[Aceras]

i just got done putting my computer together. now the motherboard boots up and everything becuase it has lights all over it. but nothing shows up on the screen. ive tried putting the monitor on both connectors. it makes the cracling sound so i know its connected.

ill post my specs if you need them.

but the basics are geforce 8800 gt, intel e8400, evga slot 775 680i.

[Carbon]

PSU is usually the culprit, that or video. Make sure you hooked up the power lead to the 8800GT.

[Aceras]

both hooked up, but i did use the "pci-e" connector instead of the adapter that came with the card.


edit: just doublechecked and its all running in there, including the gpu fan. psu is 500w

[Carbon]

Crackling sound - you mean a CRT degaussing? That doesn't mean it's connected, only that it's powered on.

Monitor worked before? Using VGA or DVI?

[Aceras]

yea i just unplugged it from this laptop before i put it into the desktop.

um not sure the type but its a typical plug that i put onto one of those adapters for the card

[Carbon]

So there's no adapter, which means it's DVI..this may seem stupid, but really re-checked the connection? Sometimes they have to be really tight.

[Aceras]

i just unplugged and replugged everything in. even tried a different adapter for it. nothing again.

[Aceras]

just varified that it works though, repluged it into this laptop.

[Aceras]

ill go ahead and put up all i can think of that may help.

cpu intel E8400
mobo evga 680i lt (said that bios needed to be upgraded to accomodate e8400)
ram 2gb mushkin 800
graphics evga geforce 8800gt 512
psu 500w antec phantom 500

as i said before, everything powers up, fans turn on, lights light, etc
stays that way until i turn it off but again, nothing shows on the monitor ( plugged in with the adapter that came with the card).

hopefully if i leave this up someone will get an "eureka" moment and it will be fixed *crosses fingers*

thank you for all your help

[Aceras]

ok new update, i looked on another tech support forum and someone had a similar problem. they told him to take off the power cord to the motherboard from teh case and touch the two pins with a screwdriver. evidently if it doesn't turn off when you do that again it means mobo, but mine shut back down. so im assuming its the PSU.

this sound like a decent assumption. the psu is fairly old (4 years ago i got it) and the other persons psu was same wattage

[Carbon]

I would guess the PSU can't dedicate enough power to the PCI-E rail -> no video card (except for fan spinning which doesnt take a lot of juice) -> no video.

Remember, total watts matters, but those watts can be divided up badly, less amps on the rails that matter.

[Aceras]

makes sense, i went ahead and ordered the Antec TruePower Trio 650, has 3 19amp +12v rails. if this doesn't cover it it must be something else.

heres hoping everything works.....

[Carbon]

Sorry about that, I genuinely thought it'd work. Least you gave it a shot :)

[Aceras]

definitely, better to find out it doesn't work and get a new psu than think it wont, buy a new one and then find out i wasted a good 100$ ^_^


btw i really appreciate all the help youve given me on the building of and troubleshooting the new comp :)

[Aceras]

well the new psu didnt' help. i still have nothing showing on the screen. everything still turns on. fans and lights everywhere.

could it be that my gpu fan works but that something is wrong with the actually gpu unit?