I just put all the hardware together and plugged it in all ready to install KnoppMyth but the machine never posts. No beep codes or anything on the screen, it just sits there with the fans spinning. Any clue as to what this is or how to fix it? Thanks.

Forget to post my hardware:
Pundit AB-P2600
Pentium 4 2.4 Ghz
512 RAM (forget which brand)
Two PVR-250's
Seagate 300 gig hard drive
16x DVD burner (forget which brand)

First thought would be to clear CMOS and remove all cards.

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cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!

- What cesman said. Basically hardware debugging by subtraction. Take things out or unplug them until it works.

- When I first put my boxes together I tend to test at each stage along the way. The first test is always assemble just the PSU, MoBo, CPU and RAM and see if it posts. This will also require video of some kind unless the card has a builtin diagnostic display.

- Physical inspection. Is everything installed/seated properly? Pay particular attention to the CPU/heatsink and RAM.

- Try swapping in a different stick of RAM to make sure you didn't zap it.

- Cleaning. Aluminum is a soft metal which makes flakes, shavings, dust, ... easily and since it's also a very conductiive metal that can lead to nasty shorts. Take out the components, turn the box upside down and shake it, maybe thump the bottom a few times, and then vacuum it.

I learned long ago that, whether it's software or hardware, big bang integration fails more often than it works. The friend who helped me put together my workstation was kind of surprised at the way I tested at each stage along the way, but also quite impressed that as a result we only made one minor misstep (the HD jumpering) which was easy to fix, and how quickly we finished as a result. When possible add one thing at a time and test it right then and there.

I've reset the CMOS and tried removing everything but CPU and RAM, still no dice. I'll see if I can take a stick of RAM out of another machine to try in there. I actually made sure it was clean when I first put it together, I did some blowing and shaking.

I swapped the RAM, no change. Looks like ts either the CPU or motherboard. I would guess the motherboard as a faulty CPU should give a beep code, correct?

well, I just got an RMA for the Pundit, new one comes Tuesday. Let's hope it actually is the motherboard.

BTW - Even if you don't have a stock of spare parts to try part swapping you probably know someone who does. When I first got my KnoppMyth box and was having stability problems, I dragged it into work and used our IT guys spares box to play swappy-changey. That let me isolate the issue to the motherboard or BIOS. Happily it was only the BIOS version and the resulting default settings so it didn't need to be RMAed. Sadly that doesn't sound like the case for you...

ok, I got the new pundit in today and it's doing the same thing. I've only put in the memory and cpu and it won't post or anything. I even tried it with nothing and it gave no error codes even then. I've built quite a few computers before, but am I doing something completely retarded here or am I just really unlucky and recieved two duds?

Are you sure they didn't just send you the same one back. I know two people using pundit's and they had no problems with the post. although they do have the blinky keyboard lights problem with R4V3- R4V5.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

I was cross-shipping, so I still have both systems. I've never really tried it before today, but will a motherboard with nothing on it give an error code for memory or CPU? I would think it does but these systems don't even do that.

It happened couple days ago, but I finally got through to Asus tech support and they had no idea so I now have another RMA and another box coming on Wed.