Some Basic PC Build Questions! Please Help.

Hatton · 17 Jul 2011 at 20:39

I'm nearing the end of my PC build but I have had some problems at the final hurdle.

Case: Corsair Obsidian 800D
Motherboard: ASUS Crosshair V Formula
PSU: Corsair HX850W

1) I have one spare front panel/case connecter that I don't know where to plug in. It's called "1394", I haven't a clue what it does either.

2) When I turn my powersupply switch to "on" and press the front panel "on" button nothing happens. In order to get my parts working I have to press the "Start" button which is on the Crosshair V Formula motherboard.

3) When my parts all start up I get green lights on different areas of the motherboard but a red light near the 24 pin (Does this mean something is wrong?)

4) I have got my monitor plugged in to the graphics card and put the windows 7 disc in but the monitor doesn't pick anything up and goes into sleep mode. I'm running two ATI Radeon 6850s in Crossfire - does it matter what graphics card I plug my monitor cable into to get a signal?

Any help is really appreciated, I hate to have come all this way to then get call a local "PC guy" over to finish the job off!

Cheers,

Hatton

RJC · 17 Jul 2011 at 20:45

1) That would be the FireWire cable, used for transferring data from video camera ect.

2) is the case power button connected to the motherboards correct header?

3) check that the 24 pin is connected tightly and that the 4 or 8 pin for CPU power is also connected.

4) I think it does not matter.

A few things to check: Is the memory in the correct slots, also try a CMOS reset.

Hatton · 17 Jul 2011 at 21:07

Also, my case doesn't seem to have the "speaker" attachment for the front panel connectors so when it is supposed to make certain beeps on boot up I can't hear them!

I checked the connectors and they are all in the same position as the diagram in the manual. The power button on the front still doesn't operate though.

I'm so frustrated, i'll sleep on it and have one more go tomorrow to see if I can actually do something.

Surveyor · 17 Jul 2011 at 21:43

2) Make sure you have connected the switch cable from the case to the correcy header on the motherboard.

3) Ensure the 24pin and 4/8 pin power cables are pushed home correctly.

4) With Crossfired cards you only use the outputs from the top card. It might be simpler to install Windows with one card and then put the second one in afterwards.

You need to set the boot priority so that the DVD drive is first when installing Windows.

Hatton · 18 Jul 2011 at 15:45

2) I have tried plugging the connector in both ways, front and back. It still doesn't power on using the front switch. All the other connectors work, the reset, the led lights, (i'm not sure if the harddrive led is working as I haven't written any data).

3) I have replugged the 24 pin cable correctly but still get the red status light. The light appears under the text "dram led", does anyone know what this means?

MeMeMeMe · 18 Jul 2011 at 18:30

2) are you absolutely sure you are putting it in the right slot? take a photo of the slot and surrounding area of the mboard, and post it for us to look at.

3) dram led sounds like memory - take out your RAM and put it back in, to make sure it is seated correctly.

4) crossfired cards: I think on some motherboards you can plug the video output into either card. On mine, you can, but you have to change a setting in bios if you use the second card. It's always simplest to use the top card.