New PC build: no boot, no beeps nadda

It's 2:30 am and I am getting nowhere fast!

Here are some relevant specs:
CPU AMD|A64 X2 5600 2.8G AM2
ASUS CROSSHAIR AM2 nForce 590
1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-6400C4
VGA XFX PVT84GUDE3 8600GTS 256MB
DVD BURN PIONEER|DVR-112D
CPU COOLER ZALMAN|9700 LED RTL
HD 250G|WD 7K 16M SATA2 WD2500KS
PSU PCPWR&COOL|SILENCER 750 QUAD BK

Installed everything per manuals and I get no boot, no beep codes, no fans spinning, and no h.d. spin. Most of my green mobo. lights come on with the exception of the one labeled 'SB_PWR' which I believe is for stand by power. So I tested my 24 pin atx cable all okay except the -5v that had me worried until I looked up online a pin out and noticed atx doesn't use -5v (pin 20).

I then tested my 8 pin and got 12v so good to go.

When I turn on power with my atx tester attached to the 24 pin cable. The ps fan spins up, the hard drive spins up, and my Zalman cpu fan with led starts for a second and then stops. I triple checked and it is connected to the mb at the right point (cpu_fan).

I have tried booting with one dimm in all four slots 2 dimms in alternating slots to no effect. With and without: dvd, hard drives, ram etc.

The only thing I can think of is to try reseatting my cpu. I think after I get some shut eye I will try reseating the cpu unless you fellow c boarders can give me something else to try.

Also, how the hell am I going to narrow down if the mobo. or the cpu is bad? I don't have another machine new enough to swap parts with. :(

Thanks,

Bajanine.

P.S.
Here is a picture I am glad I didn't waste time being all neat and tidy with my wiring before testing this out.

I've had the same symptoms as you before, turns out I forgot to plug in the CPU's power, (as in PSU to MB (where it reads CPU power) - NOT the large connector ma-bob).

You know it's either the MB or the CPU, sounds like a power issue to me.

Hmmm. I followed the steps layed out in the manual and after reading your post I have read it again and I find no such header (CPU Power). I have connected both the 24 pin and 8 pin atx power cables the only connectors I have left are several pci-e, several AMP MATE-N-LOK, one ide and one 4pin molex kk that are currently not being used.

Had a similar problem with an AMD 1333 and an ASUS MB (no boot/beeps/fan).
Apparently the CMOS battery had gotten a bit loose during transport, though it didn't look like it.
After reinserting it properly and clearing the CMOS things worked.
Maybe check that.

I sure feel like an idiot. The clear cmos button was already depressed. So when I thought I was 'setting' it I was actually 'unsetting' it! Hope that makes sense. ;)

Thank you all for your help.