clear your Cmos...remove battery on mobo....ect.

E: Like your doing, process of elimination.... eventually you'll come to the problem.

Aothen.

[EniGmA1987]

A: Make sure no keys are sticking on your keyboard, try another keyboard if need be.

B: Make sure that you have your power and reset leads hooked up right on your mobo.

C: Try another PSU...

D: Clear your Cmos...remove battery on mobo....ect.

E: Like your doing, process of elimination.... eventually you'll come to the problem.

Aothen.


A) no keyboard plugged in right now, doesnt work with or without.

B) No power or reset leads on motherboard right now, motherboard has power and reset buttons.

C) have no other PSU with both an 8 pin and 4 pin CPU power, only corsair stuff with either/or.

D) done that, didnt help. Noticed the cmos jumper was a bit loose so I already replaced it with another more snug fit.

E) any more suggestions?

[Aothen]

:mad: Well then... I would try and find another PSU so we can eliminate that from the possibility of that being it... Try moving the memory to different dims, make sure everything is seated properly.. Uhm, make sure your grounded... So, about this motherboard of yours...wuts the story behind it? brand new? how old is it? When did these problems start?

Aothen

[Aothen]

Just watched your vid on youtube. Its either a bad motherboard or PSU man! I would try and find another powersupply and test it then. Cheaper to buy a new powersupply over a motherboard. (generally speaking) If it still does it.....with a good PSU ...sad to say..its your motherboard bro! ;[

Aothen

[EniGmA1987]

YA thats what I am thinking too. All parts are brand new, problem started today. I was changing the CPU fans to different headers to make sure the board would power on without an rpm reading for the CPUs. The fans are too noisy at almost 7000rpms so I wanted to add a fan controller to quiet them down a bit. After moving the tower around, changing the fans, turning it on, turning it off, changing the fans back, and moving the tower back, the problem started.

[Aothen]

YA thats what I am thinking too. All parts are brand new, problem started today. I was changing the CPU fans to different headers to make sure the board would power on without an rpm reading for the CPUs. The fans are too noisy at almost 7000rpms so I wanted to add a fan controller to quiet them down a bit. After moving the tower around, changing the fans, turning it on, changing the fans back, and moving the tower back, the problem started.

Please tell me you did all this with the power off and the PSU cord disconnected?????:eek:

[EniGmA1987]

no why would I do that? I am in the habit of frequently changing power cables around while the computer is on.


lol of course the computer was completely off and disconnected. I suppose I should edit that to say I turned it off.

Thanks for all your help Aothen. Does anyone else have ideas or suggestions to try before the PSU ships back to Newegg in 3 hours?

[Aothen]

no why would I do that? I am in the habit of frequently changing power cables around while the computer is on.


lol of course the computer was completely off and disconnected. I suppose I should edit that to say I turned it off.

Thanks for all your help Aothen. Does anyone else have ideas or suggestions to try before the PSU ships back to Newegg in 3 hours?

Seems im speaking on behalf of everyone! :cool:

Try this... Take a piece of wire (copper if you have it) and hot wire the PSU. Cross the green wire with any black wire....Im curious. ;)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/aothen/DSCF4254.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/aothen/pyzamhatessandcastles.jpg

By the way, Newegg.com rocks...you should have no problem with this return! woot! :yepp:

Aothen

[Aothen]

Bump** Did you try it????

[EniGmA1987]

Going to try it now. Give me 15 mins.

EDIT, Im guessing disconnect everything first before I cross the two wires and turn it on?

[WSP]

check your power/reset button on your case. it may gets sticky.

you said you try your systems on a wooden desk, it went just fine?

[EniGmA1987]

on the wooden desk when I turned it on it did the continuous power cycle every 500ms for a couple seconds, and then started working. So the problem is still there, at least partly even when not in the tower.

[Aothen]

disconnect everything...take the PSU out (since your returning N e way?) and do what i said.... :up:

[Bigred1]

It did work though outside of the case. Have you tried Just putting the Motherboard in the Case and Trying it with the Power Supply outside of the Case. To me it sounds like somethings grounding.

[EniGmA1987]

Thats what I thought at first too so I did that, with only the motherboard in the case and everything out, including the PSU the problem is still there. It is basically impossible for the motherboard to be grounding on something. I replaced the standoffs and screws with Nylon stuff. Nylon is non conductive. I looked all around the MB and it isnt touching the tower anywhere. I even took out the back IO plate and that didn't help either.



OK Aothen, I did the wire trick on the main plug and the PSU turns on. I honestly dont know if it is cycling the power though as the back fan turns on, but is so quiet anyway that I cant hear if it is spinning up and down really fast. The PSU is a PC P&C Silencer 710.

[EniGmA1987]

Put the PSU back in just to see what would happen and guess what??!?!?! Same thing, doesnt work still. Im going to try taking the MB out again, but this will be the last thing I can try as I have to box up the PSU for returning because the UPS guy will be here soon.

[Aothen]

Let us know when the new powersupply comes.... btw, what kind of PSU did you get... didnt remember seeing you tell us.. (maybe i overlooked that)