Hi,
I recently built a machine, just after sticking in the graphics card, ATI Rage and turned on the computer AND...nothing. Fans come on, hard drive spins, but no display on monitor. Whats wrong?????
Also I am getting no beeps from the pc speaker when I turn it on! might be though that I have it connected wrong as the motherboard has four pins for speaker connection but the speaker only has two wires.
Please help me, what could be wrong, graphics card??
This system cost a lot of money and i really can't afford to replace anything!!

My machine is:
AMD thunder bird socket A 800MHz
ASUS A7V Socket A motherboard
western digital expert 20.5GB IDE hard drive
ATI 8MB AGP graphics card


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CraZee FooL

Hey CraZee,

Sounds like a graphics card problem to me. Have you made sure all connections are secure? Do you have another AGP slot that you could try? Do you have an old graphics card lying around that you could try? I believe that no post codes at startup signify a video card problem.

Recheck all connections. Make sure video card is firmly seated. Try a different AGP slot if available. Try an old PCI or ISA video board if one is available. Try the monitor on a different computer if possible. Try the video card on a different computer if possible.

Have you recently went from a PCI or ISA based video card to the AGP? Is AGP enabled in your bios?

Just a few thoughts on the matter. Maybe somebody else will have other opinions as well.

Good luck. Let us know how you're doing.

Big Blue 66

I recently had the exact same problem. I did a little research and found that my problem was I was using the wrong type of RAM. Most PIII motherboards require "Unbuffered" "3.3" volt RAM chips. I don't know if a 64MByte RAM chip will work on a high end system such as you have (you may need 128 minimum). Secondly, most of these boards will not accept SIMM RAM chips. So, check the following:

Make sure you are using a DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module)...it will have memory module on each side of the RAM chip.

Second, check to make sure the RAM you are using is unbuffered (if that is what your motherboard requires unbuffered RAM (Which I am pretty sure it does).

When I took care of these two problems by purchasing "unbuffered, 3.3 volt DIMMs" my problem was solved.

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Originally posted by CraZee FooL:
Hi,
I recently built a machine, just after sticking in the graphics card, ATI Rage and turned on the computer AND...nothing. Fans come on, hard drive spins, but no display on monitor. Whats wrong?????
Also I am getting no beeps from the pc speaker when I turn it on! might be though that I have it connected wrong as the motherboard has four pins for speaker connection but the speaker only has two wires.
Please help me, what could be wrong, graphics card??
This system cost a lot of money and i really can't afford to replace anything!!

My machine is:
AMD thunder bird socket A 800MHz
ASUS A7V Socket A motherboard
western digital expert 20.5GB IDE hard drive
ATI 8MB AGP graphics card

Looks like most of it has been covered. Now for the speaker...some boards use two pins beside each other, some use one on each end. MOst speaker cables have a 4 connector plug. You can:
1. Simply turn the connector around, and reverse the polarity.
2. Change the placement of the wires, and try it. Use a straight pin to gently lift the small tab on one side and remove the wires, then you can move them to the places you need. Or leave them out of the plug, and try different placement until you find what works, then replace the plug.

Changing the wires around won't hurt anything, if you get them wrong you just won't have a speaker. Usually the red wire goes on the #1 pin.

Check the motherboard manual, it should show where the speaker plugs in, and the polarity. The #1 pin on the board should also be marked.



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Soon as I come up with all the answers...they change the questions!!

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

Okay folks thanks for the help.
I'll be trying out the graphics card ina different computer tonight, so i'll let ye know how I get on.
About the speaker, I tried out all combinations of the wires(thats 12) and still no beeps.
Heres the story, on the motherboard it has four pins for the speaker labelled from left to right as +5V, Ground, Ground, Speaker.
My speaker has two separate wires, a red one and a black one, with no markings on them. Any ideas on how to connect them??
My RAM is 128MB SDRAM, which I bought about a month ago, I don't know whether it's unbuffered or not, I know my motherboard needs unbuffered memory though, would RAM that new really not be unbuffered, I think nearly all motherboards require unbuffered RAM these days!
I was kinda suspecting the RAM myself as I did a bit of reading last night and found out that if the computer made no beeps at all on startup it's probably the RAM or the cache=> BAD, VERY BAD
Again thanks for the help folks, I'll let ye know how I get on tonight

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CraZee FooL

[This message has been edited by CraZee FooL (edited 12-05-2000).]

Just a hunch here, but methinks that maybe the red speaker wire should go on the pin labeled 'speaker' and the black wire should go to the pin right next to it labeled 'ground'. See if that works.

Big Blue

Yep, you got it Blue...that's exactly where they go...

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Soon as I come up with all the answers...they change the questions!!

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

Right cheers I'll try that.
Didn't get to test the graohics card last night cos the guy whose computer I was gonna use is gone for a week!!
I'll be getting a brand new GeForce 2 GTS next week though, so I'll find out then.
Heres another disturbing problem that I forgot to mention though, when I plug in my machine to the mains it turns itself on automatically! Is this a problem with the power supply???
The switch on the front works fine to turn it off and on after this but this turning itself on automatically is kinda bothering me http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
Oh, I checked the keys on my RAM last night and its definately unbuffered 3.3V RAM which is what my motherboard needs but thanks for the info anyway yates http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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CraZee FooL

[This message has been edited by CraZee FooL (edited 12-06-2000).]

Check the back of the case to see if it has a main power switch. Also when you turn it off and need to unplug it, you might hold the power switch on front down for about 5 seconds, that should shut it down completely.

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Soon as I come up with all the answers...they change the questions!!

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

No power switch on back of it. I know about the holding the power switch for 5 seconds to turn it off completely, that works but was just wondering if it is a fault that it turns itself on when I plug it in or is this normal for some power supplies?? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

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CraZee FooL

Without a main power switch to cut power completely, it might be normal for that machine, I'm not sure. If you plug in my sister's Compaq without the power switch in back turned off, it does the same.

I do know it's just one of the reasons I think the guy who invented the ATX form factor should be hung from his toenails and tickled for 7 months by fat ladies with feathers...for starters...

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Soon as I come up with all the answers...they change the questions!!

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

I did the a7v upgrade had the same prob. This board and cpu are power hoggs, you didn't mention the size of your PS a GOOD 250W is minimum with 300W suggested. check asus.com for recomendations.

More power to ya http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/cool.gif

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Nunof

I have a 300W power supply, but its brand new and has never been used before.
But would the hard drive spin up, and its activity led momentary flash if it was a faulty power supply and the motherboard wasnt getting enough power??????

Heres something else I noticed thats a bit weird, if I have my floppy drive connected when I boot up, the hard drive led will momentarily flash and then the floppy drive one lights up and stays lit!! but I can hear no activity from the floppy drive itself-weird eh? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

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CraZee FooL

Typically a solid green led on your floppy drive means that the ribbon cable is installed backwards. Find pin 1 on both the motherboard and the floppy drive, and connect the ribbon cable with the dashed red markings to pins 1. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

your 300w ps should be plenty, and my hd would spin and that would be the point that the boot would stop.

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Nunof

Originally posted by CraZee FooL:
But would the hard drive spin up, and its activity led momentary flash if it was a faulty power supply and the motherboard wasnt getting enough power??????


It is possible for the 12V and 5V to be below specification and still spin the hard drive and light the LEDs, but be too low for the circuitry on the motherboard, and the voltage regulator on the motherboard might not be able to provide the CPU voltage in an under-voltage condition. You could check for proper voltage at a power connector with a voltmeter.



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reido@my-deja.com