building a PC (might be in over my head), help needed

[cthomer5000]

Ok, I'm building a computer. I order everything up and I'm sticking it together, and I get to the point where I think I've got everything connected and try to boot up.

I'm not getting anything on the monitor. The monitor realizes it's connected to a port, but nothing else. I've tried back-tracking, disconnecting to the point where these are the only things connected:

-CPU installed in the motherboard (yes they are definitely compatible)
-CPU fan connected to the proper power connection on the board
- memory (1 gig) installed on mother board
-video card installed in PCI slot 1 (there is no on-board video, and i've got one empty AGP slot)
-wiring for the power switch is connected to the mother board

Now, i'm getting power, the CPU fan goes on, and the LED on the mother board is lit.

Is this seriously bad news that i'm not getting a a BIOS screen (any anything else) on the monitor? Or have a likely just set something up wrong?

What exact process should I go through to try to get this thing going?

[Franklinnoble]

Have you installed the memory?

[Ironhead]

Make sure you have the memory in there and the CPU.

ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT if you have never worked with computer equipment: Make sure you ground yourself to the case. Static ruins computer equipment, especially memory.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Have you installed the memory?

doh! forget to write that.

yes, in the two 'blue' slots. My setup is slot slot slot slot and the manual says to use the two blue slots first, then the two black slots.

[Router Help]

Does it beep?

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Ironhead

ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT if you have never worked with computer equipment: Make sure you ground yourself to the case. Static ruins computer equipment, especially memory.

I have been as careful as humanly possible while putting everything together. If I managed to fry this stuff none the less, I'm a moron of the highest order.

Originally Posted by Router Help

Does it beep?

No, but I did not have the PC speaker connected while trying to boot at any time.

[Router Help]

A common mistake by many first time system builders is grounding the motherboard out on the case somehow.

This is what I usually do before screwing everything in the case when building a system. I place the motherboard on top of the bare cardboard box that it came in, install memory, cpu, cpu fan, and video card. Connect the power supply and see if it power up then.

Other things to check for:

-is the clear CMOS jumper in the correct position
-do you need to set jumpers for memory speed?

[primelord]

You might want to make sure your video card is seated properly. If it isn't completely in the slot you would have a problem similar to what you are describing.

[Airhog]

if that doesnt work, try removing one stick of memory, then swap them if it still doesnt work.

[jbmagic]

if its not a jumperless motherboard..you have to set the jumper

[Desnudo]

So the computer starts up ok? You hear the fans wind up and the processor running, it just doesn't appear on the monitor?

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by primelord

You might want to make sure your video card is seated properly. If it isn't completely in the slot you would have a problem similar to what you are describing.

Secont this. One time a friend of mine was putting together a computer and had the same thing you did. After about 10 minutes of watching him panic, I walked over, pushed down the video card to make sure it was in and then felt it go in more. It booted fine.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

So the computer starts up ok? You hear the fans wind up and the processor running, it just doesn't appear on the monitor?

correct.

I'm going to go through all the suggestions in a few hours and see what kind of results i get.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

correct.

I'm going to go through all the suggestions in a few hours and see what kind of results i get.

If the processor and fans are starting up ok, then it's likely a loose, or lack of connection somewhere.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by sabotai

After about 10 minutes of watching him panic, I walked over, pushed down the video card to make sure it was in and then felt it go in more. It booted fine.

Preferably, this is done with the power off.

[cthomer5000]

unfortunately none of my most recent fiddling got me anywhere. I swapped out the memory, trying each one solo.

The fan goes on, the board shows power, but nothing on the monitor. I've also tried the video card in 3 different slots, same result.

As far as I can tell everything else is as it should be. this is getting a little frustrating.

[GrantDawg]

Could be a bad motherboard. Had something like this happen a while back, and we swapped the motherboard and everything was fine. The other thing that comes to mind is the memory. Memory sometimes can be touchy, and it may seem like it is in when it actually isn't.

[jbmagic]

if you getting no video on the monitor,..it could be a bad video card

[TargetPractice6]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

if you getting no video on the monitor,..it could be a bad video card

They still make PCI video cards?

