Advice needed

[odie072]

My computer quit working a few months ago. I was going to just build a new computer, but a job change and money shortage had made me decide to just rebuild what I have.

First:
Thermaltake Xaser III tower
P4 3.0Ghz (from an old Dell, long story)
ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe Socket 478
Ultra X-connect 500Watt (replaced with FSP group 400Watt)
Geforce fx 5200 AGP(replaced with Sapphire Raedon x1650 Pro 512 mb)
Seagate Barracuda 7200 160 GB SATA HD
2 DVD's
SoundBlaster 5.1
512 mb (2 x 256mb) pc2700 DDR (added Kingston 1gb (2 x 512 mb))
Sceptre x20 20" lcd (replaced a Dell 17")
Windows XP Home sp2

When it first quit, I turned it on and the fans worked, the power light on the monitor was on but the screen was black.
So last week, I bought a new power supply, video card, memory and a new monitor, got everything put together, powered it up and pretty much the same thing. This time the monitor displayed "no signal detected", so I put the old video card in and still nothing.

All the fans are working, one of my DVD's will eject and the little green light flashes like it is trying to read a disk, the green light on the motherboard is working. The power light on the computer case comes on, but the Hard drive light stays on constant (no blinking). I've rechecked all my connections several times and they all seem OK. Nothing smells hot, no smoke.

So, any ideas? I'm not very good at troubleshooting these things. I could buy another hard drive as I could use it in another build if I have to. If I have to get another MB and CPU is there anyway I can use the AGP card I just bought??

If I do have to replace the MB and CPU, I would appreciate any suggestions so I can keep the price down and use what I can from the old one.

Thanks,
odie072 :nerd:

 

[atomic tofu]

i'm not sure if they still make agp mobos...could if you could

asus site is down for me since trying to look for info very recently 1/23/08 3:23pm EST

does that mobo have onboard video?
are those 2 cards agp and pci? That mobo has both?
you are using all 4 ram chips...are you putting them in correct order?
ie;
1 - 256
2 - 512
3 - 256
4 - 512

could be different for your mobo but they tend to have to be paired such that 1/2 = 3/4

replaced psu hooks up completely and properly to mobo?

when you redid this, did you take out the mobo? If so, recheck mounts and make sure they are all proper and not too tight.
Also check proper cpu mounting.

I am not sure how much draw the x1650 does, but I am guessing nothing much more than your 400watts can provide. So just check those specs again.

 

[odie072]

Thanks for the response. I know just enough about computers to get myself in a jam.

onboard video? Not real sure. There isn't a vga hookup except on the AGP card.
Both of the video cards are AGP. The motherboard is an 4x/8x AGP, but only at 1.5v.
Yes, the RAM sticks are in the proper order.

The new PSU hooked up ok and I didn't take out the mobo, just cleaned it real good. But I've rechecked and reseated everything. The monitor is working, I checked it with my laptop.

What could cause the HD light to stay steady on? It comes on when the power light comes on and stays steady till you shut down the computer.

A real quick history of the CPU and video card. They are all that is left from a Dell computer I had. Not to bash dell, but, I had the one year warranty and the computer had to be fixed 7 times, (PSU, CPU or Mobo, or a combination of).
I started out with a P4 2.4mhz and by the time the warranty was expired, I had a 3.0, (and the 3.0 fried one PSU). So the CPU and video card has been through problems.

I've found a new 3.0 Prescott at newegg and they also have a couple socket 478 Mobo, so I think I'll try a new CPU and if that doesn't work I'll try a new Mobo. By then I'll have a new, old computer. If I can limp it through about 8 months, I'll build a new one.

Thanks again
odie072:nerd:

 

[countrydude]

Maybe try removing the little lithium battery from the motherboard for a min or 2 then put it back in and see if that helps. This is just a wild stab in the dark.

 

[Luke]

Maybe try removing the little lithium battery from the motherboard for a min or 2 then put it back in and see if that helps. This is just a wild stab in the dark.

that would just reset the bios, i would try replacing the cpu (why did u buy a new monitor, why didn't u just test ur old one on ur laptop?

 

[odie072]

The old monitor was a 17" dell and it was heavy. It bowed a monitor shelf on a desk. That was just a upgrade.

Thanks,
odie072:nerd:

 

[Luke]

The old monitor was a 17" dell and it was heavy. It bowed a monitor shelf on a desk. That was just a upgrade.

Thanks,
odie072:nerd:

ooh, i though u replaced it because u thought it was the prob.

 

[sPlAtOiD]

Any BEEPS.
If no beep code then either you don't have a speaker or your CPU or Motherboard is toast or your grounding out on the case.

If take the board out of the case and put it on an antistatic bag leave your CPU in with fan, plug in your video card hook up your mouse and keyboard
not if you can leave your front pins for start switch and other stuff plugged in when you do this which is usually a little tricky.

If you don't have a MOBO book there not clearly marked draw the pin orientation out on piece of paper.

If you cant do this then when you take the front header wires off the pins make note of the 2 power pins. You can jumper those two pins to start the computer. just touch them for a sec and it will fire. If it works that is!

Anyhow that will test if your getting grounded out.