ATI 9800 pro doesn't start during POST

[chibhawk]

Hi All, long time reader first time poster.

I had some problems with my 9800 pro so I popped open the case, fan had stopped spinning and would hardly turn (clean your case often).
So I stopped over to Best Buy and picked up a new one. Get home pop it in, 1 long beep, 2 short. So I know video card. I pop it out try again checked all the cables, still nothing. Put the older one in still works just no spinning fan. Call up ATI, wait, wait, talk to the lady: power cable connected to the card, yes, power supply: 400W antec, ok. she said it was the card.
Go to BB and get another, still nothing. This one didn't even beep, just nothing. I thought maybe the motherboard but I don't get why the old one worked.
So I called up again and got transferred to the senior tech guy. He asked about power supply and motherboard (got an ABIT KX7-333). So here's the crazy part: he said to unplug the power from the card and turn it ok. Has the message saying plug it in which he has me do with the power on (scary to me) and then restart the computer.
BEEP, video card works. I almost shat myself cause I wouldn't have thought of that in a million years.
I guess it's something to do with the power not getting to the card in the correct order, I wasn't really paying attention. He said to look for an updated bios which I did 2 years ago with the latest one.

So pretty much I'm stuck with doing this now until I get a newer motherboard. Has anyone else ever had this or know any solutions to it? I searched and beamer113 and jen823 seemed to be having something similar with no solution. Hope this might help someone having the same problem.

Dan

 

[Pete]

You couldn't get that first 9800P replaced or repaired under warranty? Seems like a waste to buy another 9800P. I'd have gone for a 6600GT for the same price, and it may even circumvent the power order problem.

BTW, have you tried plugging in a different four-pin power connector into the video card? Say, one with nothing else on its chain, or with maybe just an optical drive or fan (not the hard drive)?

And I'm not clear on the BIOS part. Do you have the latest one installed?

 

[chibhawk]

I had the service plan so that's why I stuck with the 9800 Pro.

Normally I have the video card have its own power connector but I did try a the one that went with my DVD drive, still nothing.

My BOIS is the latest version (the CN one) but it's been out since 2003. It's something different with the video card. I'm not sure what solution there is to this.
If not, this gives me the excuse to get a new motherboard and processor.

Dan