HELP! New build not connecting to monitor

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:11

hi, i was wondering if anyone can help me?
I have just built my first computer and it consists of the following components:

CPU:Intel Core i7 950 @ 3.06GHz
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
MB: Asus x58 Sabertooth motherboard
RAM: Corsair XMS3 DDR3 6GB (2x3GB)
GPU: XFX HD 5870
HDD: Western Digital Blue Cavier 640GB (taken from old computer, has windows 7 home premium 64-bit installed)
PSU: Corsair TX650 Watt
Case: Cooler Master CM690II Advanced
Monitor: Samsung SyncMaster 2333HD

The problem i am having is that when i connect my new pc via HDMI to my Samsung SyncMaster 2333HD monitor the screen goes black and shows a 'no signal' message, however, through the same connection my old pc which has a HD 4350 works just fine. I have tried the HDMI and DVI to VGA adapter connection where the DVI is on the hd 5870 and the VGA on the monitor and still no luck . I have also made sure that all wires and components are connected properly. The new pc seems to be working fine as all the case fans, the cpu cooler fan the gpu fan, the motherboard LEDs are working. I just cannot seem to get it to connect to my monitor and have been trying for the past 8 hours . Any help will be greatly appreciated, and apologies for such a long post.

Nvidiot · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:14

Hi there

Is the 5870 in the top slot? both 6pin power leads are in it?

you may need to use just a DVI connection untill you install the ATI drivers so that the HDMI then works?

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:16

hi,
yh its in the top slot and both 6pin power leads are connected.- the psu is brand new it arrived today.
thank you so much i will try it out tomorrow and post an update

Nvidiot · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:17

Take the 4350 out of the old pc and try that in the new pc

EDIT, silly me, assuming that the 4350 is a pci-e card

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:20

i have tried that and through the hdmi connection it still shows 'no signal' on the screen

Nvidiot · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:23

mardin said:
i have tried that and through the hdmi connection it still shows 'no signal' on the screen

Did you try just DVI connection, I got a funny feeling that you need to have the drivers installed to use HDMI

GregI · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:25

I know you said wires and components were connected properly but please double check the graphics card is firmly attached to the pci-e slot. You should hear a very distinctive click on inserting it. I had same trouble with my build last week. You could also try and attach the speaker to the motherboard to get a beep code.

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:31

@Nvidiot, I haven't tried just a pure dvi connection yet, ill need to purchase a dvi connector tomorrow and ill let you know.
@GregI, i have pushed the graphics card all the way in it wont go any further, how do i attach the speaker to the motherboard? thanks in advance

EDIT, by attaching speaker to the motherboard meaning the HD Audio wire from the case? if so that has already been connected.

cmndr_andi · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:33

Hi there,

Just a few basic things I should run through first:

- Have you installed the motherboard on top of stand-offs or directly onto the case side?

-If you used stand-offs, did you use only those required or are there other stand-offs behind the board which can't be screwed in?

- Have you connected both the 24pin and 4/8 pin power connections from the PSU to the motherboard.

- Have you checked that the CPU cooler is securely mounted and the cooling fan power connection is attached to the motherboard?

- Have you tried booting the system with just 1 RAM stick installed (and changing the particular RAM stick and RAM slots used)?

- Have you tried connecting your monitor using just a DVI to DVI cable?

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:40

@cmndr_andi
i have installed the motherboard on top of stand-offs and used all stand-offs required for the motherboard.
i have connected a 24pin and 8 pin power connections from the PSU to the motherboard.
the CPU fan is also securely mounted and the power connection is connected to the motherboard - it works when i switch on the power.
I haven't tried with just one RAM stick nor with dvi to dvi connection, ill be sure to post an update as soon as possible. In the mean time if there are any more suggestions i will greatly appreciate it thanks so much

GregI · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:43

mardin said:
EDIT, by attaching speaker to the motherboard meaning the HD Audio wire from the case? if so that has already been connected.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/images/reviews/cases/NZXT_ALPHA/Speaker-Battery.jpg

That ^

When you start up your system it should beep in a distinctive pattern. Your motherboard manual should tell you what the beep is saying is wrong. This is assuming your motherboard was supplied with one.

