New build, "No Signal"

[P-Stew]

Components: Antec 900, E6300, Gigabyte S3, Corsair 520w PSU, 2GB G.Skill RAM, 8800gts.

Fired it up for the first time, and lights and fans come on. Sounds like the HD is running and the DVD burner has power. The monitor however is giving me the 'No Signal' message. Any ideas? TIA

 

[alcattle]

it is the video card, either the power is not plugged in or card not seated. I think the card takes a direct cable from the PSU. Other things...drivers, is onboard graphics turned off (if the MB has them) bad monitor cable.

 

[P-Stew]

Mobo does not have onboard graphics so no problem there.

I know (or think rather) that the GPU has power because its fan is turning. It is possible it is not seated correctly so I will pull it out and back in and make sure.

Bad monitor cable is possible...tomorrow afternoon I will try to hook up the monitor to my old computer and see what i get.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[Shizamaaur]

Make sure if you are using the dvi connection on the monitor that it is on digital :trophy:

 

[P-Stew]

Make sure if you are using the dvi connection on the monitor that it is on digital :trophy:

Just to double check, this would be a switch on the back of the monitor? It was late last night when I got everything together so it's possible I overlooked something as simple as this.

 

[P-Stew]

Okay, a few things off my checklist. The monitor and cables work on my old computer so the problem is not on the monitor side. My old CRT also is not getting a signal from the new build. I'm half scared my mobo is dead but things that are connected through the mobo are working, the keyboard lights up and the HDD light is working for example.

I was unable to fit the optional fan on my Scythe Ninja on, could the fact that I don't have a CPU fan plugged in be causing this? Also, I pulled the mobo battery out for a few minutes last night and that made no difference.

I'm going to pull out the GPU and reseat it now. Any other ideas?

 

[jeff_2087]

As was mentioned earlier, the 8800s have an external power connector. 6 pin if memory serves. That has to be plugged in for the card to work properly.

 

[stouffa]

hey, i got the same problem but with a totally different setup, http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/workstation-build-asus-p5w64-ws-pro-ftopict228698.html

so frustrating!!!!!!!!!!

going to keep an eye out for ideas and will let you know if i fix my problem.

 

[P-Stew]

hey, i got the same problem but with a totally different setup, http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/workstation-build-asus-p5w64-ws-pro-ftopict228698.html

so frustrating!!!!!!!!!!

going to keep an eye out for ideas and will let you know if i fix my problem.

Thanks man, will do the same.

@ Jeff -- I double checked and the 6 pin connector is indeed hooked up.

 

[jeff_2087]

When you turn it on, does it beep? If so, what kind of beep?

 

[stouffa]

i'd know what it was if it would just beep, all that info is in the manual 1 beep = blah 2 beeps = blah blah etc, thats what makes it so strange.... i tried different monitors, different graphics cards, nothing works. read the manual inside out. i'm pretty sure all the hardware is working correctly just something i'm missing. (like a brain!)

 

[jeff_2087]

No beeps? That could be bad news bears. Unless something isn't connected properly, your PSU could be faulty. Hopefully not motherboard. Can you get another PSU from somewhere to test? maybe bring it into a local shop and ask to use one of their PSUs to test it. If I was a clerk I wouldn't have a problem with that, but then again I'm not a clerk.

 

[P-Stew]

No beeps for me either. I've started this thing several times and never gotten a beep.

I just tried reseating the GPU and that didn't do anything.

I read in a few places that the memory could be a problem but I switched out the sticks and tried them in all four slots and it made no difference. When I left both sticks out, the computer would turn on and then shut itself off a few seconds later. It would start itself up again and repeat that until I shut it off.

 

[stouffa]

i've been through everything and the only thing i'm not sure about is the power supply, your suggestion backs up the idea that something might be a miss with the power. however i'm pretty sure that my power supply is fully operational but it isn't plugged in properly or is unsuitable.

the motherboard i have is the asus p5w64 ws pro which has a 24 pin connection...my power supply ... has a 20 pin connector amongst others. i have tried allsorts of combinations but i am really not sure what i should be doing, the manual is vague.. it says that a 20 pin powersupply will work but i have tried it in conjunction with a 4 pin elsewhere on the board and allsorts of combo's but nothing has worked so far although the board does power up!
thanks for the help so far.

