Help Nothing on screen

[redfan]

Hi,

I'm sure the title on here has been seen many times before on here? However having surfed around the net and checking a few threads on here I am now becoming somewhat concerned with my new build PC

I finally got the P4 CPU I had been waiting for and I think (given things I've read here) it may be buggered.

Setup: (excluding DVD, CD ROM)

AsRock P4vm800 mobo
500W PSU (supplying over 24a at 12v)
1GB single RAM stick
Geforce 6200 AGP card (have tested with and without this)
160GB SATA HD

P4 CPU 2.8Ghz FSB800
Heatsink and fan.

Think thats it. I have put this all together and have tried it several times now, to no avail It powers up on the case, the PSU and CPU fan's both start and seem to work fine but I get no picture at all on the screen (it does seem to get some signal, as when I remove the vga plug and put it back in, the monitor makes a brief crackle as it used to when it gets a signal on switch on). Also, when the comp is first switched on the kboard lights up, but then I cannot get the CAPS or NUM lock to respond (not sure if that's of any help).

The reason I think it may be the CPU is because that was the only item bought 2nd hand!! Man I so wanted this to work (my iMac G3 is a real chore these days) Though it did look very good, no bent pins or marks of any kind really.

So does anybody have any ideas?

Many thanks for your time.

[shadowpr]

Try this and post back: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

Make sure it's out of the case.

[mwhaha]

I had a problem similar to this, check your pins that your processing chip goes on, and make sure they are straight, (1 of mine was bent!, got it fixed though), check your RAM with a memtest, (both of my sticks wern't working :\), and have you got another pc you can test your graphics card in?

[Cricket]

Did you install the standoffs between the motherboard and the case?

If you did, are you sure there are no extra ones that didn't line up to the motherboard mounting holes? You don't want a stray standoff to touch the underside of the motherboard...that would cause a short and you'd see what you're seeing...nothing on the monitor even though the computer is on.

Cricket

[redfan]

Is that perfectly safe (using a screwdriver to test the power connection)?

I do not have another PC to hand and can certainly ill afford to be buying new parts (all are brand new except the CPU)

I will give the suggestion a go to see if it's the power supply shorting in the case (the case was from an old comp that suffered something very similar thinking about it)!

I will get back to you once I'm done!!

Out of interest if the above test works, does that mean I would need a new case? (i.e. that there is a shorting problem with the cases wires).

Cheers guys!

Also: what do you mean by checking the mobo standoff's? (this is the first time I've built a PC from scratch like this)

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by redfan Is that perfectly safe (using a screwdriver to test the power connection)?

The power connection? Are you talking about the 2 PWR ON pins for the front panel header or the power connector that plugs into the motherboard?

Originally Posted by redfan I will give the suggestion a go to see if it's the power supply shorting in the case (the case was from an old comp that suffered something very similar thinking about it)!

The out-of-case-troubleshooter verifies that the motherboard is not shorting out to the case, not the power supply.

Originally Posted by redfan Out of interest if the above test works, does that mean I would need a new case? (i.e. that there is a shorting problem with the cases wires).

No, you don't need a new case...the test just tells you that the motherboard is making contact with the case when it shouldn't be. Most common mistake is a standoff in the wrong location or no standoffs at all.

Cricket

[redfan]

Hi again

Well tried the out of the case method and still nothing on the screen!! Man, I'm so peeved now (no beep or anything either) I guess it's likely the 2nd hand CPU then?

Any other suggestions for me to try before I decide what to do next (which is probably call it a day and wait until I can buy a barebones system after forking out £200 on the parts for this one)?

Many thanks guys!! BTW: If I need to take a look at the CPU, how on earth do I release the Heatsink and fan ( that thing is on like a vice grip)?

Cheers again

[redfan]

Hi,

I've posted an earlier topic so feel free to move this there

Re Standoffs, Are they supposed to be placed between the mobo and the shield?

Asking as I did not do this as was unsure what they were (in my case they are literally strange looking brass nuts). Obviously as in my earlier post I do not get any beeps or video when hooking up the computer. Also I have tried the out-of-box test and that returned the same results (this was after I had already tried the motherboard in the case).

Just wondering if I have fried the mobo?

If so, could this have affected other components such as the cpu, ram etc? (need to know what I may have to replace as cash is a little tight at this time of year)

Please help, as I'm getting pretty desperate with this thing now

Cheers

[Alaron]

Yes, you do need to add the standoffs to the case. They prevent the board from shorting out when it contacts the back of the case. You shouldn't have damaged the motherboard from this though.

If the board does not POST after our out of the case troubleshooter, one or more of the components is bad and the only way to figure out which one is through substitution.

Did you plug in both the 24pin ATX power and the separate 4pin power connections?
What brand is your power supply?

Mod Note: I merged your threads since it was related. Keep things together when possible. Thanks.

