XFX 7800 GT - no video

[jzdenton]

I just bought a new system consisting of:

CM Stacker case
ASUS A8N-E mobo
XFX 7800 GT gpu
AMD X2 3800+ cpu
Corsair TWIN2X-1024 ram
Hiper type-r 580w psu
Audigy 2 sound
older but still going strong 80 Gb maxtor pATA drive.

I installed everything and connected the system to a crt monitor using the DVI to VGA switch thingy that came with the gpu. Then I powered on the system. All the fans sprang to life including the gpu fan but I got no picture on my screen. I turned off the system and checked all the cables making sure that the 4 pin power connector on the mobo and changed from the dedicated PCIe power cord on the psu to the dual 12v that came with the gpu. I also changed the DVI output I usd at the back to connect to the other one. Still no picture. What now? I'm not sure how to further diagnose the system without any picture. I really don't wanna RMA the system since it took me forever to get it in the first place but if I do I think I might try to get the mobo and gpu vendor changed due to the negative reviews I have read about them but if it can be avoided then that would be great. Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated. I think I'm gonna try and borrow a DVI lcd screen to see if that might solve it. I'll report back on the result but that should really not be the issue.

 

[Todd33]

The "XFX" on the box might be the issue

jk, good luck.

 

[sheElf]

This kind of problem happens quite often, the real problem is to find which hardware is the culprit. test using minimal hardware, mobo+cpu+single ram+gfx card and make sure everything is in the right place and connected properly. another thing the motherboard of yours, does it support dual-core with default bios of requires update first.

 

[jzdenton]

Originally posted by: Todd33
The "XFX" on the box might be the issue

jk, good luck.

thx, I may need it. Well, after connecting the LCD to first one and then the other of the DVI outputs on the back of the XFX card and nothing happened. The LCD just said "No Signal". So I guess I'm back to square one. Since I have no video at all it's nearly impossible to pinpoint the problem. So if anyone that has had any of these components have had any similar problems I'd love to hear hove you solved it. It might help me.

 

[Pabster]

I'd look at that power supply. Hiper sucks.

Also, you need to isolate. Try another video card (a cheap $30 X300 is fine). Use only 1 stick of RAM, etc. Try to pinpoint the problem.

 

[jzdenton]

Originally posted by: sheElf
another thing the motherboard of yours, does it support dual-core with default bios of requires update first.

You know, I was asking myself that and honestly I really don't know. How can I check if it does support it or if I need the update. And let's say that I need the update, how can I apply it when I have no video? I wan't to try swapping out different parts to check what the error might be but I have no other PCIe gpu to test with nor any other mobo that supports it. I'll try the ram next maybe using some old from this machine that I know works.

 

[Bona Fide]

RMA?

 

[jzdenton]

Ok, I just changed the ram around and it didn't improve upon anything, BUT I noticed something new and it might be significant, I don't know, but I was hoping one of you guys might. The thing is that when I turn on the power and everything seems to start I notice that the HD access ligh on the fron of the case is constantly on which suggests to me that it is constantly trying to read from the HD. This is not normal is it. Could it mean anything and/or point me in the direction of the error. Suggestions appriciated.

 

[Todd33]

Even if the hard drive was dead, the BIOS stuff should still show on screen. Something isn't seated right or the video card is dead.

 

[jzdenton]

Alright, I got desperate so here's what I did. I got a tip that maybe the cpu wasn't seated right so I removed and re-inserted it. Then I remembered that this old machine would give me a picture and halt at post even if the HD's was disconnected so I tried that. It didn't help eather though I noticed that the HD led on the case was still solid blue. Kinda strange. Everything has been checked and re-checked but I don't really have an opportunity to test any of the hardware in another computer so that is problematic for finding the exact problem. Is there anything short of RMA left to try just out of desperation?

 

[Ike0069]

Are you certain the DVI cable is not bad. Do you have another cable you can try, even a VGA cable will work for this.
To me it seems like it must be one of 3 things:
The DVI cable.
The VC.
Or the PCI-e slot on the MB.

If it's definitley not the cable, and you can't test the VC in another system, then you will need to go ahead and RMA it.

 

[Lonyo]

Reinsert the RAM, press hard and make sure it is FIRMLY seated in the slot.
Viola, your problem will be solved IMO.
FIMRLY SEATED, TOTALLY IN, NO CHANCE OF IT NOT BEING IN.

 

[jzdenton]

Ok, I took my gpu to a hardware store and they put it on the test bench and got a picture right away. They even used the same MB to test it on. So that rules that out as the culprit. I tried to reset the CMOS but there's really no good way to do it and I only had the battery out for a short while, don't know if it was long enough or if it matters. But here's the big question that I'd like to get an answer to: Is the HD access light supposed to be constantly lit on my CM Stacker case? Can anyone with that case take a look at theirs? I mean, what if there's some sort of short around that? But then again shouldn't I still get a picture with the bios complaining about nothing to boot fro also tried re-inserting the RAM and it snaps in nicely and if I press more I'm afraid it might snap the MB. I'm about out of ideas. thx for all your help guys. unless someone can think of something with that HD led then I guess I have no other option but to RMA the MB cause the CPU should be fine, right?

 

[Lonyo]

Whenever I've had a constantly lit HDD light it's been because I didn't have the RAM properly seated. I thought it was in, but it still needed an extra press. The fact that you're afraid to press any harder means it may not be in properly. The mobo may feel like it's bending slightly, but as long as you don't press too hard, and make sure the centre of the sticks are in it should be OK.

 

[jzdenton]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Whenever I've had a constantly lit HDD light it's been because I didn't have the RAM properly seated. I thought it was in, but it still needed an extra press. The fact that you're afraid to press any harder means it may not be in properly. The mobo may feel like it's bending slightly, but as long as you don't press too hard, and make sure the centre of the sticks are in it should be OK.

Yeah, you were right. I had to clean the modules with alcohol though but in the end it was memeory. thx for the tip, I thought that the computer would halt at POST even if the ram was somehow bad. Guess I was wrong. The machine is up and running now but I got another problem. Perhaps not for this room though. I think I'll post in "OS" soon though it might be hardware related. I'll post back the link here and I'd appriciate it if ou guys take a look at it.