Who knows a lot about building PCs? I'm stuck...

[bg]

OK, so I built a PC recently to run Kubuntu and FreeCAD on. Problem is, I can't get it to boot at all, not even into the BIOS configuration. It doesn't beep, just goes into a kind of power cycle loop shown in the video. I've tried another motherboard, no RAM, different RAM, no CPU, different CPU, no video card, different case and a different power supply so basically, I've swapped everything and it still does this. The only thing I can think of now is that I've got some kind of hardware mismatch but, I'm not current enough on all that stuff to know what it is. Here's what I built.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3O601STBNRMND?ref_=wl_share

Where did I go wrong?

https://youtu.be/JeiqFaTkaiU

[On The Hook]

Some motherboards require power in multiple places from the power supply. Some power supplies use a different portion of their supply to power different “legs” of their output. So, if you don’t use the correct outputs, you don’t get the needed power. I didn’t see your connections at the mb, so can’t offer any feedback about that. Does your ps meet the mb, cpu and accessory needs? Also, are you using the cables that came with the ps? Not all ps cables are wired the same and many are not interchangeable. Sometimes certain accessories need to be in certain slots for thing to work properly. Sometimes board jumpers need to be removed, changed or installed as required but your intended configurations.

[On The Hook]

Could you have a bios setting problem? A hard drive size or setting problem? Do you get any lights or beeps? Does the bios recognize the ssd properly? Do you have the boot sequence configured correctly?

[On The Hook]

This board seems to need a bios update to support 13th & 14th gen cpus. Do you have a 12th gen to try? You may need to do a bios reset. There should be a jumper that you add or remove to reset the bios. It may need resetting, and a 12th gen in place to accomplish the bios update. Some boards are very picky on order of operations and updates.

[bg]

Some motherboards require power in multiple places from the power supply. Some power supplies use a different portion of their supply to power different “legs” of their output. So, if you don’t use the correct outputs, you don’t get the needed power. I didn’t see your connections at the mb, so can’t offer any feedback about that. Does your ps meet the mb, cpu and accessory needs? Also, are you using the cables that came with the ps? Not all ps cables are wired the same and many are not interchangeable. Sometimes certain accessories need to be in certain slots for thing to work properly. Sometimes board jumpers need to be removed, changed or installed as required but your intended configurations.

It's got the big power cable and one for the CPU on the board as well as one for the video card (PCIE), those are all plugged in. I can't even get to the BIOS and if I try to turn it on without a CPU, I don't even get this far. I did try the BIOS reset, it just power-cycled and did the same thing. I don't have any other processors to try, all the other PCs are laptops and 5+ years old. They're all fine for what they do but, CAD is asking a little much of them. I've tried it without the HDD connected and still the same. The only thing I see that might be a problem when I dug way into the specs on that MB is that it's only showing support for the i3-14100 up to 3.9GHz and the one I got is 4.7GHz. I may send this board back and order one that's more current. I can't even get into the BIOS no matter what combination I try. If I could, then I'd have a better idea of how to troubleshoot it. Right now, it's basically a brick so there has to be a hardware mismatch.

[Trouthunter]

I've built way over 100 PC's but have never encountered this Bernie.

[bg]

I've built way over 100 PC's but have never encountered this Bernie.

Me neither. Every time I've had a no boot in the past, pulling the RAM would usually get me at least to POST or some beeps to help troubleshoot.

[Matt]

Divide and conquer.
Pull ram
Boot pull cpu
Pull disk..

Also make sure its not grounding out the board to the case.

Trouthunter you've built 100s of pcs but never had one fail to boot ever??? That's extremely lucky.

Good luck bg. Btw i don't own any pcs , log into worlds most powerful machines everyday using work supplied laptop. 🤙

You'll get it, I have faith.

[RRbohemian]

Have you try to flash the BIOS using an SPI programmer? What makes it hard for someone to flash the BIOS on a commercial board the header has been removed (to cut down costs) that limits the ability to attach an SF 100 Dediprog programmer. Also, you need a laptop with the programming software installed with the programmer attached via USB. We would always corrupt a BIOS and the only way to get the BIOS to boot was to re-program the SPI chip. You can still flash without a header put you will need a special connector to attached to the pins on the SPI BIOS chip.

[Matt]

Have you try to flash the BIOS using an SPI programmer? What makes it hard for someone to flash the BIOS on a commercial board the header has been removed (to cut down costs) that limits the ability to attach an SF 100 Dediprog programmer. Also, you need a laptop with the programming software installed with the programmer attached via USB. We would always corrupt a BIOS and the only way to get the BIOS to boot was to re-program the SPI chip. You can still flash without a header put you will need a special connector to attached to the pins on the SPI BIOS chip.

Good call. Connect to the TAP w/JTAG 😅

[KWeber]

lemme look around... i might still have a set of feeler gauges w/a point file somewhere

[JSimpson]

I've still got my timing light & dwell meter. Always handy to get things running right ...

[bg]

Have you try to flash the BIOS using an SPI programmer? What makes it hard for someone to flash the BIOS on a commercial board the header has been removed (to cut down costs) that limits the ability to attach an SF 100 Dediprog programmer. Also, you need a laptop with the programming software installed with the programmer attached via USB. We would always corrupt a BIOS and the only way to get the BIOS to boot was to re-program the SPI chip. You can still flash without a header put you will need a special connector to attached to the pins on the SPI BIOS chip.

I don't have one and it's really not worth the effort to me to get one to try it. I'm just going to try a MB that supports 14th gen without a BIOS update and see what happens. If that doesn't fix it, I'll just return it all and buy something already built, it's already taken too much time.

[bassguitarman]

Somehow, today's Shoe comic strip seemed appropriate, in a smartass kind of way:

[Bill]

Did it boot when you went to install linux?

Does it have a cr2032 battery?

[bg]

Did it boot when you went to install linux?

Does it have a cr2032 battery?

It won't boot at all, not even POST. It has done exactly what's shown in the video since day 1.

[Trouthunter]

Divide and conquer.
Pull ram
Boot pull cpu
Pull disk..

Also make sure its not grounding out the board to the case.

Trouthunter you've built 100s of pcs but never had one fail to boot ever??? That's extremely lucky.

Good luck bg. Btw i don't own any pcs , log into worlds most powerful machines everyday using work supplied laptop. 🤙

You'll get it, I have faith.

Duh, experienced a lot of PC's that wouldn't boot but not with Bernie's symptoms.