PC booting, fans spinning, but no video.

[ollie6286]

Hi, I just bought a bunch of parts from newegg.com and built a system for my parents. Its my first Intel build and third build my whole life, but I'm having issues after booting. The system is as follows:

HEC mATX Case w/585 Watt PS - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121004

Foxconn M7VMX-K LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 7050 / nForce 610i Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186138

Intel Pentium E2200 Allendale 2.2GHz 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122

WD 320 GB HDD

and an old TDK 440N DVD-RW.

I already looked at Intel's website about systems not booting (http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-010254.htm) and tested all of their solutions and I still get no video when the PC boots.

edit: I am going to be using the on board video graphics as well. Right now I'm thinking that's the problem with the board and I may just need to go get a PCI-x graphics card. I also tried using two different monitors and got nothing. Another thing that might be worth mentioning is that it does not even beep when I turn it on; the fans spin, I hear the HDD spin, and the DVD and HDD lights on the front stay lit.

I would really appreciate it if anyone could give me some advice or tips on how to go on to fix this thing, I feel like I've taken it apart and rebuilt it a couple times already with the same results. I'm just hoping I didn't short anything while in the process :-( .

edit: I did have an anti-static bracelet on the whole time though, connected to the case.

If there's any other information you need to know, please let me know.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Sounds like the classic "Oops, forgot to plug in the 4-pin CPU power connector" issue. That motherboard has a 4-pin CPU power connector in addition to the 24-pin motherboard power connector. Are both power connectors plugged in? Look up "CPU power connector" or something like that in the manual. The CPU power connector is to the bottom-left of the CPU socket when the board is installed in the system. Here's a picture looking down on the board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?CurImage=13-186-138-05.jpg&Image=13-186-138-03.jpg%2c13-186-138-04.jpg%2c13-186-138-05.jpg%2c13-186-138-06.jpg%2c13-186-138-07.jpg%2c13-186-138-08.jpg%2c13-186-138-02.jpg&S7ImageFlag=0&WaterMark=1&Item=N82E16813186138&Depa=0&Description=Foxconn%20M7VMX-K%20Micro%20ATX%20Intel%20Motherboard

Post back if both connectors are plugged in and it's still not working.

 

[ollie6286]

Yes, they are both plugged in and still have the same issue. The power supply also comes with a 20-pin connector, but also has an additional 4-pin to make it a 24-pin. I tried using just the 20-pin and the 20-pin +4-pin and both had the same results. I Know that comment had nothing to do with your reply, but as I said earlier, yes the 4-pin CPU power connector is plugged in.

 

[lunyone]

* Have you tried starting it up with 1 stick of RAM? Try either stick? Try in a different slot?
* Can you use a different PSU, in order to isolate the PSU issue?
Next I'd do this:
1) Take everything out of the case and put it on a non-conductive surface (cardboard is good). plug in all of the necessary parts (CPU, CPU HSF, 1 memory stick, HD, DVD Drive). Try turning in on from there.

 

[altazi]

lunyone gave good advice. Here's more:

I am assuming you have correctly connected the 20+4 power connector and the separate 4-pin cpu power connector to the motherboard.

Clear your CMOS settings using the correct procedure for your motherboard. This usually involves removing the coin cell and setting a jumper.

Disconnect everything but the PSU, mobo, CPU & HSF, and RAM. Try booting. What happens? Try booting many times (+10) this helps if something is screwed up in the CPU clock settings in BIOS, and causes a default "safe" setting to be used.

 

[ollie6286]

I tried different RAM and RAM slots, but not the other suggestions. I'll try them when I get home.

 

[ollie6286]

Ok, I've tried clearing the CMOS and that produced the same results. And I've already tried taking everything out of the case and putting it on a non-conductive surface (the anti static packaging). plugging in all of the necessary parts (CPU, CPU HSF, 1 memory stick, HD, DVD Drive) and turning it on from there, which also produced the same results.

I went and bought a PCI-express video card at Best Buy cause I don't want to wait for one to ship, even if its cheaper, to see if a video card would work. I haven't opened it yet though because one of the associates as Best Buy said I could try leaving it on for an hour or so to see if anything comes up afterward. He also said if that didn't work, then I should just send it back.

So before I open up the video card or send the mobo back, are there any other suggestions anyone can think of?

edit: Anyone know what the significance of the HDD and DVD-rom lights staying lit is and why I would be unable to open the DVD-rom after power, even though the light and fans are on?

 

[lunyone]

Interesting, sounds like maybe the PSU isn't giving the right voltage to the CD/DVD or maybe other things. I know HEC doesn't have a great reputation from what I've read, so that is why I asked if you could use a different PSU (hopefully one that you know works)??

 

[ollie6286]

I just switched out the PSU and am now using it in my system, so the PSU is working fine I guess. The PSU that I placed in it from this system, a 420 watt thats been working for the past 5 years, yielded the same results -- fans spinning, HDD and DVD-ROM lights lit and stay lit, can still hear the HDD.

 

[toledo_speedo]

I have had the same problem twice in the past and both times it has been a bad mobo.

 

[sinfulpotato]

Does your mother board beep/do you have your mobo speaker installed? These beeps are very important for this type of situation.

Fans and lights only mean that current is flowing through the circuits.

 

[ollie6286]

It does not beep. I do have a speaker cable in the case, but there's nowhere on the board to plug into. The only speaker connectors on the board are for the front audio, SPDIF, and CD-IN. Here's a link to the mobo manual if you can find it in there, but I don't see a place for mobo speaker: http://www.foxconnchannel.com/support/downloads_detail.aspx?ID=en-us0001652

 

[sinfulpotato]

I am not at home, but in my case it was labeled "Case speaker" or similar.

Just look closely. Mine was positioned near the pins for the power button and front LEDs.

If you can get beeps your motherboard will tell you somethings, beep codes should be in your manual. No beeps might mean you have a dead mobo.

I killed my last mobo when I tried to install a northbridge heatsink. Everything spinned up to speed but not mobo wouldn't post. When I replaced the mobo everything worked fine.

 

[ollie6286]

Found out what was wrong with the system. First of all, let me reiterate that its been about 5-6 years since I've built a system. Secondly, you're all gonna laugh at what was wrong, I hope. Turns out that I didn't remove the black plastic protector cap on the bottom of the processor when I seated it. I found this out after I took everything out and went from scratch. I was so glad that it still worked afterward though! I'm using the system right now, its been on for about 7 hours, with nothing going wrong. Thanks everyone for their helpful advice!

 

[lunyone]

Well at least you found the problem and fixed it!! We've all had boneheaded mistakes at one time or another so don't feel too bad.

 

[altazi]

Glad you're up and running. I'm surprised you were able to seat the CPU and mount the HSF while the protective cap was in place.