tested the power switch, its bad. So i hooked the reset switch up to the PS pins on the mobo and all is well.

I feel retarded now. How is jumping the 2 PS pins on the mobo any different than hooking a switch up to the same two pins, then pressing the switch. I am stumped. Guess i need to have a spare switch on had for testing purposes.

If anyone can shed some techy light on this, it would be greatly appreciated.

grizz, thanks man. Nothing was shorting on the back side, she has a cleannnn backside