Building my own

[johnrxx99]

Hi, I'm a new build first timer and poster. Is this the right thread?

 

[johnrxx99]

OK, I'm going to assume it is as there is no thread for build your own. I'm following mechBgon's guide for first timers and have got to the mobo bench set up stage.

I've the CPU, memory, video card and psu plugged in, as well as a screen mouse and key board attached. I've powered up (switch plugged in to the mobo) the fan on the cpu and video card are working and a green light is showing on the mobo but nothing, zilch, on the screen.

The kit is:-
Asus A8N-SLI premium
Athlon 64 3700+
Gainward Bliss GeForce 6800 GS
Corsair 2GB twin DDR
Antec case and 550w psu.

I've read elsewhere that the static bag can conduct and my fear is that it was sitting on it with the cardboard box when I plugged the power into the psu. Before I switched on the case power switch I had removed the bag but was this too late??

Help gratefully recieved please. John

 

[Bassyhead]

Antistatic bags are conductive but not *that* conductive. They have a high resistance, which is fine when they're intended to conduct a thousand volts or more. I think your computer is probably fine. Check the components in other systems if you can. Make sure everything is seated well. Try clearing the BIOS.

 

[alzan]

If possible, borrow some known-working and compatible RAM and/or video card to test with and rule out your components being the problem.

alzan

 

[johnrxx99]

How does one clear the BIOS if nothing is showing on screen?

 

[johnrxx99]

Shouldn't the cpu show some life though? The memory are sealed quality pieces and the video card's fan id working. I do have another card and will give that a try but I would have thought the cpu would have cracked (in a sound sense) or at least murmered.

Some one else has mentioned the white four pin plug near the cpu. Is that the power source for the cpu rather than the 24 pin from the psu?

PS: just plugged the white 4 pin with a power thread from the psu, one that also feeds the fan, but nothing on screen.

 

[Severian]

is the cpu fan spinning? any signs of power other than the green light on the mobo?

 

[johnrxx99]

Yes: the cpu fan is working; keyboard lights initially; case fan but nothing on the mobo.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: johnrxx99
How does one clear the BIOS if nothing is showing on screen?

That's covered on page 2-18 of your owner's manual. You unplug the computer, remove the round CMOS battery, then move the CLRTC jumper to the clear position for a while, move it back, put the battery back in and plug in the computer again. As you can see, the computer needs to be in a total zero-power state when doing it.

Regarding your no-video situation, first of all, do you have this PCI-E power cable hooked up to your video card?

just plugged the white 4 pin with a power thread from the psu, one that also feeds the fan, but nothing on screen.

Make sure you did not plug a Fan-Only plug into your motherboard's EZ Plug receptacle, that would be Bad News :Q

Some one else has mentioned the white four pin plug near the cpu. Is that the power source for the cpu rather than the 24 pin from the psu?

You should have three power cables connected to the motherboard: the main 24-pin one; the 4-pin square ATX12V one with two yellow wires and two black wires; and the EZ Plug.

 

[johnrxx99]

It seems to boil down to the square 4 pin atx12v. My power supply, a new Antec Truepower 2.0 eps12v says it is compatable with atx12v but it does not have a square 4 pin! One can split off 4 pins fron the 24 plug but that sounds strange for an up todate psu and mobo.

So I've sent Antec an email asking if it is compatible with the Asus A*N-SLI Premium or if it's a bum unit.

Does this sound right to you?

 

[mechBgon]

EPS power supplies are primarily for servers, not home users. That's why they have different plugs like that. You could use half of the EPS12V cable in the ATX12V socket if you can fit it. However, DO NOT USE THE 4-PIN PART OF THE 24-PIN MAIN CABLE in the ATX12V socket!!!!! :Q The voltages are different and you could easily nuke your motherboard that way.

 

[johnrxx99]

Sorted - another user said to split the 8 pin into 2 fours, which I've done and everything AOK for now. Of to screw in the mobo etc.

Thanks so much.