Built First PC ........ won't boot

[PenguinGuy]

I just built my first computer and when I try to boot it up it won't. When I press power button the fans spin it checks the cdrom drive fine but the HD stays very quiet as compared to my HD in this comp. It spins but I don't know if it gets up to how fast it is supposed to spin. The moniter also acts as if it is going to display stuff (it has sort of a standby mode and it comes out of it). It does not check the Floppy drive though. I know the floppy works because it works in my other computer. So after this nothing shows up on the screen. There are also no beeps. I Checked and double checked everything and cannot find out what is wrong. Is there anything in particullar I should check or try to see if it will work?
Thanks in advance

 

[terminalmind]

Try booting it with only the memory, cpu and video card installed.
Try reseating the cpu,memory and video card if you haven't already.
If it still will not boot check and make sure your motherboard is not
grounding out against the case.

 

[PenguinGuy]

When booting with just the cpu video card and memory installed is somethin supposed to happen? because nothing changed... it is late now so ill try to reseat everything tomorrow.

 

[DOSfan]

I think we might need a little more info....

Nothing comes up on the monitor? Ever?

You do not get the video card BIOS screen?

You do not get any computer BIOS screens?

If the answer is no to both of these, then your memory may be the wrong type. Or perhaps in the wrong banks. The later is particularly true if you are using an older mobo. If it is a brand new one, I do not think that matters.

But it sounds to me like you may have your IDEE cable reversed on the hard drive. It sounds as if the BIOS is up to boot drive checks, and you have it set for CD, HD, then floppy. But if this was the case, you would still get something on the monitor.

This is the best I can do currently. I can say that I need more details to give you a better guess.

 

[RedDog75]

If you are not getting any beeps and nothing is showing on screen (BIOS does not POST), you've got one of three problems:

1) Bad RAM - make sure it is seated properly and check in another system
2) Bad CPU - double check that all this pins are OK on your CPU and that it is seated firmly in the motherboard
3) Bad videocard - check it in another system

These three things are notorious for holding back a system from even getting to POST. Hopefully you put together a system with all working parts - this can be the most frustrating thing about computers - especially when you think everything is perfectly fine, it is that one darn little thing that keeps it from running.

One final note: if your system has been previously used before, make sure that you clear CMOS and be sure you have a perfectly good battery on your mobo.

Good luck to you!

 

[PenguinGuy]

No, no bios screen shows up, nothing shows up. I tried reseating everything and what not. I am just wondering, I have an AGP 8X card and the mobo says it supports 4x and 8x. On my current computer there is a slot that the litte hook on the end of the video card goes into (the card is 4x). But on the other mobo there isn't one. I am wondering if there is supposed to be one with an 8x card.

 

[Soggysocks]

Hey Pengy....you have PM.

 

[DOSfan]

Well, if nothing at all shows up on the monitor, I am leaning towards a memory problem.

RedDog75 is correct though, the CPU and Video Card can also cause it. But I am "feeling" like it is the memory. Does it match your mobo? (ie. bus speed and memory speed - 133, 2100, 2400, etc.) Is one at least in Bank 0?

If not the memory, I would check all of your jumpers. If you have a jumper setting to clear the CMOS, I have never witnessed what would happen if you powered up with that jumper set. Best guess, it might do what you are going through.

But that is my best guess so far.