Hi there, first time system builder here. I decided to build the exact system described in the System Builder Marathon (day 2 - mid-level) article (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/05/09/system_builder_marathon/) and I'm either a few steps away from finished, or I've done something stupid and destroyed parts worth hundreds of dollars. Want to help me figure out which?
I actually used the case from the "day 1" article, because the "day 2" case was sold out, anyway it's a fine case. I installed the CPU, fan, and RAM to the motherboard before screwing the motherboard into the case. I did not use any kind of thermal glue between the CPU and heatsink because the fan/heatsink instructions didn't call for it, and there was some kind of gray substance on the heatsink anyway. Did I do the right thing there?
I think all the wires and plugs are hooked up correctly. When I finally got up the nerve to press the power button, the hard drive, CD drive, and front case fan spun up, but the rear case fan and CPU fan didn't. I realized those two were plugged into the motherboard while the drives and the front case fan were plugged more or less directly into the PSU. When I plugged all the fans directly into the PSU, they came on at startup. So... is something wrong with my motherboard, that it wouldn't power the fans? The power LED on the case is also plugged directly into the motherboard, and it works fine.
Now the disk drives and fans (also the graphics card's fan) power up when I press "power", but nothing appears on my monitor: no BIOS menu, memory check, or anything. Could this be a simple problem with connecting my monitor? The monitor has a VGA port and a sort of stylish new port I hadn't seen before; the graphics card has two of the stylish new port and no VGA, but it comes with adapters so you can plug a VGA into the newer port. That's what I've done currently - use a VGA cable from the monitor, with an adapter on the other end plugged into my graphics card. Still, when I start the machine, all the fans and drives are spinning but nothing comes up on screen.
Is there an obvious, simple mistake I've made?
I actually used the case from the "day 1" article, because the "day 2" case was sold out, anyway it's a fine case. I installed the CPU, fan, and RAM to the motherboard before screwing the motherboard into the case. I did not use any kind of thermal glue between the CPU and heatsink because the fan/heatsink instructions didn't call for it, and there was some kind of gray substance on the heatsink anyway. Did I do the right thing there?
I think all the wires and plugs are hooked up correctly. When I finally got up the nerve to press the power button, the hard drive, CD drive, and front case fan spun up, but the rear case fan and CPU fan didn't. I realized those two were plugged into the motherboard while the drives and the front case fan were plugged more or less directly into the PSU. When I plugged all the fans directly into the PSU, they came on at startup. So... is something wrong with my motherboard, that it wouldn't power the fans? The power LED on the case is also plugged directly into the motherboard, and it works fine.
Now the disk drives and fans (also the graphics card's fan) power up when I press "power", but nothing appears on my monitor: no BIOS menu, memory check, or anything. Could this be a simple problem with connecting my monitor? The monitor has a VGA port and a sort of stylish new port I hadn't seen before; the graphics card has two of the stylish new port and no VGA, but it comes with adapters so you can plug a VGA into the newer port. That's what I've done currently - use a VGA cable from the monitor, with an adapter on the other end plugged into my graphics card. Still, when I start the machine, all the fans and drives are spinning but nothing comes up on screen.
Is there an obvious, simple mistake I've made?
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