First time build... have problems =(

[zex95966]

Well I finally got my computer all put together. When I start it up, all the fans run, I get a beep, but I get no video at all. No Bios... no nothing.
Any help would be greatly appreciated...

specs:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/bMex

 

[Guest]

you plugged the monitor into the motherboard video out?

 

[zex95966]

I tried 2 monitors. One was VGA and the other HDMI
neither worked, I also tried both the motherboard output and the video card output.

Other things like keyboards and mice light up (and all the fans run) so I know it's not completely dead or something.

 

[Guest]

ok, it probably is something silly. try going through this checklist:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems

you may need to just start over.

 

[zex95966]

The only thing that worries me is the possibility of bent pins on mobo. I didn't notice any when putting the cpu in and I made sure it was in correctly 3 times but it seemed to require a lot of force to put the metal border in place. I mean it left little marks on the metal border.... That's why I checked so many times to make sure it was in correctly, but it has grooves and I made sure they matched up.

If it IS bent pins - it's just a matter of replacing the motherboard I hope?
are there any other methods to make sure it is sitting in properly?

Also If I take out/re-check the CPU, will I need to get some thermal remover? I applied this: http://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Silver-Ceramique-Premium-Compound/dp/B0007Y836W/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1341958188&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=thermal+paste+ceramiq
because it did not have any thermal paste already on.

 

[Guest]

if you had bent pins i do not think you would hear the beep. lets keep the cpu and heatsink on for now.

since you had the beep, means it should be ok. the no video is a problem (duh) i am surprised that the motherboard out isn't working. did you try to reset the cmos by removing the battery?

 

[zex95966]

no, how would I do that?

 

[Guest]

the silver disc between the PCI slots. first unplug the power cord. then take a small flat screwdriver or similar and move the clip holding it in over. keep it out for a few minutes then replace it, plug in the power cord.

 

[zex95966]

Alright I tried what you asked, but I still have no video of any kind. =(
This is so depressing

 

[Guest]

just start over by "breadboarding" it.
turn off the psu and unplug it. take everything out of the case. take everything off the motherboard except the cpu and heatsink. but the motherboard on top the box it came in. connect the onboard video to a monitor. put 1 stick of ram in the slot farthest away from the cpu and plug in the cpu power and 24 pin power connections. plug the power cord in PSU and turn it on. use a screwdriver to "short" the two pins the power switch was connected to the power button on the case and it should turn on.

 

[eggbrook]

What is sounds like is a short, check that the motherboard mounts are nice and secure in the case and that the mounts line up with the screw holes on the motherboard itself. Don't use extra mounts! Only use the ones that line up with the motherboard screw holes. If the fans start and lights turn on and nothing happens it generally means the machine is shorted out. Take everything apart and work slowly and carefully

 

[Raiddinn]

If it was shorting out, I highly doubt the OP would hear any beeps.

Try taking out the video card and just using the onboard graphics and see if you can get video that way.

Also, make sure the monitor is set to display digital and not analog, etc.

 

[zex95966]

Raiddinn's solution worked!... kinda.

I now have video, but I cant get out of Bios - a Windows 7 CD is in the optical drive... does that mean the CD is no good? or is there some simple step i'm overlooking again?

 

[Guest]

do you mean the POST screen? you would have to hit the DEL key to get into the bios.

 

[zex95966]

do you mean the POST screen? you would have to hit the DEL key to get into the bios.

Actually...it's automatically booting to BIOS...not having to hit anything. Selecting the correct boot order and restarting or cold-starting just brings me back to BIOS screen.

 

[Guest]

really?!? did you "save & exit"?

 

[zex95966]

OK - my bad. It's booting to BIOS automatically because while the drives are hooked up - the actual communication cables are not. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[zex95966]

Erm, sorry for the double-post but I have one more (and hopefully last) problem.

As soon as I try to put back in my video card, the original problem (black screen, no Bios or anything) comes back up.

 

[Guest]

are using the motherboard of card's output?

 

[zex95966]

Well I have 2 monitors, one is VGA and the other is HDMI.

I have 2 spots for HDMI... the video card and the motherboard. Neither work. the monitor itself is good - I use it for another computer.

I only have a spot on the motherboard for the VGA monitor and it doesn't work either. This monitor is also used on another computer so I know it's good as well.

The only way to get video at the moment is to unplug the Video card.

 

[Guest]

if nothing is working, what is working? you're confusing me, sorry.

you say unplug the card; does that mean unplug the power, the monitor cable or take it out?

just tell me what you have the monitor plugged into for it to work.

 

[zex95966]

if nothing is working, what is working? you're confusing me, sorry.

you say unplug the card; does that mean unplug the power, the monitor cable or take it out?

just tell me what you have the monitor plugged into for it to work.

I can get everything to work if the video card is either unplugged via the power or if I take the video card completely out.
As soon as I put the video card in, I just get a black screen... no bios or anything.
I can plug the monitor into either HDMI or VGA to work as long as the video card is not there.

I'm sorry if I'm being unclear, but I'm basically trying to say that the monitors work (no matter where they are plugged in) but their is something wrong with the Zotac gtx 560 ti 448. I'm hoping it's a simple fix like disabling integrated graphics or something like that.

 

[Guest]

are you plugging in both 6 pin power connections? i know silly question.

and also, i don't know about "disabling onboard" but you ought to have an option to enable the PEG (Pci-E Graphics) in the bios.

 

[Raiddinn]

If both PCIE power connectors were not in, it would probably say something along the lines of "Video card not getting enough power, check that all the power cables are plugged in" or something like that.

Check in the BIOS to see if there is a default video out port. If there is one and it is not set to auto detect, try to set it to do that. You would have to do this while the video card was out and the setting might revert when you plug one in.

For good measure, you could try taking the battery out for 30 min. It is a CR 2032 watch battery, it looks like a quarter.

Regardless what you do, I don't think it will help to plug the monitor cable into a motherboard port if the video card is plugged in, so I wouldn't bother doing that. At best you would be operating without the use of your video card if you did get it to work in the motherboard port.

Just to prepare you for the idea now, Zotac isn't the greatest brand. The video card may just be a plain DOA. If you have another computer laying around, I would try to use the Zotac video card in that and see what happens.

 

[zex95966]

Ok interesting thing happened. I used a HDMI to VGA adapter and now it looks like it is working!

...I just don't understand how that would make a difference? does that mean maybe I have a bad HDMI outlet?