[Chakravant]

So I upgraded my computer in January from "Old and Busted" to "New Hotness", as shown in my sig. Since I had lost my Intel brackets for my Zalman CNPS 10X Performa, I had used the Intel Stock cooler until yesterday, when the brackets came in. The system was working fine before the installation, but now when I try to turn it on, It turns off after about 3 seconds, only to turn itself back on and repeat the cycle until I end up turning off the PSU. I've tried resetting the BIOS and checking the power switch connections and polarity, with no change in malfunction.

Any ideas?

 

[Murlocke]

Sounds like a grounding issue to me.

1) Make sure you installed the motherboard on stand-offs.
2) Unplug ALL connections fully, and replug them back in. Don't just wiggle them.
3) You may have tightened the CPU cooler too much, loosen it so it's still tight but not very tight (assuming that cooler has screws).

If all that fails i'd just take the heatsink off completely and see if it works with the stock cooler again.

 

[Chakravant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murlocke

Sounds like a grounding issue to me.

1) Make sure you installed the motherboard on stand-offs.
2) Unplug ALL connections fully, and replug them back in. Don't just wiggle them.
3) You may have tightened the CPU cooler too much, loosen it so it's still tight but not very tight (assuming that cooler has screws).

If all that fails i'd just take the heatsink off completely and see if it works with the stock cooler again.

It does sound like a grounding issue, now that i think of it. I know I've installed the motherboard on stand-offs, but there is a power cable that isn't fully "clicked in". I tried massaging it but couldn't get it to fully engage. I may have tightened the CPU cooler too much, but also I'm thinking the back of the cooler plate might be touching the case. The universal back plate for this cooler gets flipped over depending on if you're using it for an AMD or Intel mobo. I may try some electrical tape to make sure it isn't grounding out the system.

 

[Chakravant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murlocke

Sounds like a grounding issue to me.

1) Make sure you installed the motherboard on stand-offs.
2) Unplug ALL connections fully, and replug them back in. Don't just wiggle them.
3) You may have tightened the CPU cooler too much, loosen it so it's still tight but not very tight (assuming that cooler has screws).

If all that fails i'd just take the heatsink off completely and see if it works with the stock cooler again.

No dice. After multiple attempts with every configuration of aftermarket or stock cooler, and multiple replugs as I attempted different configurations, I still get the issue. Did I break my mobo?

 

[recoton]

If you get any picture on your screen try to do a f8 to get to a boot menu than do last known configuration,also explain any other things you might have done.

 

[Chakravant]

I just swapped coolers. The variations i tried involved the Zalman's backplate and the existing backplate on the board. The Zalman has spacers and they are different for LGA 1155 and LGA 775. The motherboard has holes for both types of coolers, so I tried both configurations. Also the mobo itself has a backplate that connects to the lever that holds the chip in place. I tried both configurations with and without that backplate, with and without the spacers, in LGA 1155 and LGA 775 holes and with and without the spacers on all of them. That's something like 16 different configurations in all, which sounds about right.

I have noticed that the stock Intel cooler is not sitting right on the mobo. It is angled, and won't seat flat against the board, which I assume also means it isn't sitting flat against the chip.

Edit: I am not 100% sure all fans are plugged in to the original configuration. The Zalman has two, and the stock only one. I might have one fan plugged into a different slot on the mobo. Also, I switched the Antec's fans from low to medium, and haven't switched them back

Just trying to think of every little possible change. Sorry if that is a little too pedantic.