New build powers up, no signal to monitor

[JPreston]

It's been aaaaages since I posted last. But I thought I still knew how to put a PC together......

In short, I have two new builds with the same fault. I've used a process of replacement/elimination and the only common component is, well, myself . So I need help.

I'm trying to build a PC for Sunday. I first put one together out of the spare parts box (spec 1 below), it powered up (fans spin and happy beeps IIRC) but the monitor displays 'no input detected' and goes into power saving mode. I swapped the cables and tried a different PSU and graphics card (I have only one DVI cable but it works fine with my main PC), no luck, fiddled with it a bit and then bought spec 2 online. Delivered this morning, slotted all together and then had exactly the same problem, with the exception of the beeps because the cheap S775 m/b doesn't seem to have a header for the case speaker. There's a few threads similar to this so I've read through them and tried everything relevant to my dual situation.

spec 1:
AMD 3200+
2x 1Gb PC-3200
Old gigabyte M/B
LG Optical drive
Maxtor 160Gb HD
Akasa 460W PSU
X1950 Pro / X800 GTO card (swapping doesn't make any difference)
....all these parts were a functioning PC 12 months ago and still assembled from that time, in fact I would have expected it to boot straight up and let me install an OS.

spec 2:
Intel E5200
1x 2Gb PC-6400
Foxconn 946GZ7MA-8KS2H Socket 775 Motherboard
New 450W PSU that came with the cheap mATX case
Same LG Optical IDE drive as spec 1*
Same Maxtor 160Gb HD IDE as spec 1*
Onboard graphics / X800 GTO (cheap PSU doesn't have a PCI-E connector and the X1950 Pro requires one)

*same drives, but I've tried every combination of one/both/none (I don't know if it should even display BIOS with no drives?? It doesn't, anyway) in both builds to no avail. I've also correctly configured the jumpers on the drive for master or slave because I think mixing HD and optical drives on the same cable causes problems with cable select. I've tried a different IDE cable too.

I've tried two monitors, both do not register any input while the PC sits whirring away. Both work fine with other PCs. I've tried the onboard VGA output in spec 2, and both the VGA and DVI outputs of the X800 GTO in both specs, with both monitors (and obviously bothb a VGA cable and a DVI cable).

I am using a USB keyboard and a USB (trackball) mouse, both of which work. In my experience it's OK to expect USB peripherals to work off the bat on first power up in the 21st century, but I've also tried a USB to PS/2 convertor on the keyboard, in case USB peripherals need enabling in the BIOS (it would surely still flash up the BIOS screen beforehand, wouldn't it?). Still no luck.

Any tips would be gladly appreciated! Is it worth me seeking out a tesco value PS/2 mouse and/or keyboard tomorrow? The keyboard/mouse seems to be the only common denominator but I don't think it would be the total showstopper I'm experiencing. Times two ....

[JPreston]

Half fixed - the spec 2 board/BIOS doesn't support 45nm CPUs yet, it starts up fine with an older CPU in.

Still leaves the mystery of spec 1 but I'm not so bothered about that, since I'll have bought 1.5 computers anyway by the time i get something that works...reckon I'll keep the foxconn board anyhow, it's too cheap to return/re-stock/post etc.

[ekeinos]

I feel compelled to post on this forum because I had the same issue; I searched the internet all over for answers and NOWHERE did I find the answer that I needed and which ultimately resolved my problem.

Soooo...... I build a new PC (done it many times before) but this time the PC would power up, fans would work BUT no starting "beep", no BIOS loading, and a message "no signal to the monitor". This continued even after swapping new mobo, CPU, RAM, and video card.

I finally took my PC in to a repair shop who within seconds told me the problem.
Apparently the Video Card(s) I had purchased need their OWN power source. There is an extra connection to the motherboard for it other than the PCI-E/AGP slot. Once I connected the extra cables (which I thought were irrelevant and thus had left them in the box) the PC started as expected. Without the extra cable connections the video card fan would still power up by the way but I guess it needs extra juice to be functional

I hope this post gives you the solution you need and an end to your headache

peace

[OilSheikh]

Good to see you got Spec2 working.

For Spec 1, I would check how much can your PSU deliver on the +12V rail in total and the +12V consumption required by your Graphics card. Youa re using the PCIE cable to connect your PSU to the graphics card, right?

X1950Pro's were pretty power hungry as far I remember.

X1950PRO - min 30A on +12V
X800GTO - min 20A on +12V

According to this, Akasa PSU delivers 29A on +12V. X800GTO should have worked. hmm...
Another thing you should remember is that cheap PSU's also offer high +12V figures but the figures are not of a stable supply. Only good PSU's offer a stable +12V supply. The actual +12V figures you need should be at least 5A more thna the recommended value.

Have you memtested all of your RAM ?
I am also not a fan of old AMD chips. Once I merely replaced the Heatsink ( yes, properly ) and whole system no longer booted! Had to go and buy another Processor!

[OilSheikh]

I feel compelled to post on this forum because I had the same issue; I searched the internet all over for answers and NOWHERE did I find the answer that I needed and which ultimately resolved my problem.

Soooo...... I build a new PC (done it many times before) but this time the PC would power up, fans would work BUT no starting "beep", no BIOS loading, and a message "no signal to the monitor". This continued even after swapping new mobo, CPU, RAM, and video card.

I finally took my PC in to a repair shop who within seconds told me the problem.
Apparently the Video Card(s) I had purchased need their OWN power source. There is an extra connection to the motherboard for it other than the PCI-E/AGP slot. Once I connected the extra cables (which I thought were irrelevant and thus had left them in the box) the PC started as expected. Without the extra cable connections the video card fan would still power up by the way but I guess it needs extra juice to be functional

I hope this post gives you the solution you need and an end to your headache

peace

Hi ekinos, your graphics card would have fried if it had been left like that for long!

[Duke_]

Good thread resurrection but helpful solution

[kompukare]

X1950Pro's were pretty power hungry as far I remember.

X1950PRO - min 30A on +12V
X800GTO - min 20A on +12V

According to this, Akasa PSU delivers 29A on +12V. X800GTO should have worked. hmm...

Although as willing as anyone to blame problems on poor PSUs, the OPs PC won't even POST so aside from spinning up the GPU fan, neither of those cards would (should) be drawing anywhere near to 240W or 360W unless it's running FurMark...

[OilSheikh]

Although as willing as anyone to blame problems on poor PSUs, the OPs PC won't even POST so aside from spinning up the GPU fan, neither of those cards would (should) be drawing anywhere near to 240W or 360W unless it's running FurMark...

Actually, thats what happens when you dont have enough juice in your system. Fans spinning, No POST beep. Speaking from experience. Ideally, there should be error beeps but I feel the OP plugged in the speaker cable the wrong way.

Anyway, this thread is from 2009. Wot the hell m i doin here!

[kompukare]

Opps, silly me I posted the same message twice...