# Homebuilt PC not outputting video onto monitor after case/powersupply swap.



## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Hi there.

I'm just gonna get right into it, and I apologize in advance if I seem frustrated because I probably am :angel:

Yesterday my new modular PSU and case arrived and I immediately started to swap over all my interals from my old case into the new case along with removing the old PSU. It took awhile, (6+ hours to be exact!) but I managed to do it. After everything was in place it, naturally, didn't turn on, even though there was that green Motherboard LED taunting me at every turn. After another 3 or so more hours of tinkering somehow I got it to boot! (think it was a loose PSU cable but that's basically irrelevant now.) However when I pluged my monitors DVI cable in it displayed nothing. The CPU fan was spinning, the drives were turning on, and case fans were spinning, the case fans LED's were lighting up,the power supplies fan was spinning, all 3 of the GPUs fans were spinning along with it's LED's, and yet there was no video whatsoever.

So I tried a different DVI video cable, no dice.
Then I tried a different monitor, no dice.
Then I tried swapping the VGA cables around on the video card, no dice.
Then I tried to unplug and replug the CPU power cables, no dice.
Then I tried unseating and reseating the RAM, no dice.
Then I tried plugging the CPUs fan into a different port, no dice.
Then I tried unplugging all drives other than the boot drive, no dice.

That, and probably a bunch of other stuff that I am forgetting at the moment. Please keep in mind that every single part in this case was working just fine 24 hours ago (other than the PSU of course) 

Here is some pictures I threw together to help you get an idea: Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

And some specs:
AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor
Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card
NZXT Phantom (Black) ATX Full Tower Case
EVGA SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

Well there ya have it, if you have any earthly idea as to what is going on here *please* let me know! Thank you for any and all replies in advance!

It's also of note that when I plug my G502 mouse in, it doesn't seem to be getting power (no LED's turning on)


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Pull the CPU and memory. Confirm no bent/broken pins. Set them aside for now.

Pull the motherboard. Confirm there are exactly six (6) standoffs mounted on the backing panel, and that they are in the correct positions. Remount the motherboard with a screw in each standoff. Reinstall the CPU and cooler.

Mount a single DIMM in slot A2 (light blue nearest the CPU). Use one of the modules without the heat spreader. Test.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Why exactly would I check the pins on a CPU that was just working and has no reason to have bent/broken pins? And like I said in the post I have tried reseating the RAM and there weren't bent pins and I double checked just to make sure. On the other hand, I'm not quite sure about the standoff screws, can they cause issues with the motherboard other than physically? At this point I feel like the problem here is the powersupply given how many times I have read "Just because fans spin and drives start doesn't mean the supply is functional" today.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

I assumed that you would have removed the memory and CPU before moving board over to another case. Excuse me.

The standoffs help to provide grounding for the motherboard. A standoff in the wrong position can contact the back of the motherboard which may cause any number of issues, including no POST.


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## Jeremy.D (Sep 28, 2015)

A standoff that is used incorrectlt could totally screw up your Motherboard. Try booting with just one stick of RAM in the first slot.
If that doesnt work try Clearing Cmos, with a jumper...or even Tweezers.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Hey guys, I have an update you may find interesting.

I removed all the parts out of the case and onto the anti-static bag the mobo came in, and tried using my old PSU to see if the PSU was the issue. 
It seems it wasn't, but now it boots as if it were working, first the ASUS logo, then American mega trends, but only for a split second because the system shuts itself down automatically. At first I thought this may be a graphics card issue, but all other configurations with the cords either result in the display not turning on at all or it giving me an "Please connect power to GPU" error.

Now I'm inclined to believe that it is not a GPU issue, but rather some other component failing.

Anyone know what the cause may be here? Thanks.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

> I removed all the parts out of the case and onto the anti-static bag the mobo came in


Not a good idea. By definition, that anti-static bag is electrically conductive. Lay your motherboard out on a solid non-conductive surface, such as the motherboard box itself.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Thanks for the tip, Gcavan! 

I can now enter the bios for a short period of time, however upon booting I see "CPU fan error" which I am going to try to fix by removing the fan and reapplying the old and pretty bad thermal paste job and fully laching it down, but I have come across a new issue. Everytime I boot up now, the DRAM_LED right next to the MemOK! button flashes red no matter what configuration I have for the RAM (Including the one Gcavan suggested in an earlier post) I would just try to see if it would boot anyways error and all, but as you are all probably aware removing and placing an aftermarket CPU cooler thermal paste and all is not worlds most fun thing.

I read up about DRAM errors online but all the posts I found were usually solved by changing the RAM because it was nonfunctioning for one reason or another, but these sticks worked just a few days ago and I can't think of any reason why they would not be now.

How do you think I should go about fixing this issue? Thank for for all the help so far I am eerily close to having a functional computer again.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Too many variables now which makes it hard to identify the real issue. The shut down issue needs to be solved first. I would redo the thermal paste and reset the Bios as gcavan suggested. Install one memory stick, the video card, cpu fan and keyboard, keep everything else unplugged. Test.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Alright another update, thanks to Barry_Rs advice I can now navigate the Bios! 

