Help Needed: "Narwhal" Setup - Power Compatibility Issue with Motherboard

[The Short Mage]

I am setting up the "Narwhal" recommended parts that is now listed on page 12 of MMO-Champion.com
the issue I'm having is that pressing the power button doesn't actually turn it on. I've spoken with a tech at ASUS and he seemed to think it was a problem with the motherboard. So I got a replacement motherboard and the same thing happened.

So my brother texts me that he got in touch with someone from the best buy geek squad and he tells me that there was some known compatibility issue with the power (Corsair 650TX) and the motherboard (ASUS P8Z77-V LK). That the motherboard is looking for 12.2 V power and the Corsair outputs 12.1 V power.

Is this true? Is there a way to switch it? Do I need to get a different power supply?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[n0cturnal]

This is not true and whoever said that should be ooking into getting a different kind of job.

They both run on the ATX12V standard.

[prankstar]

are you sure you have it all connected up correctly i have lost track of the times i have had people come to me and the only problem has been that they have plugged the front panel connectors in to the wrong area there is a few places on an asus board that look like they would fit the front panel cables. the correct area is in the very bottom right corner theres a diagram on chapter 2 page 25 of the manual make sure on the wires that have + - are placed correctly + will be colored wires - will be either black or white also check you have the 4 pin power cable connected

[vesseblah]

Is this true? Is there a way to switch it? Do I need to get a different power supply?

No, that's so far into bullshit department that the guy should work in farm squad, not geek squad.

Also make sure the two extra 4-pin power cables are plugged into the motherboard. It's really common mistake for novice builders to forget.

[The Short Mage]

I've been reading a forum post about using a paperclip to short the power supply to test if it works. So I connected it green to black on the 24 pin and powered it on. The result was that the fan starts spinning, and then cuts off after about 1.5-2 seconds. I'm thinking that this is probably a bad thing and that the fan is supposed to stay on the whole time. Anyone have any knowledge to confirm if this is true?

[vesseblah]

I've been reading a forum post about using a paperclip to short the power supply to test if it works. So I connected it green to black on the 24 pin and powered it on. The result was that the fan starts spinning, and then cuts off after about 1.5-2 seconds. I'm thinking that this is probably a bad thing and that the fan is supposed to stay on the whole time. Anyone have any knowledge to confirm if this is true?

If you had something plugged into the PSU like case fan or DVD drive and it cuts off, the PSU is probably broken. Most PSUs will not start if there's nothing plugged into it.

Also you need to keep the paperclip/wire/something constantly between green and black to keep the PSU on, not just touch the pins like you'd start motherboard with screwdriver between the pins.

[prankstar]

what vesseblah said is correct but if that does not work then try reseating your memory like so. remove 1 stick of ram see if it spins correctly if it does take it out and try the other stick of ram if it spins correctly with that in try again. this time place 1 piece of ram in slot 1 and the other in slot 3 that is the correct way to use dual channel ram and should boot up correctly

[The Short Mage]

ok so I went to Best Buy and got a Corsair GS700. Before I even tried it out on the motherboard I did the paperclip trick and it yielded the exact same result: spins for a little and then stops. So I attached it to the motherboard, and again I got the same result. I disconnected all peripheral parts (hard drive, graphics card, DVD ROM, front panel items, CPU cooling fan) and I even took out the 2 RAM sticks. Same exact thing. So now what? I've gone through 2 motherboards and 2 power supplies so I think I've ruled out that it can't be a faulty equipment thing. There's something I'm missing to the setup I think. As far as connectors for power, there are 2. One is the 24 pin main line and then there is a 6 pin on the top left. To recap, this is a ASUS P8Z77-V LK. I'm not sure what the 2 4-pin connectors are that Vesseblah is talking about. is that the critical part that is messing me up?

[Deleted]

The PSU (GS700) should have this:

Motherboard Power Connectors: One 20/24-pin connector and two ATX12V connectors that together form an EPS12V connector

Make sure both those 4pin connectors are plugged in (those are NOT the PCI-E connectors)

[vesseblah]

ok so I went to Best Buy and got a Corsair GS700. Before I even tried it out on the motherboard I did the paperclip trick and it yielded the exact same result: spins for a little and then stops.

Did you read my post #6 for possible reasons why the PSU dont start with a paperclip?

As far as connectors for power, there are 2. One is the 24 pin main line and then there is a 6 pin on the top left. To recap, this is a ASUS P8Z77-V LK. I'm not sure what the 2 4-pin connectors are that Vesseblah is talking about. is that the critical part that is messing me up?

Blue 8-pin connector in the top right corner of this picture



Where you plug in this

[The Short Mage]

yes, I'm sorry. When I said 6-pin connector I really meant 8-pin connector. Vesseblah, the connector I have is the EPS12V. sorry for saying the wrong thing. So together I have the 24-pin connector and the 8-pin connector. Those are both plugged in.

[prankstar]

are you using a stock cpu fan or after market also this may sound like a stupid question but if its after market have you aplied thermal paste

[The Short Mage]

after market, yes. I'm setting up the "Narwhal" set that is (currently) on page 12 of mmo-champion. The cpu fan is this big hulking fan designed for overclocking: Thermaltake Frio. I have applied the thermal paste, it came with the fan.

[prankstar]

is the cpu and the cpu fan seated correctly check the underside of the cpu for bent pins or dirt don't touch the underside with your fingers hold by the edges. is it possible for you to post an image of your setup it would help us in determining what the cause of this error is rigt now im leaning towards user error or another bad motherboard.1 last thing any chance you have still got the intel cpu fan that came with your cpu try running the system with that fan

[The Short Mage]

ok, I will do that tomorrow. Today I work a very long day (15 hours) and won't be back until next year. thank you for your help, will update you tomorrow.

[chaud]

That PSU should work fine. See this video to make sure you are doing the paperclip test properly.

[The Short Mage]

ok so I did the paperclip test as per the video. it looks like the power unit works. the case fan stays on and the fan on the unit turns on. I spoke to a corsair rep and he told me that all of their psu's now turn off after a second like it has been doing. that is intentional.
so I put the cpu fan in and took out the frio, powered it up but the same thing happens. Right now all I have plugged in are the 2 power connectors (24 pin and 8 pin) and the case fan. will not boot up.

[llDemonll]

so you press the power button on the case and it does nothing?

[vesseblah]

ok so I did the paperclip test as per the video. it looks like the power unit works.

Motherboard or CPU broken then if the PSU works. Since you're on 2nd board already it could be CPU too, or maybe you aren't installing the CPU correctly?

[The Short Mage]

ok I had another call with ASUS today. apparently, I'm retarded. yes, it was user error. The issue was that I didn't put the motherboard separator screws in. I used the regular computer screws. so the motherboard was actually touching the case. I'm sure you all know not to do that, and you assumed that I knew too. I apologize. He asked me to test the motherboard out without anything else plugged into it. which I did, and it didn't work. then he asked me if I had the motherboard touching the case. I said yes it's laying on the case. he about flipped his lid. so I lifted it off the case and held the motherboard in my hand, and started it up. sure enough, it works no problems.
so he advised me to get a replacement motherboard since there's no telling how much damage I've done to it, grounding it to the case like that.

thank you all for the help. now we all know, for the next guy who is retarded, that if the power twitches a little and stops, it's possible it is grounded to the case.