new build trouble

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l0calh05t

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
128
After having only laptops for a couple of years, I recently decided to build a desktop. Today I finally received the case (almost a month after everything else!) and connected everything. When I turn on the system all the fans start (good), the pc "speaker" beeps (normal iirc), but... there's no video signal on either of the graphic card's outputs... so I can't really tell what's happening. I also noticed the power led didn't go on, but apparently gigabyte marks the + terminal and lian li the - terminal, so i switched it around (and now it goes on). Can anyone help me find out what's wrong? :(

The details:
CPU: Intel Q9550
MB: Gigabity GA-EP45-DS3R
RAM: 2x2GiB Corsair XMS
Graphics: Asus EN9600GT
HDD: 2x WD 6400AACS (Green line)
ODD: LG Blu-Ray combo drive
PSU: Enermax Modu82+ 425W

Please help me...

PS: Dunno if it helps, but the "phase leds" on the MB show maximum. Whatever that means...
 
Did you plug in the PCI-E power connector from the PSU to the vidcard?
What monitor are you using?
Are you sure the monitor works?
Did you try another monitor?
Did you try another monitor cable?
Are you using a DVI or Analog cable?
Do you have another vidcard you could try?
Did you check out the Basic Troubleshooting Guide sticky thread?
 
Did you plug in the PCI-E power connector from the PSU to the vidcard? -- Yes. There is one thing I should add though... unlike the other modular cables this one won't snap in correctly at the psu (and yes, i did check the orientation)
What monitor are you using? -- an HP LP2475w
Are you sure the monitor works? -- Yes, I used it with my laptop before.
Did you try another monitor? -- No other monitor available.
Did you try another monitor cable? -- I could try a vga cable with an adapter (so, no, not yet)
Are you using a DVI or Analog cable? -- DVI
Do you have another vidcard you could try? -- Nope
Did you check out the Basic Troubleshooting Guide sticky thread? -- Yes, as well as my motherboards troubleshooting guide, didn't try clearing the CMOS yet though.
 
Tried clearing the CMOS: result system takes a while longer up to the "beep". nothing else changes. As far as I can tell it's also only one long beep, not 1 long 2 short for a graphics card problem...

Also tried the vga cable+adapter.. no luck, so it's not the cables (the vga cable definitely works)
 
Try re-seating the vidcard.

Q: What do the beeps emitted during the POST mean?
A: The following Award BIOS beep code descriptions may help you identify possible computer problems.
(For reference only.)
1 short: System boots successfully
2 short: CMOS setting error
1 long, 1 short: Memory or motherboard error
1 long, 2 short: Monitor or graphics card error
1 long, 3 short: Keyboard error
1 long, 9 short: BIOS ROM error
Continuous long beeps: Graphics card not inserted properly
Continuous short beeps: Power error
Click to expand...
 
I wanted to try that, but I am unable to move the graphics card... I pushed away the latch (as mentioned in the manual), but it won't budge.

Why did you post a list of the error codes? I've already got that list in my MB manual. But the PC beeps only once so I suppose it's doesn't detect any problems...
 
Reseat the ram. Give it a little wiggle to make sure the contact is good. Check the fan headers The bios needs to sense the fan/speed for some boot sequences to occur. On that note you may want to reseat the processor making sure the surfaces are clean
.
 
l0calh05t said:
I wanted to try that, but I am unable to move the graphics card... I pushed away the latch (as mentioned in the manual), but it won't budge.

Why did you post a list of the error codes? I've already got that list in my MB manual. But the PC beeps only once so I suppose it's doesn't detect any problems...
Click to expand...


sorry for self-quoting... but what sounds like one long beep might of course also be a long one and to very short ones with almost no pause at all in between.
 
after a lot of wiggling and more force than i am comfortable with the modular cable for the graphics card snapped in at the psu. didn't change anything though.
 
l0calh05t said:
Why did you post a list of the error codes? I've already got that list in my MB manual. But the PC beeps only once so I suppose it's doesn't detect any problems...
Click to expand...

So I don't have to look it up again if and when you say you hear different beep codes. Why, does it clutter your thread with useless information? If so, I can stop posting, if you'd like. Once you get over it, here are more questions for you...

Is everything setup outside of the case?
Did you try it with a single RAM stick?
Do you hear any beep codes with no RAM in the system?
Do you hear any beep codes with no Vidcard in the system?
 
So I don't have to look it up again if and when you say you hear different beep codes. Why, does it clutter your thread with useless information? If so, I can stop posting, if you'd like. Once you get over it, here are more questions for you...
Click to expand...

Uhh... sorry? Just asking, nothing else. Sorry if you misunderstood it in some way.


Is everything setup outside of the case? -- If by everything you mean PSU cable, monitor cable, mouse and keyboard, then yes (also tried it with just the PSU cable & monitor)

I'll try these next 3 right away.
Did you try it with a single RAM stick?
Do you hear any beep codes with no RAM in the system?
Do you hear any beep codes with no Vidcard in the system?
 
Did you try it with a single RAM stick? -- No change
Do you hear any beep codes with no RAM in the system? -- At first it everything was switched off for a moment, then i got beeping (probably the "continuous long beeps"
Do you hear any beep codes with no Vidcard in the system? -- I remain unable to move the damn thing.
 
Interesting... after reinserting the ram (again) it actually posted, with sometihing on the display and everything. Now it's at "Verifying DMI Pool Data..." and doesn't seem to do much else.
 
