Problems with my new Computer

[BassWriters]

I'm attempting to build my first ever computer tonight. I'm pretty sure I've got everything connectd correctly, sp I turned it on, all the fans started spinning, but there was nothing on my monitor. I've got a Viper video card attached to the AGP port, and my Viewsonic monitor is attatched to that. The monitor has power, but all it will say is No Sync in a little blue box. Did I forget to connec something? A bad cable maby? I'm new to this so I'm not quite sure where to start troubleshooting. Any advice?

TIA,
Cameron

 

[Supergax]

Are you sure you seated the video card nice and tight? Sometimes they take more pressure than they feel like the should, just be careful. You may also want to make sure that the motherboard isn't touching anything that could short it out. Is the monitor new? Either way, if it is or isn't, I wouldn't suspect the cable as much as something is misconfigured. Check to make sure everything in the system is seated nicely, including the pci cards and the processor. Unrelated things may cause the problem. And unfortunately, taking apart the system is sometimes the only way to find out. If you can, the best (and most time consuing) way is to build the sysetm up and only put the vid card in it, then add in other things such as sound and nic after you install the OS, add them one at a time.

For instance, I was looking at an older system with an AT ps for someone, and when I threw it together, the ISA modem was either shorting somethign or not seated good enough, for when I turned it on the only thing that happened was the power supply made a clicking noise (odd). I thought the ps was dead for sure, until I reseated everything.

Good luck.

 

[BassWriters]

Thanks for the advice.

I do actually only have the essentials hooked up right now, no sound card or nic. I tested the monitor on another computer, it worked fine so that's not it. I'll try again tonight when I get home, feel free to chime in if you have any other suggestions.

 

[buildingacomputer]

As the first reply reads, check the AGP card first. When I first turned on my new system with just MoBo, AGP card, and memory, it was okay. Then I plugged in other cards, suddenly "no signal." I had to reseat the AGP card a couple of times. The author of the first reply seems to be a pretty knowledgeable person.

 

[Supergax]

If you have another system with an AGP slot, even though it is a PIA, you could try putting the vid card in that computer, and seeing if it works.

 

[brijesh33]

any beeps on startup???? try resitting the memory and CPU...

 

[BassWriters]

To all who provided suggestions: Thanks for the advice, I was out of town for the holidays and so I'm just now getting around to following up and trying to fix my comp. I don't have another computer that I can use to try and test out the agp card. My suspicion is that I might have messed up the processor somehow. I tried to do the "pencil trick" on the duron, but am worried that I may have fried the CPU if I connected the little bridges to the bridges next to them. I thought I did everything correctly, but at this point I'm not positive.

How can I test to see if I fried the processor? I don't have any other PC's I can toss it in to. Is there any sort of test I can do?

Thanks,
Cameron

 

[nippyjun]

Could be the vid card or even the memory. Did you system make any beeps when starting up?

 

[BassWriters]

No beeps from what I heard, I didn't connect a sound card, I just have the little 4-pin speaker plug from the case plugged into the MOBO. When I turn the power on, the fans start whirring, but I dont hear any beeps. What does this mean?
-Cameron

 

[sandorski]

Ok, was that powering up using the front power switch? If it was using the switch in the back, you haven't turned on anything yet, although the fans will power up for a few seconds as a diagnostic. If that is what happened, don't feel embarrassed, it happens to a lot of people(including myself when I first went ATX ).

I'll cast my vote for vidcard extra push. Some videocards fit very tightly and at first seem to click into the slot, but after another more heftier push they click again then work flawlessly.

Also, if you've done the pencil trick and the other suggestions don't work, try using an eraser to remove the pencil lead, put the system back together, then see if the system fires up. If it does, redo the pencil trick more carefully, then fire up again. This will test whether the pencil trick is to blame. Don't worry too much right now about the health of your CPU, quite often errors such as the pencil trick don't destroy components, they just cause them not to work properly until the error is corrected.

 

[BassWriters]

I'll get back to you in a little bit after I try erasing the CPU and reinstalling. To answer your questions, I did power on from the front, hitting the power button like you normally would, I also repushed the vid card, but I'll try again.

Thanks, I'll report back later,
Cameron

 

[BassWriters]

Alright, here's the update:

-I took out the CPU and erased the pencil marks. Tried to boot up, but no luck.

-I took out every IDE cable, and had only the ram, cpu, power, and the power led's and other cables connected. I then took the motherboard out of the case and set it flat on the desk, then applied an unbelieveable ammount of force to get the AGP card down. IT WORKED! I SAW THE BIOS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

-Then I put the MOBO back in and connected all the ide cables and tried to boot up, once again nothing!

Something is wrong with either the video card or the AGP slot. After the above happened, I took the card out, once again applied as much pressure as possible, but couldn't get anything. I probably took the card out and put it back in 20 - 30 times. I then decided to retry unplugging everything and plugging in the card on my desk. It worked again, but as soon as I put it inside my case, no dice. The only way I can get it in all the way is when I can use the leverage of my desk, because either the card or slot is very difficult to make happy.

Now, I have a new problem, I tried unplugging for a 3rd time, but now my computer won't go on when I push the power button. The fans will start for about half a second, but then cut out and my computer won't power on at all. I don't know what I did, but I'm too frustrated to do anything else, I'm gonna leave it until tomorrow morning and then see what I can do. Any ideas, either in regards to the power or why the slot could be so finicky?

TIA
-Cameron

 

[Impact55]

Is it an AMD approved power supply, are you in a static-free enviroment?

 

[BassWriters]

Yes it's an Antec 300watt approved PS. As for the static free environment, I'm not sure, I made sure to be grounded everytime though.

I tried again this morning and the computer still will not power up. This is really getting frustrating.
-Cameron

 

[urbantechie]

The AGP card should give a satisfying click once you put it in all the way. Make sure the stand-offs aren't shorting the board.

 

[BassWriters]

urbantechie,
That's the problem, I would get that click everytime, but as I previously stated, it still wouldn't work. I know it can't possibly be designed tobe so impossible to get it to work, I'm just not sure whether the fault lies with the MOBO or Vid Card, and unforuneatly I can't even power on my computer to test anything else out.