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:51

@GregI
oh i see what you mean, unfortunantly this hasn't been supplied with my motherboard so there aren't any beeps on startup. if you know were i can find one of these wires which are compatible for my motherboard please let me know. thanks for your help

cmndr_andi · 13 Apr 2011 at 00:51

After you have done the things you mention above, is it possible for you to test out the 5870 graphics card in any other PCs you have access to?

If you have a PC which has a x16 PCI-E slot, but the PSU in that machine is not powerful enough then you could temporarily transfer your corsair 650W. This is a big hassle, but will allow you to determine whether the graphics card is at fault or not (if it displays correctly then the issue would have to be somewhere else).

I would also suggest resetting the CMOS. This is pretty simple and can be done with a specific jumper which should be shown in your motherboard manual.

gug54321 · 13 Apr 2011 at 01:16

is there any onboard graphics to try, i had to use this until the gpu drivers were installed

cmndr_andi · 13 Apr 2011 at 01:17

gug54321 said:
is there any onboard graphics to try, i had to use this until the gpu drivers were installed

Unfortunately the X58 boards don't have an onboard GPU.

To the OP: Is the 4350 card in the other PC a PCI-E model? If it is, I suggest you install that as the primary graphics card in the X58 system. If it all starts working then it looks like an issue with the 5870, if it still doesn't work then the issue is elsewhere.

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 01:31

ok here is what i have done so far:
i have turned the new pc on with only one stick of RAM, and a dvi to vga adapter connected to the GPU and the vga connector on the other end to the monitor and still no luck

.
i have replaced the hd 5870 with the hd 4350 from the older pc onto the x58 motherboard in the new pc and still no display is being shown. unfortunantly my other pc is too small to test the 5870 in.
The LEDs that light up in the x58 motherboard are the power LED which is green, and a Red LED called MEMOK which is constantly on. i have tried holding down the MEMOK button as the motherboard manual states and the system restarts and still nothing.

cmndr_andi · 13 Apr 2011 at 01:48

Ah, that sounds like the issue is not the graphics card - since you are having the same issue with both cards. That is progress at least.

I would suggest you now go to the motherboard manual and look at page 2-22 (2.6 Jumpers) and follow the procedure to erase RTC RAM.

If this doesn't help, would it be possible for you to post a few photos of the motherboard and the connections made to it? Often this helps getting to be bottom of the issue.

GregI · 13 Apr 2011 at 01:51

mardin said:
The LEDs that light up in the x58 motherboard are the power LED which is green, and a Red LED called MEMOK which is constantly on.

I did a google of MEMOK and saw this video. He says MEMOK should disappear (he also tells of how it stays on if there is a problem with RAM) but yours is staying on. Can you try different sticks?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9azllBzU5PU

Might be wrong but if you can use a stick you could then see the BIOS and configure the memory for your new modules, shut down the PC and insert the new ones. Motherboard should like them then and be able to post.

cmndr_andi · 13 Apr 2011 at 02:00

GregI said:
I did a google of MEMOK and saw this video. He says MEMOK should disappear (he also tells of how it stays on if there is a problem with RAM) but yours in staying on. Can you try different sticks?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9azllBzU5PU

Good spot - according to the manual (page 2-24) this light is only constantly on if incompatible memory is installed or the memory is not fully inserted.

To the OP: May I ask, are the RAM sticks fully inserted so that the plastic tabs lock the sticks in place? This does require considerable force to accomplish.

Also, what are the exact make and model numbers of the RAM stick/ RAM kit?

If you are confident that the RAM stick (just use one stick to reduce complexity) is fully inserted and the MemOK light is still solidly on, then press and hold the MemOK button until the LED starts blinking. This will begin memory tuning which will automatically chance the memory settings to find a configuration where it will boot successfully.

mardin · 13 Apr 2011 at 02:16

Thanks for you help guys.
i have done the procedure to clear RTC RAM as stated on page 2-22 in my motherboard manual. I left one stick of RAM in the motherboard and then switched on my system and still no display via the vga port of my monitor and the MemOK light was still solidly on, so i held the MemOK button for three seconds and the system switched off and on again but the light was still solidly on as before. I then re inserted the 2 other RAM sticks held the MemOK button and the system turned off and on again and still the MemOK light is on solidly.
The make and model of my RAM is as follows:
Corsair CMX6GX3M3A1600C9 DDR3