Scrambled like a mother!

[SirJames9k]

Ok...so ive worked the entire summer to save up for this computer...and after waiting 2 weeks for all of the parts to arrive...i finally get the thing built...power it on..and no video. I try it a few times, each time shutting down both the power to the comp and monitor(tried two monitors, same result), and finally get some scrambled video to come up...red, white, blue...quite patriotic. I know its a pretty general post, but any ideas as to what I could try? Or is this just a fried video card or mb? Waiting 3 weeks for a new video card to come in just dosn't sound like an option im willing to deal with.

Video card is a GeForce4 MX4400 64 Meg
MB is a ECS
CPU is a 1.4 Athlon XP


few more notes:
when the power is turned on...monitor powers up(detects the video card) but nothing appears on the screen. This happens about 75% of the time. After a few tries the scrambled stuff will come up instead. No warning beeps from the computer...at least none that I can detect. Everything else seems to powe up fine.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by SirJames9k on 08/01/02 01:38 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[rubikian]

Take off your RAM and reinsert it tightly and your processor also. If you have display it is consider okay though it is weird display (At least it is still alive). I have this old cyrix 266 which also sometimes gives me weird display and I found out that the processor is somehow not in the right position though it seems placed properly. Try it out, maybe it can help.

 

[Jake75]

And most importantly, check your videocard so it is firmly attached to the AGP slot.

What else could it be?, hmm...perhaps a longshot, but what PSU do you have?
I dunno if to little power can cause "BIOS scrambling" but if it is like a 230w lowlife
PSU it might

What temps do you have?

<font color=green>One step closer to monkey</font color=green>

 

[SirJames9k]

well ive reseated the ram...the processor...and made sure the card is properly in the agp slot..i'll have another agp video card to throw at this thing in a couple days...As for the power supply, its an Enermax Dual fan 300w i believe. I bought it to replace an old shitty psu that went out on me which was giving me somewhat similar problems. It worked well in my last computer.

Also...garmbled junk dosn't even want to come up anymore...now the screen just clicks on...a few quick white stripes run across the top...and then...nothingness.

AHH!!!

I am one hairy bastard

 

[rubikian]

No, don’t throw your card away. I’ve seen a few problems with GF4 MX440. One of them is mine and another friend of mine but both of us use ASUS motherboard with different model. I got a Leadtek GF4 MX440 where it cannot work with my ASUS P4T i850 board but can work with my P3 Via Chipset Board. The symptom is that nothing appear on the screen at all without any beep from the mobo as well. The card was properly inserted. My friend’s case is also the same. He got a PNY GF4 MX440 and also cannot work with his mobo.
I’d believe that this is due to compatibility issue. Your card might not have fried anyway.