Building new computer and no video at power up

Nitrom

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I just finished building a new computer (first time) and I have an Ati Radeon 9800 Pro 128 megs 256 bit.
When I turn power ON for first time expecting to see the BIOS screen (no OS installed yet)no video display at all...monitor pitch black....(computer does power up however).

QUESTION:

I connected my regular AGP connector (from the monitor) to the video card. But the Card comes with a VGA-DVI-I adaptor that fits into the back of the card. Should I use that adaptor instead of the regular VGA connector?

Also...I am not sure I configured properly the power connection to the card.

The card provides a power cable that has three connectors. One for the card
One for the Power supply
And the third one goes to the Hard Drive (that is the strange thing... in the owner's manual says to connect the third connector to the HARD DRIVE which means NO DIRECT POWER CABLE FROM THE POWER SUPPLY UNIT GOING INTO THE HARD DRIVE but instead the power connection is via video card...is that right?

Are there any other connections that need to be made to have video signal on the monitor?

The system

MOBO ABIT NF7 Sv2
CASE CHENBRO SPYDER
CPU AMD ATHLON XP 3000+BARTON
HD WD 120 GIGS
MEM 512 MEGS OF RAM (CORSAIR)DDR 400 PC 3200
PSU FORTRON FSP350 WATS "AURORA"
VIDEO ATIRADEON 9800PRO 128 MEGS 256 BITS
 

pauldh

Illustrious
The supplied power connector should split from the power supplies connector, with the long lead going to the video card and the other going to the HDD.

Have you re-seated the video card....ie. take it out and put it back in again, making sure it is firmly in place?

Just make sure that you aren't trying to use one of the Fan only power cables if your power supply has one. Those are not even able to light up an LED fan.

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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Pauldh on 01/08/05 07:33 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

Nitrom

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Thanks for the help Pauldh.

Problem remains.

I checked power supply connectors on video card as U indicated and I did it right.

I removed Video Card and re seat it properly.

I reset CMOS.

I checked all connections... and now both led lights on motherboard work/

I have no video signal...no mouse...no keyboard. I really am very surprised. Please help.
 

pauldh

Illustrious
How do you know that you have no KB or mouse? No lights on KB, no lit up optical mouse?

Is the cpu fan plugged in; does it spin?

Do all other fans spin?

Does the system beep?

What spare parts do you have around to try? Spare power supply? Spare video card?


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Elizabeth

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Key board does not work except for three green led lights flashing constantly on keyboard. Reason why I say it does not work is because Motherboard instruction manual indicates to press CTRL ALT Delete if BIOS screen fails to show at first time of power up in order to restart computer...I do that and nothing happens.

Have cordless mouse and green light in cordless mouse remote receiver is not lit.

All fans plugged in and working.Yes they do spin normally.

System beeps only once at the same time three green lights on keyboard start to flash.

No spare parts.

Do I have a bad video card?
 

pauldh

Illustrious
OK, don't get ticked at me, but double check your mouse and KB connections to make sure they are not reversed. :smile:

But KB lights flashing at bootup is normal, but it should stop quickly if things are booting up fine. System should beep too. Do the HDD's spin, FDD lights up as it gets checked? Does the system keep running or shut itself down?

Again, any spare Power supply or Video card laying around. How about borrowing the ones you are using right now while reading this?


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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Pauldh on 01/09/05 00:40 AM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

Nitrom

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Hi Pauldh...no...I am not ticked...to the contrary...very appreciative in a humbold way for the help provided.

Answering your questions:

Lights on keyboard do not stop flashing...thet keep on going. No beeps...only flashing lights.

Triple check mouse and KB connections and they R not reversed.

Hard to tell if HD is spinning because have no way of verification. However I can feel HD has a measurable amount of vibration to the touch.

System does not shut itself down.

I borrowed an Nvidia (Ge Force 2) 32 megs of memory (several years old (from this computer)and could not tell if card operates with 3.3 volts
ever since manual of ABIT NF7 S indicates that it does not operate with video cards that have 3.3 volts).After installing the spare video card things are the same...no video signal.

Power Supply seem's to be working ok because all fans work (all 5 of them) led lighs on...optical drives open and close...and power switch with no issues.

Is it possible I have a memory problem?...I have two sticks of 256 megs each. I took one out and switch the remaning one from one DIMM to another with no results.

I disconnected all drives and no results. Still no video.

This is a real challenge. I was thinking to take it to a computer shop for help...but I decided to take the challenge. I know nothing about this things.
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Ah, don't take it to a shop just yet.


there are many things that can cause no video. To get video, you need a power supply, motherboard, cpu with fan plugged in, memory, a video card, and of course a monitor. One thing you don't even need is a case, because when it comes down to it you can even jump the power switch pins on the mobo to power up the system.

Anyway, you, with the help of others here need to figure out the problem. Some systems will beep error codes if the memory, cpu, or video card are not detected. others like many soyos I have seen have a ladies voice tell you what's missing. Anyway, give the folks here a shot at helping you, unless you are in a rush, have loads of extra cash, or are just plain fed up trying. I myself have both a revision 2 NF7 and a Rev 2 NF7-S, and have used other NF7's too besides my own. great mobos, best Socket A mobo IMO.

Ok, you may have a hardware problem... bad mobo, PS, mem, cpu. But you may not. i do not think the video card is the problem.


I think you had an Xp2800+? Do you know the memory speed (forgive me it's late and i may have missed . Assuming the memory matches the cpu speed PC2700 for an XP2500-2800, PC3200 for an XP3200 (EDIT: OK I see Xp3000 with PC3200, all is fine there. SO, ...)