Could an insufficient PSU cause a computer not to boot right?

[cthomer5000]

so basically, it could be a bad anything and I have no way of knowing what's bad?

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

so basically, it could be a bad anything and I have no way of knowing what's bad?

The problem is that there are so many configurations out there, it's impossible to easily say what the problem is. I've put together a few computers and it can be frustrating to try and figure out what the problem is. Although in my experience it never has been something unresolvable. My advice would be to start from the beginning (not disassembling) and review what you've done. If it's still not working once you're confident that you've done everything right then take it to a local computer repair shop. They'll likely be able to get it running for you.

[jbmagic]

if you can get a hold of another video card....try it....

and be sure your monitor cable is connected to that video card...

[dacman]

Any case worth 2 cents has a speaker -- find one and connect it if you can. The #1, #2, and #3 ways to tell what's going on in situations like these is the POST messages (beeps).

Quite a few newer, but cheaper motherboards, expect, neigh, even demand that the video is in the AGP slot. Find a cheap AGP board if possible and try it. (Kidnap your local neighborhood geek if necessary).

Some details on the make and model of the MB, CPU, video, could be helpful to the rest of us.

edit: just throwing out a few more things -- do you have any drives connected? A misconnected drive can sometimes cause what you describe; I've even seen a bad floppy do this once.

Some newer power supplies need to be reset (usually by switch; unplugging for a short period of time does the same trick) when an error condition is set internally. If something was wrong the very first time you powered up and you never did a hard reset of the PSU; that could also be it.

[hukarez]

Quick question about your videocard - does it require a separate molex power connector? I've had a couple of videocards back in the PCI days that actually had a small 4 pin connector that you had to plug in from the power supply into some socket on the actual videocard itself. Old school ATI Radeon cards were the same way - more specifically, the 9700 Pro series for the AGP. Does your videocard feature some kind of "fan" or is it primarily covered with a heatsink?

From the sounds of things, the lack of any picture would seemingly be video related. There are no more LEDs on your motherboard signalling any type of error? No additional error diagnostics? If the fan's whirring, and you're not smellnig the sweet scent of fried equipment (plus properly seated memory modules as well as processor and cards), might be a good idea to check the videocard and swap it out with another one, just like jbmagic suggested.

[cthomer5000]

The videocard itself is not the problem. I just installed it on my current PC, and have a dual-monitor setup working at the moment.

So either it's a compatibility issue with the videocard and motherboard, or it's something else. I think I'll pull everything out and start at step 1 in a bit.

[cthomer5000]

After about 20 total hours of fiddling over the course of 2-3 weeks, i broke down and took it to my local repair guy.

Incidentally, this must be my longest standing consumer relationship. I recall buying games from this guy at his old location about 15 years ago.

Two days later I had a computer ready to install an OS and working perfectly. Money well spent, and time and frustration saved. Next time I'm ordering all my parts, handing him the boxes, and letting him assemble. Well worth the $60 bucks.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

After about 20 total hours of fiddling over the course of 2-3 weeks, i broke down and took it to my local repair guy.

Incidentally, this must be my longest standing consumer relationship. I recall buying games from this guy at his old location about 15 years ago.

Two days later I had a computer ready to install an OS and working perfectly. Money well spent, and time and frustration saved. Next time I'm ordering all my parts, handing him the boxes, and letting him assemble. Well worth the $60 bucks.

hell, $60 is a great deal. I'd pay someone $60 to do that, especially plugging in all those little tiny fucking connectors from the motherboard to the case.

[DaddyTorgo]

so what was the problem?? did he let you know?

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

so what was the problem?? did he let you know?

I didn't even ask. I was compltely up front with him beforehand though, saying I didn't know if something was bad or if I was just a moron.

The whole thing was a humbling experience.

[DaddyTorgo]

hehe. shoot, i was curious. well at least now you have a working PC to play on

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

hell, $60 is a great deal. I'd pay someone $60 to do that, especially plugging in all those little tiny fucking connectors from the motherboard to the case.

Yeah, if I weren't a poor now-unemployed just-former-college-student, that would be worth it just to avoid scraping my hands up and bloody'ing the inside of my case.

SI