Help !! No Power when IDE Cables connected

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gimmyagame
  • Start date Start date
G

Gimmyagame

Building a new computer. I have installed all the pieces. When I power
it up there is no power to the hard drive or the CD and No video or
bios. If I unplug the IDE cables from either or both the hard drive
and CD they have power (I can hear the hard drive and the led on the
CD drive). I have tried different IDE cables and different hard drive
and CD. I guess the only thing working at this time is the CPU and
Cabinet fans.
 
sounds like your PSU is directly or indirectly at fault

check the leads and connect one at a time. if after the first
HD/OPTICAL the boot fails and you swap leads then its a pretty good
bet the PSU is dying.....defective....not up to snuff. of course the
only way to check it is to....check it....under load....not everyone
can do this effectively however.
 
Gimmyagame said:
Building a new computer. I have installed all the pieces. When I power
it up there is no power to the hard drive or the CD and No video or
bios. If I unplug the IDE cables from either or both the hard drive
and CD they have power (I can hear the hard drive and the led on the
CD drive). I have tried different IDE cables and different hard drive
and CD. I guess the only thing working at this time is the CPU and
Cabinet fans.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're plugging the IDE cable in backwards on one, or more, of
the devices/motherboard.
 
David Maynard said:
Sounds like you're plugging the IDE cable in backwards on one, or more, of
the devices/motherboard.
Click to expand...

No the IDE cables are correct as they have the tabs on them and will
only go one way. Very strange how an IDE cable can kill the power to
the drive

Any other ideas?

Thanks
 
Sounds like you're plugging the IDE cable in backwards on one, or more, of the devices/motherboard.
Click to expand...

When I got my old Dell, the primary IDE cable was plugged in
backwards. I only discovered it when I tried to install a second
hard drive, and couldn't get the second plug on the cable to reach
the drive in its bay. Suddenly the penny dropped, and I realized
that the ribbon cable had been installed backwards by Dell. They
work just fine backwards, by the way -- at least, they did five
years ago.
 
No the IDE cables are correct as they have the tabs on them and will
only go one way. Very strange how an IDE cable can kill the power to
the drive

Any other ideas?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I have now also ruled out the power supply as I have changed to a known working one
 
Al said:
When I got my old Dell, the primary IDE cable was plugged in backwards.
I only discovered it when I tried to install a second hard drive, and
couldn't get the second plug on the cable to reach the drive in its bay.
Suddenly the penny dropped, and I realized that the ribbon cable had
been installed backwards by Dell. They work just fine backwards, by the
way -- at least, they did five years ago.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean the wrong 'end'. I meant the connector reversed in the socket.
 
David Maynard said:
I didn't mean the wrong 'end'. I meant the connector reversed in the socket.
Click to expand...

OK So all being said i need to return some parts here. Do I start with
the Motherboard ?

Thanks to all for your help with this
 
Gimmyagame said:
OK So all being said i need to return some parts here. Do I start with
the Motherboard ?

Thanks to all for your help with this
Click to expand...

Do the hard drive and CD work of you only have 'one' plugged in?

See if it will turn on with the HD and CD plugged in but the floppy
disconnected.
 
David Maynard said:
Do the hard drive and CD work of you only have 'one' plugged in?

See if it will turn on with the HD and CD plugged in but the floppy
disconnected.
Click to expand...

There is no 3.5" drive installed and no i have tried just one drive at
a time still nothing. The only thing that moves with the ide cables
pulgged in is the fans if i unplug the ide cables the drives have
power
 
you have


changed ribbons
removed all but 1 drive and the necessary components to get a boot
you have changed PSU
cleared cmos
you have tried different power pigtails

mainboard is the culprit, remove all from the case and bench test it
 
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