Built new PC, no display when boot up.

[Pilko]

1 thing that I have just noticed is that when I boot up the PC the red light doesn't flicker on and off like they usually do when they boot up. It comes on very briefly when first switched on but then doesn't come back on again. Maybe the reason?

 

[Samm]

What red light?

Only red light I can think of that flickers would be the hard drive activity light.
If this is the one you mean, then light will only come on when the drive is being read/written to & if your machine isn't booting up then it won't be reading the drive, so that explains why light the stays off.

Besides, you shouldn't have any hard drives, optical drives, floppy drives or any of there respective cables attached to the mobo at the moment! Can't hope to diagnose this problem if you have stuff connected to motherboard other than cpu/ram/video.

Another thought, do the keyboards lights (CAPs lock, NUM lock & scroll lock) flash briefly when you power up the mobo?

 

[Pilko]

The keyboard lights don't come on no. Would that suggest that the problem is actually the motherboard? Shall I replace it with another that is working and see if that works? Is it ok to keep swapping cpu and everything over all the time?

 

[Micscience]

I've had this problem a few times. However I have bad memory i.e. mental memory . But I think the problem I had was the little white clip on the agp slot, The clip looked like it was locked in place but wasn't, then I played with it ,heard it snap in, and the PC started to display again. Just my 2 cents.

 

[desiboi]

have u tried using a different monitor?

 

[Pilko]

have u tried using a different monitor?

Yes.

 

[Pilko]

I've had this problem a few times. However I have bad memory i.e. mental memory . But I think the problem I had was the little white clip on the agp slot, The clip looked like it was locked in place but wasn't, then I played with it ,heard it snap in, and the PC started to display again. Just my 2 cents.

I wish it was that easy.

 

[Pilko]

I just replaced the memory with another that is exactly the same that I know works, but that didn't boot it up. I've also tried a working video card, but that didn't work. So am I down to the probelm being either the CPU or Motherboard, or could it be something else?

 

[Samm]

The keyboard lights don't come on no. Would that suggest that the problem is actually the motherboard? Shall I replace it with another that is working and see if that works? Is it ok to keep swapping cpu and everything over all the time?

No keyboard light flash means that the system isn't getting very far through the POST test. In fact, it suggests that its not even getting as far as checking the RAM.

Check the PSU (or try a different one) because although the psu comes on, if its not supplying enough voltage to the mobo, the system won't boot.

If psu checks out then you could well have a duff motherboard or CPU.
Before giving up on it completely though, try the following :

Make sure that :
1. the mobo is out of the case. (place it on a sheet of plain, non-coated cardboard or wood, not paper, to avoid shorting anything)

2. unplug all front panel connectors from mobo except the soft power one. If it doesn't reach, then you can turn system on by briefly bridging the 2 pins with a screwdriver.

3. disconnect everything except RAM, video, cpu, keyboard & psu.

4. Clear the cmos for about a minute & reset it.

Try to boot system.


If you still don't have any luck, then I would suspect the CPU or mobo as you said the RAM & video are OK.

Be careful if you do swap the cpu about - if heatsink is removed at any point, you should renew the thermal compound before powering it up again.

 

[synergy]

Make sure your memory is in the right slot.
Here is a similar thread.