Glad you got it working. ;) Time to install an OS... unless it freezes at Verifying DMI Pool Data...

l0calh05t said:
If by everything you mean PSU cable, monitor cable, mouse and keyboard, then yes (also tried it with just the PSU cable & monitor)
Click to expand...

I meant everything, as stated in the Basic Troubleshooting Guide...
enginurd said:
/*------------- <cut n paste> -------------*/
This is basic troubleshooting if your system has never POSTed (as in, you just put it together); Though, it may be helpful to others whose system no longer POSTs...
If you have both the 20/24 pin main ATX connector plugged in, AND the 4-Pin (or 8-pin) ATX12V P4 CPU connector plugged in, then the board should boot fine (unless it requires more power connectors from the PSU). First, try clearing the CMOS w/ the proper jumper or button.

The next thing you could do is test the PSU. Jump start it (on the main atx connector, short the green wire with any black wire, using a paperclip), and see if it stays on. If not, then its probably a faulty PSU. If it works then you can proceed with the suggestions below. ***NOTE: The paperclip trick is a simple test for those that do not have PSU testers, multimeters, nor a spare PSU to test with. It is not a 100% conclusive test of the PSU.

How to test with a multimeter @ BFG

Setup everything outside of the case, with the mobo on top of its cardboard box. Plug in only the essentials:
- PSU (namely: main 20/24-pin ATX connector and 4-pin ATX12V P4 CPU Connector; The 4-pin should work in the 8-pin EPS12v plugs, too)
- CPU w/ HSF
- Single stick of ram
- Videocard if there is no onboard video (along with its power connector, if it has one)
- System speaker/buzzer (your board may have an on-board tweeter/buzzer/speaker)
- Monitor & Keyboard

Reset/Clear the CMOS by following the instructions in your mobo manual.

* Use a screwdriver if your board doesnt have an onboard power switch. Jump the two power switch leads to turn the power on.

If it won't post, try different RAM slots. If it still won't post, pull out the ram (so no ram in the system) and listen for error beeps. If none, pull the vidcard and listen for error beeps. If none, re-seat the CPU and HSF, then try again. Report back with results if you're still having issues.
/*------------- </cut n paste> -------------*/
Click to expand...
 
In that case, yes. Well, as I mentioned the POST screen is now actually reached, but

1) It is stuck there for almost a minute
2) My second HDD is not detected
EDIT 1:
3) System does not seem to get past verifying DMI pool data.

EDIT 2: and another one:
4) CPU clock multiplier is detected as 8 (and can't be set higher than 8), although the Q9550 should have a multiplier of 8.5
 
l0calh05t said:
In that case, yes. Well, as I mentioned the POST screen is now actually reached, but

1) It is stuck there for almost a minute
2) My second HDD is not detected
EDIT 1:
3) System does not seem to get past verifying DMI pool data.

EDIT 2: and another one:
4) CPU clock multiplier is detected as 8 (and can't be set higher than 8), although the Q9550 should have a multiplier of 8.5
Click to expand...

1) Something isn't quite right, hardware-wise.
2) SATA or PATA? What is your SATA Controller set to? Try Native IDE.
3) doh! I spoke too soon
4) Try updating the BIOS.
 
1) Something isn't quite right, hardware-wise. -- Any suggestions what it might be?
2) SATA or PATA? What is your SATA Controller set to? Try Native IDE. -- SATA (identical HDD type), AHCI and RAID are already disabled as far as i can tell
3) doh! I spoke too soon -- apparently :p :(
4) Try updating the BIOS. -- that'll have to wait until the rest works i suppose

EDIT: One more thing about the HDDs: there was no jumper included (according to the WD manual there should be a jumper across pins 1&2 by default, removing it enables "spread spectrum clocking")
 
back to bare essentials... set it all up outside of the case, re-seat everything, etc (follow whats in that procedure above).
 
Before going through the trouble of taking everything out of the case, I disconnected the drive that wasn't being detected. Guess what? POST is now much faster (couple of seconds instead of almost a minute) and the system gets past the DMI pool verification (to report that no boot disk was detected, which is obviously correct). Even with AHCI on. I also switched the two (only the other connected, but to the same ide channel) and the other drive still isn't detected. So I guess the drive was DOA but the controller is ok. Sucks, but there should still be warranty & everything else on that drive. Graphics haven't been giving me any more trouble so I guess it should be ok (gets quite warm in idle though, but that's to be expected from a passive-only graphics card.)
 
Yah, for future builds, do the bench test before putting everything in the case. ;)
 
You should at least put something nonconductive in between though ;) Oh btw, thanks for all the help. I just put an ubuntu 64 bit live cd into the blu-ray drive and everything seems to be working so far. (I'll install windows as soon as the download completes --- yes, the download is legal! -> msdnaa)
 
The cardboard of the mobo box is non-conductive enough. :p

No prob, sorry for bein a bit snappy yesterday... yesterday was not a good day (work stuff). Was comin [H]ere to get my mind off of work, lol.
 
And back to square one...

I was having trouble with windows (and linux) crashing directly after waking up from sleep mode, so I assumed that probably one of the memory sticks still isn't inserted quite correctly... took out stick no.2 (with which I had a little trouble the last time) put it back in... turned the pc on... beeeee-be-beep ... graphics error again... :mad:
 
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