Just turned on my new computer...no image on monitor

[jhammer569]

Just put together (w/ anand forum folks help & advice) the following:

CPU = Intel Q9550
CPU HSF = ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro
THERMAL PASTE = ARCTIC SILVER 5
GPU = 2 Sapphire 100237L Radeon HD 3650's
Mem = 2x2GB DDR2-800 Mushkin 996587
MB = ASUS P5Q-E
HD = 2 WD 640gb hard drives (6400AAKS)
PSU = CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W
FAN CONTROLLER = Scythe KM01-BK "KAZE MASTER"
FANS = Nexus D12SL-12 120mm for top exhaust; Noctua NF-S12-1200 for side intake; Comes w/ front intake & rear exhaust included (2 x 120mm)
CASE = CM590
MONITOR = DELL UltraSharp 2007FP via DVI cable
DVD BURNER = ASUS DRW-2014L1T
FLOPPY = TEAC FD235HFC829

I plugged the monitor in, plugged in my keyboard via the keyboard/mouse port, then plugged in a mouse via the USB port. Turned on the power supply, hit the power button:
-->All the fans worked perfectly & controller by the Scythe fan controller w/ temp. readings perfectly
-->No image on my monitor

I tried plugging the DVI from the monitor into all 4 DVI ports (2 on each card) and no image at all on my monitor. The hard drives are unformatted, no CD in the DVD player, but I put memtest on a floppy and turned on the computer again and still no image.

Any thoughts? The only question I can think of is if I seated the Q9550 correctly. The triangle is in the correct position and the latch closed over the CPU, I'd imagine if it wasn't seated properly, I wouldn't have been able to close the latch, right? The heatsink & thermal paste are perfectly in all the way up against the CPU...

How come no image? Any troubleshooting ideas/steps or links to read?

Tnx!!!!

 

[bamacre]

When first building a system, always use the basics. Start with one[/b[ stick of RAM, one video card. IMO dual graphics cards is the problem being that you haven't loaded an OS yet. Start with the basics and get back to us.

 

[jhammer569]

disconnected EVERYTHING (usb ports, firewire, 2nd graphics card, 2nd memory dimm, sata data cables from the 2 hard drives and the 1 internal dvd, mouse from the usb port as well). So all I have now is the CPU, 1 2gb memory dimm, 1 graphics card, floppy drive and power to the mb (the 8-pin and the big power connector as well) along w/ a keyboard and the DVI cable from the monitor.

Still no picture on my screen (and yes it's a working monitor). I tried the other memory DIMM in slot 1 instead in case 1 was bad, still no picture...I really have no clue what could be the problem here, I can take pictures if you need them or anything...

 

[jhammer569]

Just tried the DVI --> VGA adapter to hookup my CRT and still no picture on that either.

I also hooked up the PC speaker wire from my old computer case to the new one, booted up the new one, and I don't get any beeps or anything.....isn't it supposed to at least beep?

 

[Quiksilver]

Does the motherboard have a LED that is turned on? Are any of the case-fan's or PSU fan's kicking on? Is it showing any signs of life at all? Have you tried alternating the 2 cards(perhaps one of them is doa)?

 

[jhammer569]

Yes, LED's are on, all the case-fan's & PSU kick-in, the power/reset button on the mb light on, both video card fans turn on, the CPU HSF fan turn on, Scythe fan controller shows elevated (above room) temperatures near the graphics card & memory, all indications that everything is on, yet no luck.

I removed all RAM and it beeped one long beep, then 2 short beeps which is no RAM installed according to the manual (so I know something is 'working'). I then removed all the video cards and turned it on, no beeps at all....shouldn't it beep indicating "No VGA detected"? Also, if the CPU wasn't seated properly, wouldn't it also beep for that?

I also resetted the mb to its defaults using the jumper...

There are 3 slots for PCI 2.0 x 16 on the board (3rd is universal). I am plugging the vid card into the top PCI 2.0 x 16 slot, that should be fine, right? Any other ideas?

 

[jhammer569]

Btw, I even just plugged in my old ATI 7500 Radeon from my currently WORKING computer into the new one (PCI slot) to rule out any vid card defectiveness. Plugged my old CRT monitor into it. Turned on the computer, still nothing...no beeps, no image.

 

[jhammer569]

Also, I don't know if this helps either, but when I don't have the DVI plugged into the vid card, I get the "Red/Green/Blue" signal not detected on my flat panel. When I plug the DVI into the vidcard with the computer then turned on, the signal not detected goes away, but I don't get anything but black.

 

[jhammer569]

Sry for all the posts, just keep racking my brain. I temporarily shut the exhaust fans in the rear & top, unplugged the CPU fan. Turned it on, and the temperature sensor on the CPU heatsink went from around 80f up to 90f. The hsf is getting hotter and I feet the hs on the vid card and that gets hot as well. I turned the fans back down and the temp went back to around 82. The hard drives run around 90 so those are working as well.

So I assume this all means that everything is getting power and the CPU IS seated properly?

 

[bamacre]

I looked at the motherboard over at NewEgg and noticed there is a four-pin power connector located diagonally across from the cpu on the opposite side of the memory dimm's. Do you have that 4pin power connector hooked up?

 

[jhammer569]

Yes, if you mean in the top-left corner of the motherboard where it comes with 4 of the pins covered by a black piece of plastic, yes, I removed the black piece of plastic and plugged in the 8-pin connector there. The manual for the mb says that the 8-pin connector is required (not 4).

I think I have tried every possible thing except reseating the CPU at this point. I guess that's my only option left before I need to exchange the mb? Would the mb beep if the CPU was bad?

 

[jhammer569]

I just posted here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2227634&enterthread=y

it's obviously related, but I felt it probably deserves its own thread, can you look there as well? Maybe that caused the problem? I dunno....

 

[wwswimming]

it sounds like you assembled it in the case. it's a good idea to get it
working "on the bench", then put it in the case. less cursing that way.

 

[jhammer569]

Just wanted to post a quick follow-up....it was the memory. Once I switched from the Mushkin (not on QVL list) to the Corsair 2x2gb instead (on the QVL list), everything worked like a charm. I've got video! Shazam! Tnx for all the help.