New Build - Won't post to bios when HDD connected.

[XtraTrstrL]

OK, I just put together a build for my mother.

i3 7100 CPU
Gigabyte H110M-A mb
8GB(4x2) DDR4 2400mhz
old Gpu
650 watt older PSU

I had to wiggle the power connector of the PSU around in the motherboard to get it going, and was always suspicious of the PSU from the last build it was in, but never narrowed down if it was the issue. I'm still assuming it is the issue.

The system posts now without any tweaking, when the power isn't going to the older HDD with Win10 and everything already installed. Once I plug the cord from the PSU to the HDD it doesn't post at all. Unplug the power from the CPU and it posts fine, and can boot from USB to the flash drive I have a Win10 installer on. So, I'm not sure if it's the PSU or not, but tried plugging the power into another HDD and it don't post then either. The most I get is the case power light to stay on, but fans don't move or anything.

Does this sound like a PSU issue, motherboard issue, HDD or something else?

- - - Updated - - -

"Unplug the power from the CPU and it posts fine", Sorry, meant to say from the HDD, made a typo there.

 

[caddi daddi]

sounds like the psu to me but, lets try the sata cable in another sata port and then try another sata cable.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Yea, I tried 2 different sata cables so far, both were new, and tried atleast 2 sata slots already. I switched the spot on the semi-modular PSU for the power connector, and even grabbed a different power connector for the PSU to the HDD. It just won't post at all once that connector is going to the HDD. Once I unplug the connector and reboot it, it posts to bios fine, and stays on 'n all. intake and exhaust fine, and CPU fan stay going fine. Even if the HDD was broken or whatever, I'd assume it'd still post atleast and ignore the HDD or whatever, right?

 

[caddi daddi]

that is what I would think.
your stating that you had issues with the psu in another rig is what concerns me.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Well, the older CPU it was in, it would shut down alot, and I felt the main culprit was the ram, but also could be the PSU. Usually after messing with the ram a bit, it'd come back on, but I wasn't sure. So, it was either the ram or PSU I felt in the last rig. So, I'm just going off that now, since it's the only thing that isn't new other than the HDD. So, probably gonna get a PSU tomorrow, but just wanted to make sure it wasn't some silly type of issue where something wasn't set in bios, a possible mb issue or something that one of you might have caught right away.

 

[knoober]

Can you test with another HDD? I've had certain boards that won't POST without a HDD connected before.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Can you test with another HDD? I've had certain boards that won't POST without a HDD connected before.

It posts without any HDD connected at all, it doesn't post when I try with an HDD connected. I tried with the HDD with an OS on 'n everything, and with another older HDD that I'm not sure if it had an OS or not. It doesn't post at all when the PSU is connected to either HDD, only with no HDD connected.

 

[trents]

Could be that adding a hard drive to the creaky old PSU overloads it. Or the voltage on that rail could be sub standard and causes the hard drive to lock the system.

At any rate, it's very clear that you need a new PSU whatever else is wrong so might as well start there. And get a decent name brand unit while you are at it. Mom's just want to use their computers and not have to troubleshoot. They get frustrated pretty fast when things start going wrong so don't cut corners. You might also look at getting a new hard drive. Or if you are deploying a used one at least test it with CrystalDiskInfo on a working machine.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Could be that adding a hard drive to the creaky old PSU overloads it. Or the voltage on that rail could be sub standard and causes the hard drive to lock the system.

At any rate, it's very clear that you need a new PSU whatever else is wrong so might as well start there. And get a decent name brand unit while you are at it. Mom's just want to use their computers and not have to troubleshoot. They get frustrated pretty fast when things start going wrong so don't cut corners. You might also look at getting a new hard drive. Or if you are deploying a used one at least test it with CrystalDiskInfo on a working machine.

Yeah, I'm hoping it's really just the PSU and no weird thing with the motherboard or anything. I plan on upgrading her to an SSD soon, and using that HDD as a storage drive on her PC. The HDD was formatted recently and had Win10 added to it, when I had it in an old build she was using that was shutting down regularly because of it's mb, ram or that PSU. I just want it working for now though. Please let it just be this PSU. Ordered this Corsair 450 Watt just now. Hope to god it fixes the issue.

 

[trents]

That PSU should do fine. It's made for builds like your mom's. I have that same PSU I think in my mini itx cube pc. Only problem is that it is notorious for fan problems. My fan rattled right out the box and when I read the reviews there were lots of other people who had the same complaint about that PSU. Rather than RMA it I disassembled it and put in a different fan. Works perfect now.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

That PSU should do fine. It's made for builds like your mom's. I have that same PSU I think in my mini itx cube pc. Only problem is that it is notorious for fan problems. My fan rattled right out the box and when I read the reviews there were lots of other people who had the same complaint about that PSU. Rather than RMA it I disassembled it and put in a different fan. Works perfect now.

Hmm, thanks for the info. I might change to a different one. She shouldn't be doing anything to get it really going anyways though, no gaming other than lil desktop stuff, and mainly just streaming vids online. So, hopefully that issue is something that isn't as common in such cases. I'll check reviews a little more in depth though, and maybe switch it before it ships.

 

[trents]

Mine is the Corsair 450M, I should clarify. Don't know if they make a non M 450.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Ok, I got the new PSU. It seems to have fixed the issue of not wanting to post at all with the HDD connected. It still doesn't recognize the HDD though. With a Win10 USB drive in, that doesn't pick up the HDD either. So, either the HDD went bad, or there's some issue with the Sata ports on the motherboard, which I doubt. I'll probably try to skip the issue altogether and get a PCI SSD or something.

 

[knoober]

Is the drive visible in the BIOS?

 

[XtraTrstrL]

No, but I just found a 2.5 hdd I had in an external case and I tested it in there and it showed up right away in bios. So, it would seem it was both the old PSU and HDD that had issues. So, seeing that the sata ports seem fine going off that, I just ordered a 120GB SSD and a 1TB HDD for storage. So, hopefully once those arrive and get installed, she'll be good to go. I'll keep you posted when I get that done.

 

[trents]

Sounds like a good plan. We normally look at problems in a serial way but sometimes they happen in parallel fashion in real life.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Alright, I got it all working. Win 10 installed on 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD used as Storage and default location for Downloads/Documents/Pictures/Music/Videos, and threw the old DVD player in cuz she was whining about it. LOL @ Win 10 making it so hard to play DVDs off the bat, they actually want $15 for their Windows DvD Player. So I just got VLC Player for it. I also re-applied the CPU thermal paste while waiting for the HDDs to arrive today, since I was using the pre-applied stuff before. It took the temps down a bit, so happy about that.

Thanks for all the quick responses guys. I appreciate it.

 

[trents]

Windows does not have the ability natively to play DVD movies so third party media player programs like VLC are necessary as addons.

 

[XtraTrstrL]

Windows does not have the ability natively to play DVD movies so third party media player programs like VLC are necessary as addons.

That's weird, I use to always use Windows Media Player to watch DVD's, unless I'm going crazy. I tried for a sec before getting VLC player this time, and it wasn't working off the bat, or I didn't go the the right spot to open it. I'm pretty sure WMP always worked years ago for DVD watching though.

 

[knoober]

Im pretty sure even Windows 7 doesn't play DVDs automatically but Ive always used VLC so it doesn't make a big difference