However it doesn't seem to turn on my monitor or even let me use the Bios without a drive connected, which is strange to me. 
Anyways I followed your advice and used the "restore optimized defaults" which I am hoping translates to resetting the Bios. Then I ran the windows memory diagnostic which detected no errors, and after that I tried to run Windows 10 which gave me a Windows 7 boot error that I have actually seen before because when my computer was working it would give me this error at seemingly random when trying to boot up, all you had to do is restart to fix it but that doesn't seem to be the case this time around. 


Another thing to note is that everytime I boot up it gives me a "CPU fan error, press F1 to continue" message even though it turns on after a bit, and when my PC was functional it gave me this error, beeps and all everytime I booted even though the temps were low and sounds were good.

Got any ideas?


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

The cpu fan error is usually caused by the inability for the mobo to detect that the fan is there or spinning. Is it plugged in to the right place? If so it may just be a wonky fan rpm sensor or it does not have a rpm sensor. You may be able to turn that warning off in the bios fan settings.

As for the windows 7 boot error. Although I have extensive knowledge of windows and hardware troubleshooting this issue is out of my field of expertise. If I were faced with this issue I would first check if the boot order in bios is correct. After verifying that and still failing I would probably do a repair install or a clean install of windows if the repair does not work.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Barry_R said:


> The cpu fan error is usually caused by the inability for the mobo to detect that the fan is there or spinning. Is it plugged in to the right place? If so it may just be a wonky fan rpm sensor or it does not have a rpm sensor. You may be able to turn that warning off in the bios fan settings.
> 
> As for the windows 7 boot error. Although I have extensive knowledge of windows and hardware troubleshooting this issue is out of my field of expertise. If I were faced with this issue I would first check if the boot order in bios is correct. After verifying that and still failing I would probably do a repair install or a clean install of windows if the repair does not work.


The fan is indeed plugged into the right place, I think it's something weird going on with an RPM sensor.

I checked the boot order in the Bios and it's literally the only option there and selected so that can't be right. And as much as I'd love to do a repair install I believe that the only way to do it without Windows 10 requiring an uninstallation of every program is to do it while it's running. I had it happened to me without realizing it before, wasn't very fun.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Do you have another windows 10 PC to make a recovery CD on? I don't know if this will nuke all your apps but at this point I have to wonder if you have any other choice.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

At this point I probably would, however my screen has started to once again not display anything even after all my regular fixes. This problem would be a lot easier to solve if it was, I'm the very least, consistent.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

This screen issue reappear when you plugged everything back in? If so revert to what you had when it worked. If it then works test one device at a time until you find what is causing this.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

All I did was change the power and Sata cable for my Ssd for testing reasons, now no matter where I place them nothing appears on screen, the only other thing i could remove at that point would be my ram which was just working perfectly and is stuck under my CPU cooler... Sorry about these posts getting progressively less and less helpful, if I had more information to give I would.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

I did it. 

I managed to make the screen turn on once again by moving the cords around a few times, I plugged in my 1 TB hardrive, ready to backup the SSDs files in their entirety and reinstall Windows. I opened notepad, went to the file viewer when I noticed something odd, the files on the drive didn't seem right at all, then I had a sudden realization that stunned me. 

The drive that I had been trying to boot off of did have a Windows 7 install on it at some point, however all that remained of it were bits and pieces because when I upgraded to Windows 10 I changed my boot drive entirely. That's why on my old PC it used to give me a Windows 7 boot error occasionally, and far more importantly why my PC has ceased to boot!

While the now fully working PC that I am typing this on is running out of a cardboard box at the moment, but I would like to personally thank you all for all the insightful feedback and tips and simultaneously apologize for my ignorance at times. 

Hopefully when I build up the courage to put this thing in the proper case again I won't need to come back here.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

When you say moving the cords around do you mean they were not plugged in correctly or you wiggled them? My fear is that you have something that may come back to haunt you if there is a broken solder joint, bad connector or broken wire that is making intermittent contact.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Good question, but if memory serves me right all I did was move the DVI cable from the port it normally goes in to (DVI-I (Dual Link) the one that it doesn't normally (DVI-D (Dual Link) both seem to work perfectly now. 

Although something that isn't working perfectly right now in a very strange way is RAM. My RAM only seems to work in a single configuration right now, and that is by having one 2GB unit on the far right of the board in the blue socket, where upon every launch it gives me the red DRAM_LED! I find this very, very odd considering that if I add another of the exact same module in the exact opposite blue socket on the left it doesn't show anything onscreen or give me the DRAM_LED. 

I read the manual and online about this and found nothing that points to what could be causing this. 

And I have a very annoying but important note to add: Because of the existence of my CPU fan I cannot place RAM in the first (1st black) slot whatsoever, I can only place the RAM without heatsinks into the second (1st blue) slot, but the third (2nd black) and fourth (2nd blue) slots are free game.

