2nd build No Video

[gould44]

TFORCE4 U SOCKET 939
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2.4GHz Socket 939 Processor Model ADA4000DAA5BN
G.SKILL Value 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) System Memory
XFX GeForce 7900GS 256MB DDR3 450Mhz PCI Express x16 Video Card

I installed the above components. When I turn on the system, the motherboard posts (I hear one beep, and the error lights on the board suggest there are no problems) but there is no video. I have 2 DVI outputs from video card and tried both. Help.

[flanzig1]

I believe that video card needs an external power connection from the PSU. Hopefully you got a PSU of proper size and from a quality PSU maker.

[gould44]

Thanks for your response but I had connected the PCI-E graphics card connector to the video card. I know there is power to the video card since the fan on the card is spinning. Still no video.

[newbuilder14]

Sounds like your RAM is incompatible/defective. Power supply make and model?

[gould44]

There are 4 red lights on motherboard and the pattern suggests the memory is fine (no mem test error). I have the ULTRA PRODUCTS ULT31841 V-Series 500 W ATX Power Supply which has 20/24 pin motherboards, SATA and PCI Express connections. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

[flanzig1]

Ultra PSUs are not the best of quality of units.
Do you have the extra 4 pin plug to the mobo plugged in with the 24 pin?

[gould44]

Yes I do. Thanks.

[newbuilder14]

http://pcmech.com/show/reviews/980/

I'd start with changing the power supply.

[gould44]

Found an old video card geforce2 mx 200 (32MB) and snapped it into the mother board and now can see video through a VGA cable. Does this mean my new XFX GeForce 7900GS 256MB DDR3 450Mhz PCI Express x16 Video Card is bad/incompatible? The fan on the side of this card is rotating when it was plugged in. Do I need to change BIOS settings to use PCI-E slot? Thanks.

[flanzig1]

More than likely the Ultra PSU can't handle the extra load of the 7900GS.

[gould44]

Any way to test your theory short of replacing the PSU? I don't have another computer with PCI-E slot. Thanks

[cmichael258]

Does your monitor handle DVI connection or do you need the VGA adaptor?

[gould44]

My monitor has both DVI and VGA inputs.

[glc]

Your 7900 may be defective. Just because the fan runs doesn't mean it's working.

[gould44]

Well I contacted the manufacturer who asked me to return it to them and they would repair/replace it. Before I send it back, I thought I would take it to the local computer shop. The computer shop repair person placed the card into his computer(another motherboard, power supply) and did not get video with the power plugged to the card through the 4 pin connector. However, if he removes the power connector to the card, he is getting video. Any thoughts on this? I will try this out on my motherboard tonight. Thank you.

[glc]

That's PCI-E - it should be a 6 pin, not a 4 pin power connector.

[gould44]

I dont have the power adapter/connector in front of me, or know how many pins are on there but I used the adapter/connector which came with the card. The power socket on the card had 4 pins and the adapter/connector fits into this. The other end fits into the connector from the power supply.

[flanzig1]

If your video card is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150208
Then it has a 4 pin molex power connector and with the adapter; goes to a 4 pin(2x2) PSU connector. Hopefully your PSU has enough of the 2x2 4 pin connectors.

[gould44]

That's correct I have that model (XFX PVT71PUQF3 GeForce 7900GS 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16) which connects via the 2x2 4 pin connectors to the PSU. Connecting this to my PSU and the computer repair person's PSU(Aspire 650watt) results in no video. When he disconnected the 2x2 4 pin connector to the video card he had video. I have not yet tried this on my motherboard. Will keep you posted. Any idea why its working without 2x2 4 pin connector diconnected?

[flanzig1]

Check the video card manual, may only need to use it with a 20 pin ATX plug or in Sli, if the mob has a 24pin ATX, gets the extra power through the card slot.

[gould44]

Thanks for your help. My mob has a 24pin ATX and I tried it without the power cable but initially did not have video. I finally tried the DVI to VGA/D-sub adapter and now have video. My monitor has both DVI and VGA inputs. I see no video from through DVI interface. However, when I use the VGA adapter(placed on video card) and use the VGA input on the monitor, I get video. Is this a software/firmware issue? I would like to use the DVI interface. Thank you again.

[newbuilder14]

The card seems fine if it works with the adapter. Try a new cable. If that doesn't work, I'd suspect a bad monitor port or incompatible/outdated firmware/driver(s).

[flanzig1]

You may have to manually select DVI or VGA input on the monitor it self. Default is probably VGA.