Help- no display

[BigBrother1984]

Hey,

I just finished building my first system and I got through windows installation, updating some drivers when all of the sudden, the monitor clicked off and now I have no display. I have no idea what just happened. I'm running using the following:

Abit AW9d Max Mobo
Intel E6600 CPU
2 gibs Corsair RAM
Nvidia Geforce7600GS
Silverstone 600W PSU
WD 320 GB hard drive

Anything else you need to know. I tried reseating the vid card and the monitor works on another computer. System doesn't shut down, the display just quit and I happened to be monitoring temps at the time it shut down and everything was well into the normal ranges.
HELP!!!!

[newbuilder14]

Follow these steps in their entirety: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

[Mr.Ferrari]

IF the above doesn't work; seems to me like a bad video card. In which case I would suggest RMA.

[BigBrother1984]

Ok
So I got a screen now, I think I found a loose wire, but, it says that the system is running in Fail-Safe State, Please check uGuru utility. What does that mean?

[Mr.Ferrari]

Oh, Fail Safe mode exists with most ABIT mobo's. It just reverts back to certain factory settings in the bios specified by ABIT to work. Usually happens when the motherboard spontaneously shuts off or some other corruption occurs.

Its basically means that the motherboard is on default settings.

[BigBrother1984]

Ok,
So i got to that screen where it it lists all the components and not.. i think thats what is called "posting" right and it gives my CPU, RAM, IDE devices and what not and then says that "Fail Safe" statement from above and says press F1 to continue, del to enter setup. But it won't do anything now. Hitting F1 and delete do nothing. Although, this was odd, but the first time I entered the BIOS, it didn't like my wireless keyboar and wouldn't let me move around. Might that be the problem or is something else happening? Why would the display just shut off while everything else went? And like I said, i was running the machine for a couple of hours and nothing liek this happened. Do I need to update something?

Thanks

[Mr.Ferrari]

Borrow a old PS/2 keyboard from one of your older machines if you have it. Or use a PS/2 to USB adapter and connect it to the PS2 port. Your new keyboard might've come with one.

The display was probably shut off because something was shorting the motherboard/components.

[BigBrother1984]

So that's what's happening you think? Consistently I will get into windows and all of the sudden the display goes black. I seems that if I pop open the case and fiddle with the wires, it'll be all right for a little while, I had it going for about 4 hours with no problems and then "click" no display

[Mr.Ferrari]

Oh so its still happening? And your sure that absolutely nothing is near your motherboard that would short it? Do you have any extra standoffs?

I would go ahead and try to run memtest (www.memtest.org)

Good chance it could be the PSU or videocard. I would try to steal a pci-e videocard from a known working machine and swap it with the current one. If you can't do that then I would start thinking RMA.

[BigBrother1984]

Ok,
So update on the status. I swapped out system memory with known good memory and it still did it, same with vid card. I think i may have found something though. Went into the BIOS and was checking on voltages and such. My CPU temp is up around 75 degrees with the fans going spinning, PLUS I have the MOBO autodetecting voltages on the CPU and the numbers are jumping between 1.275 and 1.1625 like freaking crazy. This is just a guess but these values seem a bit messed up. Am i right?

Thanks

[BigBrother1984]

Yeah, I can sit in the BIOS forever and the system is fine but once i go into windows it shuts down. Like i said, untaxed, by CPU hovers at a temp of about 80 degrees, that is not right. What's wrong with that? Checked to make sure nothing is shorting out and I'm almost positive that everthing is fine. Should i get some artic silver and try using that. 80 degrees seems very off.

[Alaron]

Is that 80 degrees in Celcius? If it is, the system is shutting itself down to prevent overheating. Intel chips have thermal controls to do this.

My suggestion is that the heatsink is not properly secured to the motherboard, so the CPU can't transfer heat properly. All four of the posts need to be secured with a noticable click. Check out the install video: http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/rese...eng/100617.htm

[BigBrother1984]

Yep, problem fixed, nerw problem arose. I installed the heat sink properly and temps dropped to around 35 degrees celcius. Then, after hours of my wife playing Sims 2, she exits and "click" the machine does it again, and now it won't come back on period. I should say, the machine won't pos, fans spinning, lights blinkingt, no display... nothing. even after letting the machine cool down, because I was guessing that it simply overheated again. So, what would that mean? Someting fried?

Thanks

[Alaron]

It could be a couple things, but the first that I would try is a new power supply. Take the components out of the case and follow the directions in the link Newbuilder provided. If nothing happens, swap in a known good power supply and see if that fires it up. If not, I would look at a faulty motherboard.

[BigBrother1984]

Did the above process and still weirdly tempermental, one second it will turn on fine, the next it won't and now temps are all within normal. Problem is, this is my first build, I don't have another power supply. Anything else I can do to check if it's that? Like using a multimeter or something. But something is definitely broken you think?