New build won't display (help please!)

[robertgilbert86]

Hi, I'm trying to build the system shown below. I've put everything together and it all looks fine (I have built 3 systems now which work). But when I turn on the PSU (the switch on the back) the whole pc starts (cpu fan, case fan, hard drives and dvd drive) but nothing is shown on the monitor (btw I have tried 2 different monitors, 2 video cards and 2 PSUs so they can be eliminated).

Now, the motherboards manual says the mobo does not support 3.3V agp cards. Does anyone know what voltage these cards are? ATI 9600XT 256mb or ATI 7000 64mb

A while ago I took the heatsink off and had a look at the CPU, which looks fine. Then I had tea (about 30min break), then I changed the PSU and it worked (and put the heatsink back on), but only for 2 boots, then it had the same problem again. I have tried swapping PSUs and plugging/unplugging them in with no luck. Perhaps this suggest a overheating plroblem??

To me it looks like a motherboard problem becuase as soon as the PSU gets power all the fans spin up (without me pressing the power button - which is wired up correctly). The computer then does not send any signal to the monitor and holding down the power button does not turn it off. As if the motherboard thinks someones holding the power or reset button, but even disconnecting all the power/led plugs does not help.

Any suggestions would be greatly recieved, thank-you


---Spec---
Mobo: ASRock 939A8X-M
CPU: Amd athlon 64 3200 venice s939
Ram: 1gb value ram
Graphics: ATI 9600XT 256mb and/or ATI 7000 64mb
PSU: 500w and/or 300w

 

[semi-pro waster]

Both cards are normal AGP 8x which has a nominal voltage of 1.5v so that won't be a problem in itself.

Can you get into the bios to check if there is any setting in there causing an issue? Are there any jumpers on the motherboard that are incorrectly set? I don't have any experience of that board and very little of ASrock in general.

Have you tried booting with the bare minimum installed i.e. CPU, motherboard, 1 stick of Ram and a graphics card?

 

[robertgilbert86]

Hi, the problem happens even if the 24pin + 4pin mobo power connectors are just on. With no ram, video, nothing else on the mobo apart from the cpu!

I can't get into the BIOS as no signal is sent to monitors, im about to try taking out the cmos battery to reset all settings though, il let you know how I get on.

ASRock manuals suck btw, and there are no jumpers which will help, none of them have been moved either.

Thanks for the info about the agp voltage, at least that means I havn't done anyting to break the mobo!

 

[robertgilbert86]

To emilinate the cpu being at fault....

Would the BIOS show without a cpu in?

 

[Dace]

You need the RAM and the video card in the system.

It's compulsory to get any output.

Also, there is likely to be at least once jumper switch that resets the CMOS. Make sure that didn't ship with the jumper set to clear (this would also explain the system not starting).

 

[m3csl2004]

deffo reset the cmos

also when you tuen the psu on and everything spins up - hold the power button down on your case and turn it off/restart it

im thinking maybe a short circuit somehwere?

 

[Chris19]

It may sound silly but does the graphics fan spin up? if not try resitting it

 

[apocc]

reseat the RAM, or remove the RAM and check for POST beeps, ie if it beeps the RAM's your problem

 

[WJA96]

Is there any possibility you could beg/steal/borrow a PCI graphics card from someone? That's often a definitive way to detect if it's video slot related.

 

[lordedmond]

Is there any possibility you could beg/steal/borrow a PCI graphics card from someone? That's often a definitive way to detect if it's video slot related.

they are only about 30 quid , best thing to have around for testing and recovering from bad flashes

 

[robertgilbert86]

Hi, thanks for all your suggestions guys!

I have tried resetting the CMOS by removing the battery, waiting 10 minutes and then replacing it with no luck. Resetting using the jumper also does not work.

When the PC starts up from the PSU being turned on; if you hold the power button it does not reset.

The fan on the video card does spin up.

No beeps are sounded.

I tried an old PSU and at least it does not start up automatically with this one, but still no signal is sent to the monitor.

There was a sticker over the AGP slot saying 'do not use 3.3v agp cards' when this was removed some sticky paper stuff was left over, now, it looks clean and doesn't appear to have gone inside the slot. But it's looking possible that maybe its blocking contact with a pin.
I see the resoning behind buying/getting a PCI graphics card but money is a bit tight with this build and I'm going to send it back and see what they say after they've tested it. I'll certainly keep an eye out for a back=up PCI card though

 

[robertgilbert86]

It's works now

Thanks for all your help, I tried another (3 year old) psu can that works!

Thanks again

 

[InKursion]

I have same symptoms/problem as above ...

Only difference is mine worked perfectly for several months with only an IRQL assignment problem, and now this has randomly happened. I haven't touched/modified the insides of my case- and this as Overclockers.co.uk assembled it still =/.