I would take these steps:

Make sure all power cables are connected including the square (P4) 4pin 12volt one on the mobo. That cable is needed on NF2 mobos and is directly above the large ATX power connector on that mobo. next, Clear the cmos jumper on the mobo according to mobo instructions. Sounds like a pain, but I would then reseat the cpu again (first looking at the cpu for any bent(flattened) pins, and then memory. yes going with one stick is adviseable when troubleshooting, and you should put it in Dimm3 on that mobo. If by chance Dimm3 could be faulty, trying Dimm 2 or one I guess is a worthwhile step to take. But make sure you try Dimm3 first.

I always have spare parts to use, so swapping each component is an easy test method. But, If none of these other steps have worked so far, i would then remove the mobo from the case and try it that way. Usually a grounding problem renders the system dead, but I guess it depends where the grounding problem is. Removing the mobo from the case will eliminate this problem. And don't worry, it is safe to try it out of the case. For ages when i had the room i ran a system that way on my bench, for testing ram and cpu's (it was a sdr/ddr system, great for testing most the dimms I use.) Anyway, once out of the case, you either need to still have a power switch connected to the mobo, or jump the two power switch pins on the mobo to start the system (use caution making sure to only jump the power switch.

Honestly, it's 2:30 AM, and once you have tried all these steps, i am out of ideas for now. I would then suspect a faulty piece of the necessary hardware. But try those steps one at a time in order, and see how you do. i am honesly hoping it's the 4 pin square 12v power connector...a 10 second fix.

Lets us know how it goes.





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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Pauldh on 01/09/05 02:38 AM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

aLawLz187

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i think it is a power supply issue... my friend had one where his comp would turn on but his monitor would not turn on, got a new power supply and that fixed it. another had one where he got a new mobo and his psu would not stay on for more than 10 seconds, and then gradually less and less... and i had a problem where my computer would turn on then restart or turn on then shut off and all this weird stuff... go and get a new psu [good or a cheap one ur choice] and test it out. also try using different molex connectors. that happened to me once, monitor wouldnt turn on so i took everything apart and put it back together then went to a pcw [local comp store, not part of that chain] and the guy turned it on and it worked. and if u have an old system laying around try your parts in there to see if it works.

-lawler

p.s. its too late idk what im doing for the most part

A64 3500+ / K8N Neo2 Plat / BBA 9600pro / 2x512mb HyperX ddr500 / Audigy LS / Samsung 120gb

Wanna buy a Thermaltake XaserIII SuperTower Blk Edition w/ 420w psu UNOPENED, tell me.
 

Nitrom

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Thanks for the attention Pauldh.

I will remove the motherboard from the case...put it on an antistatic mat...connect the escentials as you indicate and try to boot up.

Will do this Sunday Morning and will let you know.

Thanks again. I will not take it to a computer shop...I will
take the challenge and learn as I go.

Thanks again.
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Just do the other steps first as removing it from th case takes the most effort.

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foofighters

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Sorry to reiterate pauldh's point, but I had a customer with similar problems who didn't do this. Does your Mainboard require 2 power connections to be plugged in, if so do you have them both plugged in? My customer plugged in the rectangular connector to the mainboard but left off the square connector and the computer exibited the problems you are having. Just thought I would check you have done this before u go removing the mainboard from the case.
 

Worf101

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Some motherboards require TWO power connects onthe 12v. rail. The regular 20 some odd pin one and the 4 pin square power thingy. If you don't plug them both in you will have problems.

Da Worfster

If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
 

Nitrom

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Yes...I have both power connectors pluged in to the mobo...and
the Hard Drive has a measurable amount of vibration (sign that it is working) and optical drives are responding to open and close comand...and all five fans (inclusing from video card)are working...which means the PSU is delivering power.

Pauldh...as you sugested I am taking this mobo out of the case...attaching the barebone escentials only and with the help of a screw driver touch the POWER ON pins to power up the system...(jump start)if the BIOS screen comes ON what should I do?

If I still have no video signal what does it mean?...is it time to RMA components?
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Well, if it boots out of the case, it was a grounding issue. You can cover all of the brass standoffs except one well centered one, with a non-conductive spacer, and reinstall the mobo. Also double check all standoffs line up and you didn't put an extra one in.

Did you do all the other steps? clear cmos jumper, Reseat mem in Dimm3, remove cpu, check for bent pins, reinstall cpu, etc.



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Nitrom

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Yes...all those steps have been performed as you indicated and CPU is in good shape...heatsink properly installed. One stick of memory on DIMM 3 and then on 2 and then on 1...I also clear CMOS jumper by removing jumper from default position to CLEAR position for about one minute and reseat it again.


I guess if I have no video signal after this test it is time to RMA mobo and CPU ?
 

Nitrom

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Video card tests OK.

I took the ATIRADEON 9800 Pro to the store where I purchased it from and they tested the video card on another machine and it works very nice...no problems there.

Now for the MOtherboard...CPU and Memory.
 

Elizabeth

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VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION

Am I supoused to put paper washers beteeen the motherboard and the spacers to insulate it?...I dod not do that.
 

Elizabeth

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Sorry for the intrusion into these postings but I am also building a computer and I have similar problems with some variants.I am following this thread letter by letter.
 

Nitrom

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BAREBONE TESTS RESULTS
The result of the tests I did on the barebone system out of the case are that I still have NO video signal and no beeps at all on power up.

I had video card checked at store from which I purchased it and works nice...NP there.

If I am correct this means that Mobo...CPU..PSU and Memory may be bad ( one of them or more than one) and have no way of testing those components ever since my old computer is INTEL based and very propietary from DELL.

Only choices are to RMA those parts but I wonder if New Egg will accept so many RMA's at the same time.

Other choice is to take them to a computer shop for testing. That's expensive.

Thanks for the help guys...Specially Pauldh