First Time Build, Video Card Failure? Help!

[am3rican3lite]

Hey guys, It has always been my dream to build a computer. I finally got the money, and all the parts last night. Then i hit a wall. I put all the parts in the Mobo Just fine and then i went to plug it in, nothing at first. I reseated everything, and not (with the video card in) i get 1 long beep and 3 short (hardware failure). and without it, nothing happens. I did just as a last resort put an nvidia 9800 gt in there and it sucessfully would post but then stop and start again (i think because i have an AMD Board or does that matter).

Specs:
AMD 8 core 3.6 ghz processor
Radeon 6970
Asus m5a97
16 GB Corshair Vengeance
850 Watt PSU (working correctly)

What could be happening? Please help as i don't want to wait another week for parts :/

Thanks in advance Dan

 

[am3rican3lite]

Also have 1 TB Seagate HD and a Samsung DVD drive

 

[Wolfshadw]

AMD Boards will accept either AMD or NVidia graphic cards. That's not the issue. I would check to make you your system BIOS is up to date. That motherboard probably shipped with BIOS version 0503. However, it requires BIOS version 0815 for the FX-8150 processor.

ASUS M5A97 CPU Support List

-Wolf sends

 

[am3rican3lite]

Forgive my "newness," but how would I achieve that if the monitor is blank? I do not have another CPU to place in my mobo that is compatible.

 

[Wolfshadw]

You said you could get it to successfully post with with 9800GT installed.

-Wolf sends

 

[am3rican3lite]

It would post, and I would see the "press DEL to enter BIOS" then the computer would reset itself and start over, but not power all the way down

 

[Wolfshadw]

Ok, while the BIOS may be the issue, it could still be something else.

Have you gone through the Perform These Steps thread?

-Wolf sends

 

[am3rican3lite]

Ok I may have found my problem. I haven't installed the mounting screws. But I did forget to mention that when I turn it on with the 6970 installed the computer tries to Post or whatever for a few seconds, then (immediately following beeps signaling hardware failire) my video card's fan goes berserk and is incredibly loud. Then the computer will not successfully post or boot at all. Could not installing mounting screws do this?

 

[Wolfshadw]

If the board is shorting out, then any number of issues can arise.

-Wolf sends

 

[am3rican3lite]

Ok thank you so much for the speedy replies! I will definately be contributing to these forums more! But if the.mounting screws aren't the problem would you say it is the video card? (Because of the beeps and the LOUD fan)

 

[smorizio]

try removing all the ram but one stick. if the older card is posting then rebooting it could be a memory issue causing the reboot. try using the mem ok button on the mb to see if you can get it to stay on.

 

[am3rican3lite]

I have tried all of that. I will retry it after I put the mounting screws on and then I will let you know. Guys thanks so much for the help! Seriously I would have never found that I didn't have the mounting screws.

 

[Wolfshadw]

If it's not the mounting screws, then an easy test would be to take a different graphics card (from another system or borrow one from a friend) and try booting with that card installed.

I'm still leaning towards the BIOS update, but that's not as easy to troubleshoot if the system won't stay up long enough for you to update it. If you have a local computer store they might be able to help you with a BIOS update.

-Wolf sends