# [SOLVED] New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail



## alpacabob (Apr 8, 2008)

Hi,

I am a novice in the computer building bit. I pretty much got into it to learn how the guts of my computer work- also I think my laptop is going to die sometime in the not too distant future and is already massively obsolete (it was good for grad school, but not much more than that). 

So here's my specs:

Case: Ultra Grid ATX Mid-Tower
Motherboard: ASUS M2N32 Deluxe
CPU: AMD A64 X2 4200, dual core 2.2 ghz (with CPU fan)
Memory: OCZ PC6400 DDR2, 2x 1gb
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 320 gb (SATA)
DVD Rom/DVD R: Lightscribe (SATA)
Video Card: XFX GeForce 8600 GT (PCIe)
Power Supply: Apevia ATX 500 W

Now the situation:

I put everything together and got no signal to the monitor. So I browsed forums for awhile and found some suggestions. I tested my various cords to ensure they're all working and in the right place, moved ram around, got a converter so I could plug the monitor straight into the motherboard (for some reason, the motherboard has a male DB9 com port), and did the trusty "motherboard out of the case" test. 

So I think that some component in my computer is just not functional and needs to be replaced. First, though, is that the right conclusion? If not, what else could be going on? Second, if that is the right conclusion, how do I figure out which piece?

Thanks in advance everybody!


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## bluesoul (Apr 3, 2008)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

Just to be clear, the system starts, you just get no video signal?


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## alpacabob (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

Yes- the system does start up. All the fans go, including on the video card, the front LED indicates power to the system, and the LED on my motherboard lights up when the system is plugged in. The DVD-rom opens and closes and seems to read things I put into it judging by the sounds it makes. 

The one indicator light that doesn't flash is the hard drive activity indicator, but without anything going on in the system, I haven't taken that as a sign of hard drive failure and doesn't account for the lack of monitor signal anyway.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

the power supply is low quality
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004
do you get the post beep
have you done a cmos rest


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## alpacabob (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

Yeah- I hadn't realized the importance of the PSU until I started looking through forums. I think I will need to replace that in the not too distant future. As of now, it seems to be working for me, though- everything powers up without problem. Is there a way to test it?

Sorry for my inexperience here, but I'm not sure what the post beep is or how to do a CMOS test. Would you mind directing me to a place where I could read about those? Thanks so much!


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

the post beep is a single beep as the computer boots up
turn the computer off
remove the power lead from the back
take the side off
remove the cmos battery
move the cmos jumper from pins 1 and 2 to pin 2 and 3 and the back to pins 1 and 2
replace the battery
put the side on
replug in the power lead
boot the computer


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## alpacabob (Apr 8, 2008)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

So I went back to check for the post beep and by some odd miracle, the computer turned on. I must have had something slightly off and finally got it put together correctly in the various rebuilds. 

I'm not sure what happened, but thanks everybody for the help and suggestions- at next paycheck I'll be getting a new power supply.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

*Re: New build (and builder)- tried everything I know to no avail*

glad you have it sorted


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## lwsmiser (Apr 22, 2007)

Well, I'm glad to see that somebody has solved the problem. I have tried all the suggestions to date and still get a "new hardware found" popup asking for drivers. I have been to the OEM (HP), Microsoft and Western Digital with the problem all to no avail. In my case if I dismiss the popup by selecting the "remind me later" choice the drive is supplied with the correct system drivers: disk.sys and partmgr.sys just like the first sata drive. The only difference in the drives is that the second has power management, same OEM same size and speed. The drive functions normally throughout the session. When I reboot or shut down and restart the same popup looking for a driver appears. 
If I select the first option to look for a driver the systems installs the drive as "Other" and it does not function and it no longer appears in computer or disk manager. Apparently Vista sees it as an unknown device instead of a hard drive. This makes me believe that there is a problem between Vista and Western Digital and the pnp info in the hard drive ROM may give faulty info to Vista, but that's just my own analysis.
My system board is asus-IPIBL-LB or Benicia (HP designation) in an M8307c system by HP. 
The first hard drive (which causes no problem) is: WD5000AAKS::wave:
second drive is WD5000AACS, :upset:
the processor is: Q6600, 
memory: 3GB 667MHz . 
chipset: Intel Q35/Q33/P35/G33
Southbridge: Intel 82801IR(ICH9R)


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