BTW I have these sticks of RAM:
2 4GB sticks of Ripjaws.
2 2GB sticks Samsung/Planet first.
1 4GB stick of PNY with a small heatsink.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Do you have the manual for your mobo? If not I think this is it.
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM3+/M5A97_R2.0/E7438_M5A97_R20_Manual_web_hi-res.pdf

Can you put the two ripjaws in the blue slots?

There is some interesting info in there about how to install memory correctly and a MemOK switch which seems to be there to fix things when the memory has issues.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Barry_R said:


> Do you have the manual for your mobo? If not I think this is it.
> http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM3+/M5A97_R2.0/E7438_M5A97_R20_Manual_web_hi-res.pdf
> 
> Can you put the two ripjaws in the blue slots?
> ...


Yeah looks like the manual, I read it already in detail but it doesn't seem to have any info related to this issue.

Unfortunately I can't put two ripjaws into each blue slot because of their heatsinks.

However, the MemOK! thing worked in a way, just not the ideal way. 
I placed the Ripjaws in the two slots furthest to the right and it didn't boot, however gave me the red error light. Tried one of them in the slot furthest to the right and it didn't work, however when I tried two of the 2GB sticks in the slots furthest to the right it gave me the red LED and booted up. 

To make matters even more confusing, I am almost positive that when I was testing this PC I had a stick of the Ripjaws in the slot all the way to the right and it was working.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Just a shot in the dark...can you put the CPU fan on the other side of the CPU heatsink?

Or.... Does it need to be all the way down? so what if it sticks up a little as long as you get sufficient cooling.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Sorry, but when I say "fan" I am referring to the the heatsink and fan in their entirety, and there is about a solid centimeter of RAM heatsink in the way of slotting it in blue port on the left.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

So where are you now? Are you able to get the PC booted consistently. If so then all I can suggest is either get a offset CPU cooler or a water block with radiator/fan combo.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Barry_R said:


> So where are you now? Are you able to get the PC booted consistently. If so then all I can suggest is either get a offset CPU cooler or a water block with radiator/fan combo.


Yeah I am running the computer just fine right now, but this is primarily a gaming PC so being stuck with 4GB of ram really sucks. Not to mention I just got my Ripjaws in the mail yesterday, and I would like a fully working PC before slapping it in my case. 

I really don't think that just cause I can't get both Ripjaws into the same colored slots would mean it wouldn't boot at all, after all as I am typing this I have the two not so good 2GB sticks on the black colored and blue colored slots respectively just fine.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Okay at this point you have nothing to lose but to try to get as much ram as you can in there. Hope it doesn't break it again. :banghead:


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

I'm running the same board, but not the R2.0 and my ripjaws memory fits in the two blue slots with ease.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

But if you look at the images from post 1, OP is using some model of the C-M Hyper212, mounted such that air is directed to the top of the case, which is the only way to mount it on AMD. Thus, the heatsink itself will usually block one or more memory slots.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

So I managed to get it to boot with 8GBs of RAM.

Again, not in the most ideal way, but what I had to do was run 1 2GB stick in either the 3 or fourth slot, then add only 1 stick of either PNY or the generic 2GB stick, boot with MemOK!, then finally add the last stick (again, PNY or 2GB) and boot with MemOK! again. It works completely fine.

HOWEVER:
My brother volunteered his PC for testing, and his build is running a Gigabyte h97-D3H Mobo and 8GBx2 Ripjaws X RAM running in the second and fourth slots. When we tried to boot it it showed nothing onscreen and endlessly restarted itself. 

So, is it safe to assume the RAM does actually need to be RMA'd? 

If so that is really, really odd because I have bought RAM on it's own exactly two times in my life and if this ends up being the case, both of which ended up being completely nonfunctional. 
I'm not even mad, that's amazing.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Now I am a bit confused because you did not list two sticks of 8gb Ripjaws in one of your previous posts. Did you add your 4x2 Ripjaws to his 8x2 on your brothers PC? If you did maybe his mobo does not support those sticks, that much ram or has some other issues with the mix of ram.

You need to put the dots closer together so that we can understand the exact circumstances.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Barry_R said:


> Now I am a bit confused because you did not list two sticks of 8gb Ripjaws in one of your previous posts. Did you add your 4x2 Ripjaws to his 8x2 on your brothers PC? If you did maybe his mobo does not support those sticks, that much ram or has some other issues with the mix of ram.
> 
> You need to put the dots closer together so that we can understand the exact circumstances.


Sorry dumb typo, what I meant to say it was 2 4GB sticks of Ripjaws RAM, they were each in their own channel, his Mobo does support the sticks, and it does support that many GB.

Nonfunctional Ripjaws are seeming more and more likely honestly.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

All my PCs have matched sets of Corsair ram. I am not trying to push their brand because I think that most of the chips that are on various brands of memory come from the same place but I have never had a bad stick.


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## firepyromaniac (Feb 4, 2015)

Just tried the two Ripjaws on their own in his PC to confirm there wasn't any weird compatibility errors and it still wouldn't boot, I think an RMA is a safe bet at this point.


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## Barry_R (Aug 6, 2005)

Seems so, get yourself another pair. Your gonna need all the ram you can get for gaming.


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