Rebuild: Boots, but no video

[ikjadoon]

Hi, I did a quick rebuild, specs below:

(Bold indicates new parts)

QDI Superb4FX
Pentium 4 2.8Ghz 533FSB (Socket 478)
Albatron GeForce 4 Ti 4600
2x512MB of Kingston Value DDR400
Maxtor 120GB
Lite-ON DVD Drive
Lite-ON CD-RW
Ultra X-Finity 500W

I fired it up. Cathode light comes on, GPU/CPU/PSU fans all spin, Hard Drive sounds like it is spinning, but no video. I get a blinking green light on the monitor. No beeps, as far as I have heard.

Tonight I'm reseating the memory and the GPU, not sure if that'll do any good, but worth a shot.

I plugged in just the monitor cable and the power, still no video.

Tried the monitor + cable in another computer, they work fine.

However noobish this sounds, the beeps on the motherboard are completey internal, correct? I've got a "BUZZER" on the motherboard, which takes care of it, right? I ask because my case has a cable that reads "SPEAKER", yet I cannot find a place for it on the motherboard. There is a CD-IN header, but I have a feeling it doesn't go there...

Another noobish question: Does the computer require the RESET SW, HD LED, etc.? I've got the POWER SW plugged in (duh!), but are the others needed for boot? I'll put them in tonight, just in case.

I've double checked all connections, 4-Pin for CPU, 20-Pin for motherboard, HD/CD1/CD2 IDE and Power, Case Fan, CPU Fan, even the cathode light....All I can think of, missing anything?

Thanks for any help!

~Ibrahim~

 

[badge]

Hi, I did a quick rebuild, specs below:

(Bold indicates new parts)

QDI Superb4FX
Pentium 4 2.8Ghz 533FSB (Socket 478)
Albatron GeForce 4 Ti 4600
2x512MB of Kingston Value DDR400
Maxtor 120GB
Lite-ON DVD Drive
Lite-ON CD-RW
Ultra X-Finity 500W

I fired it up. Cathode light comes on, GPU/CPU/PSU fans all spin, Hard Drive sounds like it is spinning, but no video. I get a blinking green light on the monitor. No beeps, as far as I have heard.

Tonight I'm reseating the memory and the GPU, not sure if that'll do any good, but worth a shot.

I plugged in just the monitor cable and the power, still no video.

Tried the monitor + cable in another computer, they work fine.

However noobish this sounds, the beeps on the motherboard are completey internal, correct? I've got a "BUZZER" on the motherboard, which takes care of it, right? I ask because my case has a cable that reads "SPEAKER", yet I cannot find a place for it on the motherboard. There is a CD-IN header, but I have a feeling it doesn't go there...

Another noobish question: Does the computer require the RESET SW, HD LED, etc.? I've got the POWER SW plugged in (duh!), but are the others needed for boot? I'll put them in tonight, just in case.

I've double checked all connections, 4-Pin for CPU, 20-Pin for motherboard, HD/CD1/CD2 IDE and Power, Case Fan, CPU Fan, even the cathode light....All I can think of, missing anything?

Thanks for any help!

~Ibrahim~

I read your post and apparently I'm not familiar with your MB, QDI? I have a socket 478 3.0 Prescott system I run everyday. Has a DFI 975 chip MB.

I kow your PSU is new. You could try a different PSU and see if that brings it to life. The other thing would be reset CMOS with the jumper or take the battery out and see if it decides to BE SOMETHIN'.

 

[ikjadoon]

It is an uncommon brand. I'd never heard of it either. When I went to my local computer shop, long before I knew much about computers, they replaced my motherboard to fix some BSOD issues...I originally had a VIA motherboard, but now I'm stuck with this one. Here is the link for the new, if it helps any:

QDI Superb4 FX

Now I don't have the SATA nor the Firewire, but everything else should be the same.

Actually, I got the PSU to replace an old one. The old PSU died and the computer wouldn't boot. But now it boots with the new one, so I feel like it might be something else.

Being an uncommon brand, QDI doesn't have the manual for the jumpers, so I just took out the battery, waitied 10 minutes, popped it back in. Same symptoms...

I took out all the expansion cards minus the GPU, same thing.

I connected anything that I neglected the first time, like a case fan, but still nothing: Still looking at that blinking green light.

Quick question: I took the battery out, waited, and put it back in. Should I just take it out and try a boot? Can't be bad, can it?

I think I might have the problem, but I'm not sure. When I took the mobo out a few weeks ago, there were two pins touching, they looked like some type of a header. So, I bent them away, so they weren't touching. Should I bend them together again, so they are in contact? I mean, is there any reason for two pins to be touching each other like that, minus some type of mod? It says JAV above them, btw.

