Bizzare Problem - Can't Solve

Bizarre Problem - Can't Solve

Problem: Board will not power up with video card (any card) in - fans don't even jump a little. When video card is out, it powers up. Also, I can't spell 'bizarre'

Culprits:

• Asus GeForce2 GTS
• GeForce2 Ti
• MSI KT4VL
• 300W Enlight Power Supply
• 256MB 266MHz RAM (can't recall brand name, not generic though)

This is the only hardware connected while trying to get this to work.

This configuration (board/video card) was used as my main rig ~1 year ago, so they are compatible. They also worked earlier today. I noticed no shorts anywhere.

I have an optical mouse on it - when the machine powers up (with card out) then turns off, the light on the keyboard and mouse both stay on (which isn't good). They do not do this on any other machine.

I haven't a clue what's going on. The video cards also appear to not work in any other machine now. I really don't even know what else to say

I have just verified that the GF2 GTS does in fact work. It runs in my main rig just fine. I'm as confused as ever now...

It just seems sketchy to me that these two boards would fry within 2 minutes of each other, with nothing in common. (The machine I turned off to use its video card in the KT4VL no longer works. I've tried three different cards)/

Two things come to mind:
Any chance the mobo is grounding out on something?
Are you sure the psu is good?

A mobo that is ground out on a standoff somewhere can be anything from flaky to fried, and just about anything in between. If you are just rebuilding that system, this could be the problem.

Insufficient voltage can do many things- including the symptoms you describe; got another power supply you can try?

If neither of those help, you may have to try swapping out other components into a known-good system.

I was gonna say power supply. Have you tried a PCI card? the AGP slot could be shorting out with a card in it.

Two things come to mind:
Any chance the mobo is grounding out on something?
Are you sure the psu is good?

Click to expand...

I made sure the board isn't shorting on anything (especially underneath), and The power supply is good (Tried two of them )

Have you tried a PCI card? the AGP slot could be shorting out with a card in it.

Click to expand...

I may have one buried somewhere, I'll hunt it down tomorrow and try it.

Well, I tried my 9800 in both boards to see if the other cards just happened to be acting up - same results. The KT4VL will still not start at all with a video card in (I still have yet to find that PCI card), and the XP333R will appear to start, but no display comes up. As strange as it is, I think both boards killed themselves.

I say set it out of the case and try it..And get a bigger power supply..

Hrm..

They've both been sitting out of the cases for a while, same thing
I don't have a bigger PS to try (my 450 in my main machine would be ridiculously hard to get out), and I've tried three different 300 watters at this point, with the same results. I sent detailed emails to both MSI and Iwill tech support, as I think now that it is the boards in one way or another. Hopefully they'll let me ship them back for repair...