First Time Build - Power But No Display

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:12

Hey, I'm building my first pc and have hit a snag (how big a snag I have no idea, might be a misplaced cable or could be a broken component; really don't know). I've assembled it and, baring the power and HDD LEDs, am fairly happy most of it is assembled correctly (could well be wrong mind, something obviously is wrong!). I went to boot it up and it turned on, the PSU fan and CPU fan both whirled into life, but there's no video output.

I'll provide details as and when asked for them, and will provide pictures of any particular areas if needed. Just wanting help trying to troubleshoot the problem as I have a big fear the mobo is faulty/damaged (it's in a new case after the previous one was awful [screw holes that were de-threaded from the start, area of support very flexible, etc.] and in trying to remove it I fear it may have been damaged).

Any and all help very appreciated!

RJC · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:19

What is the spec of the system?

But check all power connections are connected including the 4 or 8 pin for CPU power.
Ensure all connections to the GPU are connected.
Try a CMOS reset.

RedvGreenOLD · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:20

No display?

Could be Monitor, CPU seating, CPU fan, RAM seating, GFX seating, GFX power connections, PCI-E socket, dead GFX or damaged motherboard. You can short motherboards out with screws, but it is very hard to do (i've built around 1500 PCs and Servers, and only managed it once).

Mak3R · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:27

Try re-seating the RAM. Had a similar problem in the past and that fixed it.

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:28

(Should have mentioned, it's inbuilt graphics)

Specs are:

1 x Asrock FM2A75M-DGS A75 Socket FM2 VGA DVI 5.1 Channel Audio mATX Motherboard
1 x AMD A10 5800K Black Edition 3.8GHz Socket FM2 4MB L2 Cache
1 x Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600Mhz CL9 1.5V Non-ECC Unbuffered
1 x Crucial 64GB M4 SSD - 2.5" SATA-III
1 x Seagate 1TB Barracuda 3.5" SATA-III Hard Drive - 7200RPM
1 x Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium w/SP1 (not yet installed obviously as I can't get any video output)
1 x Powercool 450W PSU - 4x SATA 1x PCI-E

I can rule out the monitor as it works for my other pc. Will try and start working thought that list (going to have to go eat in a second so might be an hour or so before I can start), might need to query a few bits as I go (and provide pictures to check I haven't missed a cable or put the wrong one into the wrong socket, etc.)

Thanks for the ongoing help

imb4tman · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:35

Which video cable are you using from your motherboard?

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:39

Update: Checked RAM and PCI-e seating, doesn't seem to be the issue.

@imb4tman, video cable? Do you mean externally? If so VGA. If not, then I'm not sure what you mean as (as far as I can spot) there's no video cables internally :s

(About to eat, will be back to answer replies in about an hour)

Thanks for the ongoing help

Grimley · 9 Sep 2013 at 17:51

Stever49 said:
1 x Powercool 450W PSU - 4x SATA 1x PCI-E

I think this is the root of your problem. Even if it does work, sooner or later it could go bang & take the rest of your PC with it.

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Total : £144.02 (includes shipping : £9.25).

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 18:37

Ok, can I ask what's wrong with the psu?

imb4tman · 9 Sep 2013 at 18:58

Stever49 said:
Update: Checked RAM and PCI-e seating, doesn't seem to be the issue.

@imb4tman, video cable? Do you mean externally? If so VGA. If not, then I'm not sure what you mean as (as far as I can spot) there's no video cables internally :s

(About to eat, will be back to answer replies in about an hour)

Thanks for the ongoing help

Yes I meant to the monitor. I was thinking you might have been using a HDMI cable as this setup doesn't always show a picture until Windows starts up. You've probably already checked but have you selected VGA input on your monitor? And is your monitor saying no signal or simply just a black screen?

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 19:15

Yeah it was defiantly on the VGA input and it says no signal

OracIe · 9 Sep 2013 at 19:33

Do you have the tiny speaker plugged into the motherboard? If so is it giving any beeping?

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 19:59

As far as I can see, no inbuilt mobo speaker (wish there was, then I'd have a better idea if the mobo has bit the dust

)

RJC · 9 Sep 2013 at 20:03

Have you tried a CMOS reset and is the 4 / 8 pin connected.

Coxyis · 9 Sep 2013 at 20:22

As strange as it sounds, try unplugging your USB devices when you power on.

I had a strange problem with my old rig and the keyboard I used. For some reason, the machine would power on but there would be no display. Bugged me for many hours after I'd completed the build, was so relieved to find it was something trivial like that and nothing more serious. Bios update did the trick for me after that.

Probably won't help, but you never know

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 20:29

RJC said:
Have you tried a CMOS reset and is the 4 / 8 pin connected.

4/8 pin? There's a 20 pin (think it's twenty, it's the long one) and there's a 4 pin (labeled ATX12V1) on my motherboard. Is the latter the one you refer to? If so then yes it is connected, I used one of the PSU cables that's 8 but splits down into 2x 4 pin connectors for it (which would fit with my understanding of it either being an 8 pin OR a 4 pin). Sorry if I'm misunderstanding you, first time really dealing full on with a mobo instillation so it's the on area (that and PSU) that I'm quite naive on!

CMOS reset, that's when you remove, and then put back, the mobo battery right? (Just want to check before I do that!)

@Coxysis

I shall try that once I try the above

At the moment there's only 1 USB device connected (a wireless adapter for the keyboard and mouse), so once I try the above I'll give that a go

Randomface74 · 9 Sep 2013 at 20:31

post pictures

RJC · 9 Sep 2013 at 20:40

Stever49 said:
4/8 pin? There's a 20 pin (think it's twenty, it's the long one) and there's a 4 pin (labeled ATX12V1) on my motherboard. Is the latter the one you refer to? If so then yes it is connected, I used one of the PSU cables that's 8 but splits down into 2x 4 pin connectors for it (which would fit with my understanding of it either being an 8 pin OR a 4 pin). Sorry if I'm misunderstanding you, first time really dealing full on with a mobo instillation so it's the on area (that and PSU) that I'm quite naive on!

CMOS reset, that's when you remove, and then put back, the mobo battery right? (Just want to check before I do that!)

The power connections sound correct, as you say the 8 pin can split in two to use with boards like yours with only one 8 pin (this often gets missed

) and the main 24 pin ATX connector.

The CMOS reset is take the battery out for 10 minutes with the power removed or there is CMOS clear header on the board which you short with a screwdriver which is easier.

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 21:29

Stever49 · 9 Sep 2013 at 22:19

Update:

@RJC

Actually scrap what I said last time, I've just removed the battery as I felt that was easier for me to work out! Will leave it out for a while like instructed, replace and see what happens.