Blank screen on startup with new rig

ms4383 · 3 Dec 2007 at 21:32

thanks for help with previous posts. everything seems to be running ok now (no high pitched noises), but theres a completely blank screen when i power up, no bios, nothing. ive used an old hard drive, and my old system wouldnt allow me to format it. could this cause the rig to show nothing on start up? ive pluged both hard drive and dvd drive into the single IDE cable but i made the hard drive master and dvd slave. or is it more likely a problem with my graphics card.

rig is abit ip353 mobo, 8800 gt.
any advice greatly appreciated

ms4383 · 3 Dec 2007 at 22:17

different problem, previous threads have been resolved.
ive tried with 2 other monitors with no change, no beeps so i think the ram is fine, and fans all work, cpu fan, graphics fan and two case fans.
any ideas?

ms4383 · 3 Dec 2007 at 22:41

yeah its silent apart from the fan, what would you advise?

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 09:37

my rig is brand new, surely everything should be working?

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 11:13

a friend suggested it could be because im using an old hard drive that already has a graphics cards drivers installed. he suggested that if i uninstall the old graphics card on the old system, install the new drivers then put the hard drive into the new rig it could fix the problem. does this sound possible? i have reseated the graphics card several times.

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 13:28

still nothing on screen

have tried all advice, reseated graphics card, uninstalled drivers on old drive, tried to install new drivers but as the card wasnt installed on old rig it wouldnt allow it. even tried another hard drive but again nothing on screen. think it must be a problem with the 8800GT, and as theres no other monitor connector on the mobo i cant test the rig without the card.
Is there anyway to find the problem? all components seem to fire up when powered, and there are no beeps. im tryin to start with one ram stick, no dvd drive, as basic as possible but im still getting no bios screen. help?

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 15:15

also, the mobo came with a driver CD. Would installing the mobo's drivers on the hard drive help? or should i start the system up with driver cd inside?
sorry guys first time build am completely ignorant.

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 15:38

ive just discovered the dvd drive isnt powered at all. its definitly connected to the mobo and psu, so does this suggest a more basic problem as you say. if the dvd drive isnt on, the hard drive might not be as well. as im completely ignorant could you point me in the right direction. which connnection should i check, that would affect power to the dvd and hard drive, that is not the main mobo IDE cable or the PSU cable?

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 16:11

brand new corsair 450W

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 16:19

the only 4 pins near the top left say audio which is plugged into something, and CD1 which nothing from the PSU fits. any other ideas?

there is a 4 pin in the top right that says ATX12V1. that it maybe? i dont want to just plug in random things because ive got no clue what im doing to be honest. my mates are helping but there amateurs at best.

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 16:31

its actually an 8 bit lead not a 4 bit. thats not important right? theres plenty of spare 8 bits comin from the psu, just stick one in the slot?

ms4383 · 4 Dec 2007 at 16:43

BINGO. thankyou one and all, and dharok especially. youve made a compute moron happy. now just to muddle my way through bios

sure ill b back soon.