People seem to be raving about you these days, so maybe you can help me. I just assembled a TBird 1.2 266 system with an MSI 6330LE3 mobo. When I first booted up I forgot to set jumper for FSB 133. It booted anyway, but said cpu was a 950, presumably due to the FSB setting. After about 10 secs, the screen went black, and I haven't been able to get it to boot since. When I turn it on, the fans spin, the Power and HDD LEDs on the case come on and stay on, but nothing happens. I tried to clear the cmos, no luck, still same symptoms. All cards, memory, cpu, cables, etc seem to be seated properly. I can't get into the bios. Any suggestions? Removing the cpu is a last resort, since I don't have any thermal paste (where does a guy buy that stuff anyway?). The 6330LE3 should support everything I've attached. Would a bad video card cause these symptoms? I don't think so...I'm leaning toward bad CMOS or cpu. 'Scuse the rambling and thanks to any repliers in advance... Buster

Did you try jumping the cmos yet? It could be a bad cmos chip or something, which can be purchased fairly cheap. If it is still under warranty, send back the mobo. . .but I would still try a different processor to make sure. But if you just dont want to mess around with trying to find another processor or mobo to test you cpu and mobo, just send both back in. www.coolerguys.com, there are many other places that sell the goo for your processor.

Buster... I'd love to help... but my specialty is Windows... not hardware. I've been following your posts hoping someone would set you in the right direction that has run into this before. When you say "the Power and HDD LEDs on the case come on and stay on"... Does the light on your monitor change to green also? It is conceivable that the Video card is the problem, but you should be receiving a beep code of some sort... one *beep* means everything is ok... anything else could tell us where to start. Are you receiving any beeps upon boot up at all? Did it ever beep? I'm sorry I can't help more, but my knowledge does not extend as far as I would like it when it comes to hardware. If I could have answered your earlier questions... I would have.

When you booted up the first time, you effectively underclocked your processor. That would not harm it nor any of your components. It is possible that the heat sink was not properly attached and you fried your processor. I think at this point you need to try a different processor in your mobo or test yours on another. I doubt it is the video card.

I have never really seen a video card do that. . .usually it is the mobo or the processor that is the problem when nothing shows up on the screen. . .about the beeps, or even if there are no beeps, try taking a look at http://www.techtony.com/noboot.htm.

Hi Buster, Sorry I can't help with t-shooting but Radio Shack sells thermal paste called "Heat Sink Grease". It was a clear grease and I have used it for industrial electronic equipment when I didn't have anything else. Normally, at work, we use a paste based on zinc-oxide... very white, very thick. You probably can get this at JAMECO or DIGI-KEY. They sell by mail in small quanities and at reasonable prices. Good luck.

Thanks everyone...I don't make it to the beep stage, which is why I think it's the cpu or mobo. What about if the RAM is bad? Or would it at least get thru part of the POST if that was the case? Newgrl, the monitor light does NOT turn green i.e. it doesn't seem to get any signal at all from the system. Thanks from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (I'm always curious about where you guys are writing from) Buster