First build - and the damn thing won't work!!

Hello, I've bastardised a few computers over the years, and my old one is almost completely different from when it was new out the catalogue (I think only the case is the same). I've just put together my first scratch built system and the bloody thing won't work.

So I come here as my brother tells me you lot are the guys to talk to.

Anyway, the system is:
Intel E8400,
4 gig ram,
Asus P5K-SE (which I have just discovered was a big mistake),
Gainward GF 8800GT
and a 520W power supply.

Turn power on and the keyboard and USB mouse flash momentarily then go blank. All the fans are up and running, including the graphics fan. The hard drive and DVD make lovely chuntering noises but the moniter does absolutely nothing.
I've taken everything out of the system apart from the minimum (Mobo, CPU, PSU and graphics card) and still get nothing. On one occasion the computer did put a message on screen saying there was an error, no hard drive found, but after reconnecting the hard drive nothing happened and now disconnecting it again I can't get the message back up. So apart from that one time I've got nothing.

I've got a suspicion it's the Mobo that's screwed, or possibly too little power (although I checked up and 520 should be more than enough). So does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks ahead.

It's a cooler master M520.

I just noticed that the CPU isn't getting warm either. Is it common for new components to not work out of the box? The hard drives just making the normal good noise it makes on start up.

Thanks for your help.

Oooh, that's interesting. Umm, sorry for sounding stupid, but do you have an idea of how I do that? The thing won't boot up so I can't change the bios.

Should I try and scavenge another CPU from somewhere to get it kick started, or can I do it with a boot disk?
Thanks alot.

I see you have an ASUS MB. Dial in your MB here and go to the product download page. Look under CPU support and download the BIOS version that supports the E8400.

http://support.asus.com/download/d [...] uage=en-us

You will need to flash to BIOS version O906, which supports the E8400.

http://support.asus.com/cpusupport [...] odel=P5K-E

Download is here. Your MB shipped with 0401 or 0503

http://support.asus.com/download/d [...] uage=en-us

Thanks, I found it - it needs to be 0704. I'll put that one down as a learning experience. Thanks for your help.

Yeah, I see it now. Version 0704 supports the E8400.

http://support.asus.com/cpusupport [...] l=P5K%20SE