 

[P-Stew]

Mine actually uses a 24 pin and then the separate 4 pin for mobo power.

I don't know what I have in the way of a decent back up power supply, I'll have to check.

 

[rwpritchett]

With no memory installed you should be getting beep codes... strange. Have you checked to make sure the motherboard isn't grounding out somewhere on the case? If you have the time, try to start with the motherboard out of the case laying on a non-conductive surface such as an anti-static bag. This does sound like a power issue though... or the motherboard

 

[stouffa]

i have a 20+4 power supply, so i guess i put the 20 pin and the 4 pin into the 24 pin slot on the motherboard....

then i am somewhat confused... i have 2 more 4 pin connectors labelled cpu 1 and cpu 2, there is a slot on the motherboard to take an 8 pin connector but it will take a 4 pin as half of it has a small plastic cover besides that i have tried all possible combinations...

the way i understood from the manual its best for me to add just 1 of those cables but then i can't help thinking the powersupply company have been trying to be clever and make the 8 pin connector into 2 4pin connectors.

very confused right now! going to try different combo's again but think i've tried them all already...

on a random note i only signed up today, people seem really helpful on here!

 

[P-Stew]

People here really are helpful, I agree.

Thanks for the idea about building it outside the case. No sooner did you post that then I came across this link: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=168456

I'm going to give it a shot and see what I get.

 

[stouffa]

......going to have to try that too. not looking forward to it though, such a mission! good luck

 

[P-Stew]

I was hoping to come up with a solution without having to tear everything down and start over but it's probably for the best. Good luck to you too.

 

[stouffa]

i'd love to say that it worked but it hasn't. still playing around with it, see what happens. think i'm going to try taking my ram out as i know i got some beeping sounds when that happened but i thought that was purely refering the fact i took the ram out. still, it's easier to work with outside the case.

 

[rwpritchett]

the way i understood from the manual its best for me to add just 1 of those cables but then i can't help thinking the powersupply company have been trying to be clever and make the 8 pin connector into 2 4pin connectors.

Yes, some motherboards have an 8-pin (4x2) connector for CPU power and some PSU's have the 8-pin plug split into two 2x2 plugs. If you have all eight pins, you should take the cap off of the motherboard and use both CPU1 and CPU2. They are keyed so that they will only fit one way. For the record, my motherboard has the 8-pin CPU plugin and my PSU has two 2x2 plugs and both are being used.

It's all about making things compatible: If you have a PSU with one 2x2 CPU power and a motherboard with 8-pins, they cap off half of it to show you where to plug the one in. If you have a PSU with two CPU power connectors and a mother board with only a 4-pin, the plugs are separate so you can plug it in without the extra 4-pin connector.

 

[stouffa]

so in short i should plug in the 20 pin connector and the 4 pin connector. and also the two 4 pin connectors labelled cpu1 and cpu2.

ok, so thats one less variable when testing things out. really am not sure what the problem is though. i know that atleast one of the graphics cards i tried was working the other day and pretty sure they both work.

not having much luck! ;0(

 

[P-Stew]

Okay, latest update: still not working.

I pulled everything apart, even took the CPU out of the socket and cleaned it up, installed the stock intel heatsink, arctic 5 and back in. Added RAM, GPU, and hooked up the PSU and monitor. (outside of the case) I jumped the power connection on the mobo and the PSU started running, a second or two later the 8800's fan started turning and still no signal on the monitor.

That eliminates the mobo being grounded in the case and leaves what? Faulty PSU and possibly the mobo? There were never any beeps so that would seem to suggest mobo. I am going to try and scrounge up another PSU and give that a shot. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Edit: Sometimes when I power it on, inside the case, the fans and lights come on and then go out for a split second and come back as if nothing had happened. It starts up fine after that little blip. This mean anything?

 

[Mondoman]

...
I was unable to fit the optional fan on my Scythe Ninja on, could the fact that I don't have a CPU fan plugged in be causing this?...

Yes, shutting down if the CPU fan is not spinning fast enough (i.e. failed) is often set "on" by default in the BIOS.