[redfan]

No probs about the threads ... sorry

Not really sure what the PSU is the box says CEssential 500W silent PSU!?! I do know that it does 24a on 12V if that helps!! I cannot see how this would stop me seeing any video on screen?

Could it be CPU? (asking as it was the only used (2nd hand) item for this build)

Both the 20 and 4 pin connectors were in the motherboard. The fans certainly come on as do the CD and DVD drives, just no picture on the monitor.

Thanks for your help, and I appreciate your time.

[Cricket]

I've actually seen motherboards that did get fried when they were mounted in the case without standoffs installed...damaged areas were by the memory slots and the video card slot. So I think it is possible for damage to occur but the damage is very obvious (burnt/melted areas).

I've never heard of that brand of power supply...it may not be a very good one. The power supply is actually the most important but most overlooked part in the computer. A good quality one will generally seem invisible because the computer works fine...but a low quality one can run the gamut, it may run fine or it could be DOA right out of the box. You could see weird problems like random shutdowns, random reboots, very unstable performance from the computer, weird unexplained glitches, a whole variety of problems. I would definitely try another compatible power supply to rule that one out.

Cricket

[redfan]

I can only say that there are certainly no melted or burnt areas (there was a very faint burning in smell, but on closer inspection this smelt very much like a brand new PSU warming up if that makes sense, since then I have not smelt any burning).

So you think it's worth trying another PSU (despite the current one powering the fans etc)? Would a 350 / 400 be sufficient for a P4 with Geforce 6200 gfx card?

I will try and figure out the standoffs in the mean time (they are literally little brass nuts, not actual stand looking, is that right?) there was about 3/4 of the brass nuts in the case.

Out of interest (I know I keep going back to this) do you think the problems are more likely PSU than CPU?

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by redfan So you think it's worth trying another PSU (despite the current one powering the fans etc)?

For troubleshooting purposes, yes. And just because the fans are spinning doesn't indicate a power supply that is working 100% correctly.

Originally Posted by redfan Would a 350 / 400 be sufficient for a P4 with Geforce 6200 gfx card?

Yes.

Originally Posted by redfan I will try and figure out the standoffs in the mean time (they are literally little brass nuts, not actual stand looking, is that right?) there was about 3/4 of the brass nuts in the case.

These are brass standoffs.

Originally Posted by redfan Out of interest (I know I keep going back to this) do you think the problems are more likely PSU than CPU?

My gut feeling is it's the PSU causing your problems. I've been building computers for 10 years and have yet to see a CPU that just died on it's own. Most dead CPUs that I've come across are dead because of user error.

Cricket

[redfan]

Many thanks for your help cricket

I must admit the CPU though 2nd hand looked very good condition and had no pins bent or anything!! I installed that very easily this morning. The Heatsink and fan became a problem as I did not reckon having to use quite so much force to get the clips secured!!

I will try and pick up a 350W PSU tomorrow given your advice, must admit I was a little suspicious of the price and brand of the one I was sent (via eBay).

Managed to get the 3 standoffs to line up with holes so they are now in place (they were those brass ones you highlighted for me), so cheers for that

I look forward to your reply. Thanks again

**EDIT** Out of interest, could this whole thing be anything to do with the battery? The motherboard is brand new but had been sat in a cupboard unopened for about 18 months.

[flanzig1]

A bad battery shouldn't keep the PC from booting. What happens if the battery is weak or dead is that the clock is wrong and/or can't save any new settings in the BIOS.

[redfan]

Cheers, was only a long shot anyway (As I once had a PC that completely died yet changing the battery got it working again)

So I guess I'm back to the original point about it likely being the PSU?

I did read somewhere that a good motherboard would not boot, beep or anything if the power supply was bad, even though it powers the fans, is this true?

Cheers again guys!!

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by redfan As I once had a PC that completely died yet changing the battery got it working again

Really? I guess anything is possible. I've run motherboards without the battery installed without problems, only had to set the custom settings and the time everytime I powered up.

Originally Posted by redfan So I guess I'm back to the original point about it likely being the PSU?

If it's not a good name brand PSU there's a good chance it's defective. Cheap low quality power supplies are notorious for not working properly right from the start.

Originally Posted by redfan I did read somewhere that a good motherboard would not boot, beep or anything if the power supply was bad, even though it powers the fans, is this true?

That's true for almost any motherboard.

Cricket

[redfan]

Cheers Cricket

I'm actually getting hold of an older non working PC (actually tried to fix it last year, but it has something wrong with the power switch on the case, well the wire had split really) which I think is either P4/Celeron and does have a working PSU.

Hopefully, when I try it's PSU in my setup later tonight it will work, other wise I'm going to try and put it's Mobo into my case (with working power switch) to see if that will at least give me a working computer that I can then hopefully use some of the parts i've bought to upgrade with!

What do you think?



**EDIT** Also, if I go down the road of putting that mobo in my case should I first try it with a stick of it's own RAM and leave everything else other than cpu fan disconnected (was thinking of trying that with my PSU anyway)?