Building PC -Help we are stuck at a problem

My son and I decided to each build a PC. He has a AMD 2800+ processor, a Elitegroup K7VTA3 Ver 6.0 Motherboard with EZMedia 350W PS 256MB SDRAM memory and I have a AMD 1.2GHz processor on a ASUS A7A266 Motherboard with Deer 300W PS and 256MB SDRAM memory. This was kind of a contest between us. We are both at the point where we got everything installed and turned on the power and the board,keyboard lights up, the fans start up, the HD's spins, but neither of us get a video signal to the monitor. We went back and checked all connections, reseatted all boards, tested all ram, switched out our video cards with different ones, and tried taking out all but the basic cards, but with the same results. Please, if anyone can tell us what we might be doning wrong, we would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

 

both pc's send no signal to one monitor.. hmm.. try a different monitor. Let us know!

 

Thanks for your reply. No, we have two different monitors and we tested the monitors on another PC and they both work. I've tried both PCI and AGP video cards in mine with no results.

 

Have you checked to make sure you have the RAM in the proper slots? Many boards require RAM to be installed starting with a particular slot. Just an idea.

 

In addition to Stygiis' post, do the machines beep at all?

 

btw, you can also try clearing the cmos, i know it sounds weird, but somethimes itll help

 

Also if you have a separate soundcard and the mobo has onboard sound ensure you disable this before physically fitting the card

 

Are you sure you guys didn't accidentally switch processors at some point? I realize it's along shot, but some processors fit, but the board won't use them. I had that problem. Are the power supplies new? If not, make sure they work.

 

Thanks all,

The PS on both units are new. I've tried switching the ram to all different slots with no change. I will take a look at the sound card vs onboard sound and get back on that. No we didn't switch processors, working in two different location, upstairs vs downstairs, and each have the correct CPU. On one of them I get a beep at bootup but the other one gives no beep.

 

Did you check the Hard Drives? I've had problems with that before. Are all jumpers correct?

 

Yes I tried to boot without a hard drive connected which would have at least given me a post screen but instead, I get absolutely no signal going to the monitor (no green light that indicate that the monitor is getting signal).

 

The Computer that gives you no POST beep, if you can, try different RAM. Also, check the manufacturers web site to amke sure the RAM you have is compatible with these boards. Check the web site for compatibility of all of the hardware you are putting on the boards for that matter.

 

Do either of those boards have a square 4-pin power connector near the processor? Not having that pulled in could cause similar problems. Just throwing out ideas.

 

They shouldn't, since they're both AMD boards, but do the Video cards need to be plugged into the power supplies? If so, the supplies might not have the power needed to run them, or might not have the connectors.

 

I am not stating that this is your problem but AMDs need a lot of juice check the rail voltages which can be found on the side of the psu.
Example
Enermax EG465-VE-FM Psu Silent
Output-+3.3V@35A, +5V@35A,-5V@1A,+12V@33A,-12V@1A,+5VSB@2.2A
Den

 

This must be driving you mad. Does the board take DDR as well as SD RAM. If so try using a stick of DDR to see what happens.

 

Some of the newer video cards require a separate 4 pin power connection in addition to being plugged into the board. That's another remote possibility

 

Some AMD motherboards do in fact require the extra 4 pin P4 power connector. I'm fairly sure the Asus board won't, but the ECS one might.

 

Yes, I have an AMD 64 and that requires the power link. Did you try the soundcard approach. I only ask as I have just sorted the sameish problem for someone on the same mobo and that's what did it

 

I am pretty sure you guys don't have the correct ram even, like the 2800+ should at least be using DDR 266 (pc2100), to be on the safe side you should really use DDR 333.