Thanks for the response!

~Ibrahim~

 

[ikjadoon]

I was doing some basic troubleshooting and I took out the RAM and tried to boot. Same symptom, but isn't there supposed to be some kind of beep noise?

I feel kind of fishy about that speaker cable that is in the case. It connects to what looks like a tiny speaker inside the case, with the regular red/black speaker cables. That speaker doesn't make the POST beeps, does it? The beeps are entirely on the motherboard, right?

Thanks!

~Ibrahim~

:EDIT:

Have tried all 2-512MB combinations of memory. Feel like I can rule out bad memory. I have a good feeling it is one of those case connectors, for some reason. I've been browsing some self-help guides and they point out that these connectors may cause this exact issue. It'll take some time trying to figure out which way they go, but I'll get them one way or another.

 

[badge]

It is an uncommon brand. I'd never heard of it either. When I went to my local computer shop, long before I knew much about computers, they replaced my motherboard to fix some BSOD issues...I originally had a VIA motherboard, but now I'm stuck with this one. Here is the link for the new, if it helps any:

QDI Superb4 FX

Now I don't have the SATA nor the Firewire, but everything else should be the same.

Actually, I got the PSU to replace an old one. The old PSU died and the computer wouldn't boot. But now it boots with the new one, so I feel like it might be something else.

Being an uncommon brand, QDI doesn't have the manual for the jumpers, so I just took out the battery, waitied 10 minutes, popped it back in. Same symptoms...

I took out all the expansion cards minus the GPU, same thing.

I connected anything that I neglected the first time, like a case fan, but still nothing: Still looking at that blinking green light.

Quick question: I took the battery out, waited, and put it back in. Should I just take it out and try a boot? Can't be bad, can it?

I think I might have the problem, but I'm not sure. When I took the mobo out a few weeks ago, there were two pins touching, they looked like some type of a header. So, I bent them away, so they weren't touching. Should I bend them together again, so they are in contact? I mean, is there any reason for two pins to be touching each other like that, minus some type of mod? It says JAV above them, btw.

Thanks for the response!

~Ibrahim~

The MB webpage says supports Northwod and Williamette, doesn't mention Prescott. Some serious notes there about RAM specs/amounts too. You are using Kingston value RAM. You never know, could be the RAM but my socket 478 Prescott loves the Kingston 400mhz. value RAM. I have 4 sticks in there 512 x 4 and it couldn't be happier. Won't run with Corsair xms! I use the corsair in my ABIT board

The battery supplies power to your BIOS chip when the computer is turned off. I never thought about booting up into the BIOS wthout the battery. Damn thing will probably work! 8O

 

[badge]

I was doing some basic troubleshooting and I took out the RAM and tried to boot. Same symptom, but isn't there supposed to be some kind of beep noise?

I feel kind of fishy about that speaker cable that is in the case. It connects to what looks like a tiny speaker inside the case, with the regular red/black speaker cables. That speaker doesn't make the POST beeps, does it? The beeps are entirely on the motherboard, right?

Thanks!

~Ibrahim~

:EDIT:


Have tried all 2-512MB combinations of memory. Feel like I can rule out bad memory. I have a good feeling it is one of those case connectors, for some reason. I've been browsing some self-help guides and they point out that these connectors may cause this exact issue. It'll take some time trying to figure out which way they go, but I'll get them one way or another.

No, I thought the speaker connected to the MB and made the beeps. If you can get it beeping at 'ya, I think you made it mad It means it thinking about running pretty soon. That's what a beep means to me. Be Somethin'.

 

[ikjadoon]

I think it is a Northwood, wasn't Prescott for LGA775?

It is too fast to be a Williamette, didn't they stop around 2.0-2.2Ghz?

I tried booting without the battery, same thing.

Yeah, now after you said that I feel I can 100% rule out a memory issue.

Lol, I'll look for the plug for the speaker on the motherboard, but don't be too hopeful.

I'm still messing with the RESET SW, etc. to get them right. Damn it, that manual be useful right about now!

Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

 

[badge]

I think it is a Northwood, wasn't Prescott for LGA775?

It is too fast to be a Williamette, didn't they stop around 2.0-2.2Ghz?

I tried booting without the battery, same thing.

Yeah, now after you said that I feel I can 100% rule out a memory issue.

Lol, I'll look for the plug for the speaker on the motherboard, but don't be too hopeful.

I'm still messing with the RESET SW, etc. to get them right. Damn it, that manual be useful right about now!

Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

Ikja if you suspect the MB, here is a system check to see if your MB is defective this courtesy of 440bx:

Disconnect everything from your motherboard except,

a. Power supply
b. PS2 Keyboard and PS2 Mouse.
c. Power Switch and Power light indicator
d. External speaker (if it uses it, I don't think it does but just in case)
e. CPU, heatsink and fan

In other words, there should not be any IDE cables plugged into the motherboard nor any other cable whatsoever for USB ports or any other interface provided by the motherboard. That also means, no video card or any other card on the motherboard. Nothing but what is explicitly listed above.

Note that the *memory* should *NOT* be on the motherboard either. Keep reading you'll know why.

Second,

Power your system ON.

You should hear your system emitting one long beep every other second. If it does not do that then your motherboard is defective (it is not detecting that there is no memory!)

I think it is a Northwood, wasn't Prescott for LGA775?

I had the 3.0 Northwood socket 478 and it failed. Intel sent me a newer version of the 3.0 with 1024 L2 cache, the Northwood had 512 L2 cache. I'm still running the replacement Intel sent me.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2000340343+1051707443+1050907003&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=343

 

[ikjadoon]

Awesome! I'll try the system sometime this afternoon, if not sooner.

I'm still looking for the manual, it is around here somewhere!

Looking around QDI's website, I can confirm that Prescotts will *not* work in this mobo...

Thanks yet again!

~Ibrahim~

 

[ikjadoon]

Have not found the manual, nor been able to do the test nor find out where this speaker plug goes, BUT I do hear one solitary beep a second or two after I turn it on now. I've got the RESET SW and the PWER LED working now as well. I can't get the HDD LED working, but I think the light on the case is busted. Come to think of it, I think I punched it out with a screwdriver. Or that might've been something else, lol..

So is the one beep good/bad? I can't make heads or tails of it. It is just one short beep, that is all. No pattern, not really long. It beeps just a few seconds after the fans spin. Seems to be coming from the PANEL plug area. Right around that area is says "BUZZER" with this black thing next to it.

Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

 

[badge]

Have not found the manual, nor been able to do the test nor find out where this speaker plug goes, BUT I do hear one solitary beep a second or two after I turn it on now. I've got the RESET SW and the PWER LED working now as well. I can't get the HDD LED working, but I think the light on the case is busted. Come to think of it, I think I punched it out with a screwdriver. Or that might've been something else, lol..

So is the one beep good/bad? I can't make heads or tails of it. It is just one short beep, that is all. No pattern, not really long. It beeps just a few seconds after the fans spin. Seems to be coming from the PANEL plug area. Right around that area is says "BUZZER" with this black thing next to it.

Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

I remebered you saying something about the speaker, but if you are hearing one short beep that is normally what you want.

Which BIOS do you have? Maybe you can google BEEP CODES and find wha the beep sequences indicate? Like this for example:

http://www.amptron.com/html/bios.beepcodes.html

 

[Mondoman]

Some MBs have a small piezo speaker (maybe 1-1.5cm in diameter, 0.5-1cm high) builtin - I think this is what you are hearing. No need to connect a case speaker cable in that situation. My current MB/case combo has the worst of both worlds: no piezo speaker builtin, no speaker in case!
Also, no need to connect any of the case "front panel" or audio cables in order to boot, you just have to momentarily bridge the 2 power-on-switch header pins to turn on the power (I've used a screwdriver blade). Just be careful not to bridge the wrong pair of pins!

 

[Mondoman]

.. Seems to be coming from the PANEL plug area. Right around that area is says "BUZZER" with this black thing next to it. ..

I think you've found the piezo "speaker"!

 

[ikjadoon]

Yeah, there is literally a little speaker on the case with the same black/red wires that my regular speakers user. It has four-slot connector, similar to the floppy, but only has two wires going into it.

I'm certain it is Phoenix. Everytime it booted, I'd see Phoenix Award or something. Can't seem to find one "beep" under the table.

I've listened to it again and it seems to be around that area, but a bit closer to the hard drive cage.

Yeah, thinking about it now, it sounds just like it did before the PSU died. I've got the noises down pat after I turned it on thousands of times before when it was working.

Still no video! So annoying. I'm gonna look around for my old PCI card. Maybe it'll work with that.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

~Ibrahim~

 

[ikjadoon]

So I've got the right pattern of beeps then, thanks Mondoman!

Ah, I can just bridge them? I'll try that. That reminds me. I'm going to bridge these two pins I mentioned earlier, JAV or something. They were bent together when it was working, but after I took it out after it broke, I seperated them. Just might do it. Thanks for the screwdriver blade idea, thanks!

~Ibrahim~

 

[Mondoman]

...Yeah, thinking about it now, it sounds just like it did before the PSU died. ...

So you replaced the PS because the old one died? Could the old PS have damaged the MB or video in its death throes?

