"Mom" PC - Boot OK but no video/ bios?

[nicte83]

First, I have read all the stickies, completely.

My PC parts:
Apex MI-100 Mini ITX Black Case
Diablotek PHD380M 380w MATX Power Supply

Intel DG41MJ mini ITX Socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5400 2.7Ghz 2M 800Mhz 775
Rosewill RCX-Z775-LP 80mm Sleeve Low Profile CPU Cooler - OEM
PNY 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz (2x2GB)
EVGA GeForce 9400 GT 512MB PCI Low Profile

WD Caviar Green 500GB 32MB/SATA-3G
Sabrent USB 2.0 Internal Multi Card Reader
Sony Optiarc AD-7240S-0B AD-7240S 24X Half Height DVDRW 24X SATA DVD Burner Black Drive Bulk

I assembled everything, turned it on, it lights up, all the fans work, it beeps one short beep and my monitor (Samsung TV) is blank. No screen for entering bios, or memory check or anything. The TV + VGA monitor cable work fine when plugged into my laptop.

I haven't heard the HDD spin, but it's supposed to be quiet. The DVD drive seems to work (ie. opens/closes/spins).

The 2x2 power is plugged in.

Any ideas?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Have you tried plugging the monitor cable into the video outputs on the motherboard? The motherboard has an integrated GPU and may not have automatically switched to enable the 9400GT.

 

[banthracis]

It's wonderful how Intel list's beep code errors in the manual that comes with the MOBO.

For your convenience they also post it online, along with troubleshooting!
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-010249.htm

If you actually followed the sticky and are getting that code, then its a memory error.

Also, PSU seems suspicious. No name brand PSU's have a nasty habit of frying and taking your entire system with it.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

One short beep usually means it booted successfully. That's why I suggested moving the cable to the on-board GPU outputs. Intel boards are a little strange, though. Steps 6 - 8 in the READ before posting about boot/no video problems! sticky should help you if it's a RAM problem.

 

[nicte83]

That's what I thought about the short beep. It definately didn't seem like the long beep that you would hear with a RAM issue. I did try the mobo VGA - same problem. As far as I could tell the sticky didn't say anything about a successful boot and still no video which is why I posted.

If it were some sort of PSU problem, why is everything else working? That doesn't make sense to me. I have a less powerful PSU so I guess I'll pull the GPU and try it instead.

This will probably be the last time I build my own computer. Far too much hassle.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Your computer probably isn't successfully booting if there is no video output. The checklist still very much applies to your situation. That's why it's titled "PERFORM THESE STEPS before posting about boot/no video problems!"

 

[nicte83]

It looks like it was booting okay, but it took a bit more than moving the cable to the mobo VGA port. Once I removed the GPU (and left everything else as is) the onboard VGA worked fine. Maybe its just an IO error or something.

Anyway, thanks for your patience.

 

[nicte83]

Best answer selected by nicte83.

 

[Guest]

Have you tried plugging the monitor cable into the video outputs on the motherboard? The motherboard has an integrated GPU and may not have automatically switched to enable the 9400GT.

maybe you can help me, my pc boots up everything spins it dont turn off but still nothing on the monitor i have tryed almost eveything, and as it dont have onboard graphics i cant plug it in to check the bios, the only connection i havent tryed yet is my hdmi one i have tryed the others, iv sped around 300 pounds on this. one thing i did notes is that i lifted off the heatsink and took the processor out (socket 1155) and the pins on the mother board seem to sit on a plane and to me it looks as if one pin isnt on its plate but we got it unboxed, any help would be really nice.