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I've just built a PC, and for some reason the motherboard won't POST and boot the OS. I can hear/see everything get power and but nothing happens.

I have pulled the RAM to see if it's bad and it still won't work. I do however have an onboard video card and an AGP video card in, no mouse/keyboard hooked up.

Could any of those have anything to do with it? Or any other troubleshooting steps I could try?

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Double check your power supply connections. I know it sounds stupid, but twice now I've built PCs and couldn't get them to post (though all the fans would spin up). After disconnecting and reconnecting all the motherboard power connections, and reattaching, the system came alive.

Sounds dumb, but worth a try.

Also, disconnect every peripheral (PCI cards, drives, everything) until it posts.

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  • Wow, when I when and put in the second cd drive, I have to unplug the p2 port from the mb to get in it and I def forgot to plug it in after I was finished.
    – Chris
    Commented Aug 30, 2009 at 21:03
  • "when I went" ***
    – Chris
    Commented Aug 30, 2009 at 21:05
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    don't feel too embarassed and give the man a vote! +1 :)
    – Molly7244
    Commented Aug 30, 2009 at 21:07
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Firstly I'd try removing the AGP video card and see if you can get a signal from the onboard graphics. I'm pretty sure that most onboard graphics get disabled if you add a graphics card.

If that works then plug the AGP card back in and see if you get a signal from that.

EDIT: You're probably also be getting an error due to the lack of keyboard - but, depending on OS, usually puts an error message on the screen. Lack of mouse isn't usually a problem.

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  • - pulled agp card and still no signal. - the computer has no OS. even without a mouse/keyboard there should still be a posting beep and the bios should run. To Molly: I "pulled" each RAM stick individually to test for a bad stick, I'm not some dolt. (and yes the mem modules match) But I don't have another machine here at the moment to test them on.
    – Chris
    Commented Aug 30, 2009 at 20:22
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    well, you decided that specs are not important for us to know, though i beg to differ, so i'm afraid you'll have to put up with our guesswork :) just as a reminder: dual channel memory requires two memory modules plugged into the appointed slots, so pulling just one may not be a suitable 'testing' method.
    – Molly7244
    Commented Aug 30, 2009 at 20:32
  • Well it isn't dual channel, so that's out the window to begin with. Thus making it a "suitable" testing method. I just didn't plug the P2 cord back into the MB after I installed the 2nd CD drive. My fault. Thanks for the help though.
    – Chris
    Commented Aug 30, 2009 at 21:05
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if you 'pulled the RAM' then there certainly is no POSTing. :)

did you check the RAM with another machine?

do the memory modules match the requirements of the mainboard?

remove the add-in graphics card and try again.

oh, and connect a keyboard.

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Are you sure the motherboard is good? I have also seen bad processors and bad power supplies do what you are seeing. The best way is to narrow down your variables using known working components/computers to figure what hardware does, for sure, work.

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Also, you might want to allow the system a good 30 to 45 MINUTES to reach POST. I am still troubleshooting a very bad POST delay (usually averaging 4+ minutes to POST)--after 11 months of working on it. It took me quite awhile before one day I just let the system run. The fans were working, and I thought it would do no harm. I was startled when, after half an hour, I suddenly heard the BEEP! of the POST.

This doesn't help you much, except there is a difference between "NOT" and "taking a long time", so it might be useful in that regard.

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