Just finished building new computer. Vid card isn't working?

[SirFelixCat]

(x-post from troubleshooting forum)

Hey all...

Just finished building a new rig for a friend Click here for components..

Anyway, the video card is a SAPPHIRE Radeon X1800XT 256MB .

For reasons unknown to me, it will not send a video signal to my monitor. I have tried the new video card in this computer and it boots up, but still, no video signal to the monitor, so I know it's not the new computer, outside of a possible bad video card.

What other things can I try before I send it back RMA? Please, any and all help would be very much appreciated. Friend is leaving town tomorrow, so outside of shipping a new video card to her...you get the idea

 

[Megatomic]

Do you have the power cord plugged into the card? Have you tried the other video out to see if maybe that one port is bad?

 

[SirFelixCat]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Do you have the power cord plugged into the card? Have you tried the other video out to see if maybe that one port is bad?

yes, the power plug is in the card and yes I've tried both video outs and both, nada. Also, the adapter for the monitor is the same one that I currently use on my 7800GT on this computer, so everything 'but' the new x1800xt seems to be working.


TYVM, but other ideas?

 

[Megatomic]

Do you have a PCI video card that you could boot up with to see if windows is even able to detect the x1800xt? It might be as bad as you think and really be completely dead.

 

[SirFelixCat]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Do you have a PCI video card that you could boot up with to see if windows is even able to detect the x1800xt? It might be as bad as you think and really be completely dead.

No, I don't have any other card, other than this one that the x1800xt. I s'ppose I could put this 7800GT from this computer into it and see if she boots up...good idea or bad?

 

[BassBomb]

id say thatd be a good idea first

 

[SirFelixCat]

Ok, I'll report the findings here in about 15-20 mins. Wish me luck.

 

[SirFelixCat]

Well, the good news is that I do know how to put a computer together from scratch. Also, my 7800GT worked like a champ.

Bad news: x1800xt doa. Looks like a RMA jobby for Newegg. Also, the card is so huge, me thinks I'm just going to go with a 7900GT instead. Thoughts?

And ty all for the quick help. I am paranoid when building new rigs.

 

[CelSnip]

Both are excellent cards.

 

[Megatomic]

Is noise a concern? The stock fans on most (all?) 7900GTs are loud and whiny. I hated the sound it made in my system. If you do go with a 7900GT and if noise is a bad thing, make sure you get your buddy a VF700 or VF900.

 

[SirFelixCat]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Is noise a concern? The stock fans on most (all?) 7900GTs are loud and whiny. I hated the sound it made in my system. If you do go with a 7900GT and if noise is a bad thing, make sure you get your buddy a VF700 or VF900.

Well, I had already bought a VF900 for the x1800xt, so that's not an issue. Is the 7900GT the 'same' size as the 7800GT? The x1800xt is HUGE and it would cover up one of my IDE slots on my EPoX board...me no likey that, or is there a work around there?


And thanks again, y'all.

 

[Megatomic]

It's a shorter card, but I can't remember by how much. But I can tell you that my own 7900GT doesn't keep me from being able to reach any ports at all. My mobo is an Asus A8N-SLI Premium for reference.

 

[nullpointerus]

The 7900GT is probably about 1cm shorter than the 7800GT because that's how much of a NV Silencer Rev. 3 has to be cut off to make it work with the 7900GT. Given that you've got a good aftermarket cooler, I'd stick with a replacement X1800XT unless the size is an issue.