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#21
I've done everything and connected everything, but the system won't turn on. I know that I've done everthing right, because there is a green LED that appears on the motherboard. If I'm not using the 6950 (I can't right now) should it be out the motherboard?
You need a video card of some kind, unless you have graphics built in. I have no idea if you do.
1: reset the bios by pulling battery for a half hour. If it still won't boot, go to next step.
2. Remove all cards from slots other than RAM. If it still won't boot, go to next step.
3. When you get down to just motherboard + CPU + RAM +PSU, pull the RAM entirely. The system will not start, but it should beep (you might need the speaker hooked up) or show an error code. If it doesn't beep, you're troubleshooting a problem with the power supply, motherboard or CPU. If it does beep/show a code/react, then start troubleshooting from the standpoint that some of the RAM may be bad or mis-configured.
Try one stick at a time, and go from there.
4. If it still doesn't react, pull the motherboard from the case and lay it on a non-conductive surface like cardboard or wood, next to the case (you still need the power supply, and while you don't technically need the power switch, that's easiest.) If it does boot in this configuration, there was a short in the case. Look around for loose metal and re-assemble.
Well, here's some things I'm unsure of.
1. The RAM is in the black slots (AM3 Mobo FYI)
2. I don't have an 8-in motherboard power connector. I just have a 4+4-pin
And I don't know what you mean by "reset the BIOS by pulling the battery" I can't access the BIOS because I can't boot
Go to your manual or download the manual for your motherboard to see if you have the RAM in the right slots.
Do that first.
The battery is a shiny disc about 10 or 12 mm in diameter, in plain sight on the motherboard. It probably has a little latch holding it in. Remove it after you confirm you have RAM in the right spot.
Highly unlikely you need all 8 pins on that connector. You may not need any of the 8. I seriously doubt it would prevent a boot, but I'm hardly an expert on AMD stuff.
From the manual, it looks like putting the RAM pair in either the blue or black slots is acceptable. (I would have gone for the blue slots, but it's not supposed to matter.)
4+4 pin +12V CPU connector has the same function as an 8 pin. (Some power supplies include both 4 and 8 pin connectors. Yours has a single 8 pin, which can be split.)
Removing the CMOS battery is one way to clear the CMOS settings. The other way is to use the the Clear RTC jumper. (See p. 2-21 of your manual.) The normal way to do it:
Turn off the PSU. If it has no switch, unplug it.
Hold down the PC's power button to reduce any residual charge.
Move the jumper to the clear position for 5-10 seconds.
Move it back.
Restore the power.
Note that the green LED on the MB just shows that power is being applied to the board. It's not very useful as a diagnostic.