 

[badge]

Any other ideas?

Since the MB is new and untested, you might reset the CMOS jumper. I wonder how new, or old that board is and what BIOS ver. it has. Surely it would support your 2.8 processor. You could maybe take the battery out also.

 

[Mondoman]

Any other ideas?

Since the MB is new and untested, ...
Isn't it just the same MB he has been using for a long time? I thought from the original post that the only new item was the PS.

 

[badge]

Any other ideas?

Since the MB is new and untested, ...
Isn't it just the same MB he has been using for a long time? I thought from the original post that the only new item was the PS.

Apparently so. I have never heard of it. Maybe that's why I thought it was new. Maybe He should reseat the video card and recheck all the plug ins from the power supply.

 

[badge]

So I've got the right pattern of beeps then, thanks Mondoman!

Ah, I can just bridge them? I'll try that. That reminds me. I'm going to bridge these two pins I mentioned earlier, JAV or something. They were bent together when it was working, but after I took it out after it broke, I seperated them. Just might do it. Thanks for the screwdriver blade idea, thanks!

~Ibrahim~

I just recall I swapped out the PSU on one of three MSI Socket 754 boards a few months ago. The thing would not post. I switched the RAM around between Kingsron, Corsair and even Infineon. I cant remember what stick finally booted up, but I do remember I had set the memory timings and other things in the BIOS prior to swapping things around. Really, I don't know, but by messing around with the RAM I got it to boot up. I'm using the Infenion in that computer in one of the offices right now. Do you have any other stick of RAM besides the Kingston to try?

 

[ikjadoon]

Thanks for the responses..

Yeah, this is the same board that I used and it has worked. Not worked good, but at least it worked.

I've thought that it might have taken a few components, but it wasn't really a violent death. Turned it off one day, didn't turn on the next. I don't think he was in any pain or anything when it happened. lol, jk, but it is a possibility. I'm a very optimistic guy, though.

Actually, I have one stick of PC2100 that I could try. Maybe that is it. Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

 

[badge]

Thanks for the responses..

Yeah, this is the same board that I used and it has worked. Not worked good, but at least it worked.

I've thought that it might have taken a few components, but it wasn't really a violent death. Turned it off one day, didn't turn on the next. I don't think he was in any pain or anything when it happened. lol, jk, but it is a possibility. I'm a very optimistic guy, though.

Actually, I have one stick of PC2100 that I could try. Maybe that is it. Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

Yeah, I created a bit of confusion about the MB, but we were discussing it because it was a rare make and somehow I just thought it was new. New to me anyway. So, it looks like something may have been damaged when the old PSU died out. That could be tricky to solve without some spare parts to experiment with. I just sold my spare ABIT socket 478 865PE board to one of my son's friends Sold it for practically nothing and built it for him in it's entirety too. Then I saw the board on Newegg for almost $100! LOL!

 

[ikjadoon]

Well, I tried all three sticks (2 old ones, which I pulled from the Dell and a new one I found somewhere) in all three different slots. Nothing, nada. Still looking at that blinking light.

I'm good friends with a computer guy downtown, he is loaded with spare parts. Maybe he and I can switch out some parts and see what we get.

I bent those JAV pins back, nothing.

Now the motherboard has seven holes to screw it into the motherboard. I only had six standoffs and I skipped the one near the GPU. That one doesn't have a standoff nor screw. I'm sure the motherboard is not touching the bottom of the case. Is this OK?

Any other ideas?

Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

 

[ikjadoon]

I just remembered that I had turned the hard drive to Slave a few months ago to get some files off. I set it to Master: Nothing...

Was sure that was it!

~Ibrahim~

 

[badge]

Well, I tried all three sticks (2 old ones, which I pulled from the Dell and a new one I found somewhere) in all three different slots. Nothing, nada. Still looking at that blinking light.

I'm good friends with a computer guy downtown, he is loaded with spare parts. Maybe he and I can switch out some parts and see what we get.

I bent those JAV pins back, nothing.

Now the motherboard has seven holes to screw it into the motherboard. I only had six standoffs and I skipped the one near the GPU. That one doesn't have a standoff nor screw. I'm sure the motherboard is not touching the bottom of the case. Is this OK?

Any other ideas?

Thanks again!

~Ibrahim~

Did you take the MB completely out of the case and then reinstall it? If the MB shorts out to the case usually you get nothing. No power on. How about when you installed the new PSU. Did you knock the video card loose? Reseat the video card. How about any 4 pin or 6 pin 12v connector from the PSU to the MB to power the CPU? Beginning to look like the MB was taken out with the old power supply.

You could try and unplug everything except the CPU fan and try it without power to the optical/hard drives/case fans etc.