Need help with first build

[topsgte8]

I am a first time builder. After assembling my components I Did not get any video output. Looking at my graphics card i got 3 error lights which came on immediately and primary and secondary power failure. I have replaced the video card once. All of my other peripherals seem to be powered up properly. The manufacturer has so far been useless in helping.

System info:
gigabyte GA-X48-DS5 motherboard
intel e8500 cpu
silverstone 750w psu
gigabyte ati hd 4870 512mb video card
crucial 2x2gb ddr2 1066 (PC 8500) memory

I am way beyond frustrated at this point any help would be appreciated.

 

[swifty_morgan]

Is your 4/8 pin power connector plugged in to the mobo ?

 

[topsgte8]

I have checked every power connection. The fans all work for the cpu and the video card.

 

[swifty_morgan]

in the bios somewhere it should say something inre to "load optimized defaults" or something like that. did you try that ? And if you did/do don't forget to save it and then reboot. Did you try with 1 stick of ram ? is the card in the top pci-e slot ? did you try swapping ? Can you try a different power supply ? Did you swap video connections on the back of the card ?

 

[swifty_morgan]

You didn't say what power supply you had. I looked over at the egg and there were three. If it has "multiple rails" try and plug things in differently. You may be sucking too much juice from one of them.

 

[jsc]

Clear the CMOS RAM. Your motherboard manual will tell you how. Make sure the HSF is properly installed. Turn on your PC. If it's still broke, continue on.

Disconnect and unplug everything but the PSU, CPU & HSF, power & reset switches, and the system speaker from the motherboard. When you turn on the PC, you should hear a series of long single beeps. This will indicate a memory failure. (You do not have any memory installed, remember?)

If you get silence, either the PSU, motherboard, or CPU is bad. One other possibility is that you have something installed improperly in the case and it's shorting out the PSU. The only practical way to determine which is bad is to test by substitution. Most likely failure (in order) is PSU, motherboard, and CPU.

If you hear the beeps, turn off the PC and install one memory module. Turn on the PC and you should hear one long and two or three short beeps indicating a problem with the video card. Silence indicates that the memory module is shorting out the PSU. Long single beeps indicate a really bad memory module. Test and install the rest of the memory.

Turn off the computer. Install the video card and plug in the monitor. Turn on. System should boot and pass POST (single short beep), and you should see messages on the screen. If not, your video card or monitor is bad.

If you see messages, turn off PC and plug in keyboard and mouse.

If this works, start plugging the other components one by one.


This can be done before installing any the parts into the case. This is called "breadboarding" (from the 20's). I am a firm proponent of breadboarding. It lets me test all the parts before I install them in a case.

 

[topsgte8]

I never got to the bios screen there has been no video output. My PSU is a Silverstone sst-st70f. I have tried all of your other suggestions and still get no output and the same 3 fault lights come on immediately. I do not have another psu big enough for this system. When I checked the pci-e power connectors with a meter each one put out 12v.
This is frustrating!

 

[roadrunner197069]

Ok back to the first suggestion. Is the 8pin power 12v ATX for the CPU in the upper left hand corner buy the copper heatsink plugged in?

Note: 4 holes on the connector are covered by a black cap. Take the cap off and use a 8 pin connector.

Are both power connectors for the video card plugged in?

 

[topsgte8]

reset the cmos etc. never heard any beeps. Have already exchanged the cpu, psu seems to power everything else ok.

 

[roadrunner197069]

Ok back to the first suggestion. Is the 8pin power 12v ATX for the CPU in the upper left hand corner buy the copper heatsink plugged in?

Note: 4 holes on the connector are covered by a black cap. Take the cap off and use a 8 pin connector.

Are both power connectors for the video card plugged in?

8 pin?????????????????????????? connected?????????????????????

 

[topsgte8]

It's amazing how on little power connector omission in the instructions can make all the difference in the world. roadrunner 197069 is a genius in my book
Thank you all for your help. This is the forum for all my questions from now on!

 

[roadrunner197069]

LOL, good luck with your new rig. Hope you have fun. Only had to ask you 3 times if it was plugged in, LOL. I am a Genius, Thanks

 

[swifty_morgan]

is this the power connection I told you to plug in above ?..... ya'know, like right under your initial question....or what ?

 

[roadrunner197069]

Ya swifty, I got all the credit though lol.

 

[swifty_morgan]

Good candidate for a Dell next time around.........lol