frustrating new build

[punkrkr52]

I'm in the middle of a complete system overhaul. new CPU, PSU, HDD, Video, Memory, and mobo. Hooked everything up, hit the power button, and everything comes on and starts spinning, but no POST, and nothing shows up on my monitor. I tried clearing cmos, changing the voltage jumpers, disconnected everything and tried with just the cpu, and still nothing. i tried everything one at a time, and nothing. I've tried everything i can think of, and i'm out of ideas. Anything i'm not thinking of? like i said,everything comes on and gets power, but it just wont post.

Mobo - Asus M4A78-E
CPU - Phenom II 810 2.6 ghz
HDD - Seagate 750gb
Vid - Sapphire Radeon 4850
Memory - Gskill 2x2gb ddr2 1066 (already checked the compatibility. its good)
PSU - OCZ XStream 500w

Thanks in advance. I really dont come around here often enough.

[punkrkr52]

UPDATE:
Tried my roomates 600W psu and still nothing. i believe the problem comes down to either the cpu or mobo being doa.

[cauzomb]

Ensure that you have bios version 0505 or later, think 0505 is the release bios, dunno how you will check this without a post screen though.

Ensure that the CLRTC jumper is in the normal default position jumpering pins one and two

Ensure that the chassis entrusion detection jumper is in the default position, connecting "chassis signal" and "ground"

Ensure that you are using the correct PCI-E power tap from the PSU, some ati products have a 6 pin, saphire product page for the 4850 shows a 6 pin power tap; if you have a modular PSU, ensure that the PCI-E power tap is connected to a 6 pin power tap on both ends. If your board has built in video, manual shows rear connector number 8 DVI out, try connecting your monitor to this yet?

Any chance you can verify that the memory/video/cpu are working in another machine?
Use your 4850 in the blue slot with the asus vga switch card in the black slot, to enable 16x
have you tried either videocard monitor plug?
Is the monitor turned on? does it have a "source" button, tried that?

No offence on the obvious stuff, or stuff you may have already tried. These are the steps I would take. Verify that the other components are working in another machine, then check the jumpers, power taps on the motherboard.. If things test OK on another machine, it sounds like RMA time for the CPU or mobo.

[punkrkr52]

No offense taken, i could have been more specific. i shall address these one at a time

Bios - i'd love to flash it, but as you stated, dont know how i would with no post.

CLRTC is in the correct position. i tried clearing cmos already and double checked to see it was in the correct placement.

Monitor was on, it told me no signal.

Intrusion detection is also correctly jumpered

PCI-E was also correctly connected. I thought maybe it was the card so i removed it, and used just the onboard video, but still to no avail. no post regardless.

The Vid card (when installed) was in the blue slot, with the switch in the black slot


It seems no matter what i do, i still just cannot get a post. after my last post (in the thread) i removed everything, and reinstalled just the mobo, cpu and psu, and still no post. tried switching the memory to the other channel, i used only 1 dimm and tried it in each slot one at a time, and still nothing. everything gets power, but no post. unless anyone can think of anything else, i believe i have either a dead cpu or mobo.

I could try all the individual parts in my roomates machine, but the fact remains that even with just board and cpu i should at the very least get a post beep error but i dont get anything.

[cauzomb]

Board manual recommends using G.Skill 2x 2GB in the yellow slots, but you could try to enduce a post beep with no memory GPU/drives installed, just the board, PSU, power switch and make sure the internal speaker is connected. No ram beep code will be a long beep with two short beeps. If you don't get a beep code with no ram, it's pretty much down to the CPU or motherboard being faulty.

[punkrkr52]

i did try w/o memory installed in the hope that i could get a beep code. other than swapping the cpu out, do you think there is anyway i could narrow it down to the board or cpu? or should i RMA both?

[cauzomb]

Just RMA both, unless you know a local tech willing to try your CPU for free. Oh, call your retailer as soon as possible too; they might be willing to cross ship replacement parts if you have shopped with them often enough/

[punkrkr52]

well i got it all from newegg. they're pretty good about rma's so i'm not too worried. i just may have to wait a week or so for new stuff to arrive. Thanks for the help cauz. no matter how sure i am of something its always good to hear the same opinion from someone else. I'll send in the rma request to newegg today. thanks again!

[cauzomb]

You're welcome, waiting's not so fun.. Good time to get out and do some yardwork though.. I'm playing the waiting game for some simple little hose clamps that I need for my water cooling loop I bought 8 1/2" hose clamps and 4-6 3/8" clams; then wound up needing two more after switching out my CPU block 3/8" fittings to 1/2" but the store was out of the 1/2" clamps.. I went to other store's to find the clamps, but nobody had them, went back to the original store to order them. The clerk mentioned that they would order them and to check back next week "last week" I went back on monday to see if they got a chance to oder them, they said that they didn't order them because they had them in stock but they had the wrong type in stock.... Turned out that their stock person was there the day that I went to check, so I placed my order with the stock person, instead of the front counter.. Gotta wait a couple more days.. It seems like they would have just placed the order on the day that I went back in to order em since I asked for a whole box of clamps.. Kinda frustrating..

[punkrkr52]

Man that sounds a bit ridiculous. Fortunatley I have my badass little netbook, so its not like i'm computerless, but i dont like always leaving it on like i do my desktop. my battery in this thing lasts me a good 5-6 hours while using wifi and i'd like to keep the battery in good condition. I still have a computer I suppose, its just tht i spent nearly $700 on my first build in a couple years since i couldnt afford it until recently. and now i just have to sit and wait more.