Urgent help required on PC build

[mank!]

This is going to be quite long but I implore you to read it and help me, even if it's the most obvious thing that I've not mentioned. I am going insane and I'm stuck with this stuff and will lose a considerable amount of money if I can't get it to work. Please help me.

I'll start off with a bit of background, my original set up was a P4 2Ghz, 1GB PC2100 DDR RAM, Epox 4BDA2+, GeForce 4 Ti4200, iiyama VMPRO 413, 360W PSU, 1x 40GB Seagate Barracuda, 1x 60GB Seagate Barracuda, 1x Lite-On CDRW, 1x LG-DVD-ROM, 1x FA311/312 PCI Network card and a SB! Live sound card. I built this system about three years ago and it's served me well but new game don't run so well, so I ordered the following:

AMD 64 3500 Winchester
ASUS A8V Deluxe
1GB Corsair XLPT 3200 DDR RAM
Leadtek Winfast A400TDH GT (Geforce 6800GT)

Anticipating it's arrival, I got all excited and set out to build it a couple of weeks ago. I gutted my case and rebuilt entirely from scratch, following the instructions in the motherboard manual and CPU manual. Once I got it all sorted I went to boot up and had a loud screech from the case, after a bit of investigation I narrowed this down to my stupidity in overlooking the fact the new 6800GT would need power via the molex cable. In the meantime, the original 360W PSU went and with no other means of getting one I went into town and picked up a Jeantech 500W PSU and fitted it that night, once again gutting the case entirely to start from scratch the following morning.

After an early start the following day I set out to build it and within an hour or so I had it all sorted and went to boot up, no screeching this time and I could hear what I can only think is the POST beep. However, my monitor showed nothing but a plain white screen. I consulted the monitor manual and this is the iiyama self-diagnosis screen, according to which it means the monitor is fine and the computer itself is at fault. I took out my new 6800GT and fitted the GF4 Ti4200 and the monitor still showed a blank white screen as it did before. I thought this might be a dodgy cable, so I shot into town and bought a new one, came home and fitted it to the GF4 Ti4200 that was still in my case and booted up. It worked! I saw it POST, it went through it and asked me to press any key to enter the BIOS to set up. Thinking I'd solved it, I turned off the PC and put the 6800GT in and turned it back on. Blank white screen again. I spent the next hour or so switching between the two cards, making sure it was seated properly and didn't get anything but the blank white screen again.

Subsequent to a consultation with technical support, I tried reseating the RAM, also trying my old PC2100 instead with no difference. I reseated everything, making sure it was all seated correctly and followed a Haynes Build Your Own Computer book I'd picked up out of desperation. Still nothing. Finally, I gave up and sent it back for testing and receieved the exact same goods yesterday with a note saying no fault found. With concern aforethought, I set about rebuilding the PC with the new hardware once more. Exactly the same problem still, yet according to the where it was tested it worked absolutely fine. I know for a fact the 6800GT works fine as I am using it right now on my Epox 4BDA2+ / P4 2ghz system without any problems whatsoever. The improvement in performance over my Ti4200 isn't huge but the RAM is bottlenecking it as far as I can tell.

I've slept on it last night and I can only think that I've forgotten to do something blatantly obvious or I'm not doing something right. I can't afford to send it back for testing again if there's nothing wrong with it, so please help me. Any suggestions are welcome, however simple they may seem to you. I am by no means anywhere near an expert on computers. I'm considering getting somebody out to build it for me so I don't have to deal with it as it's sending me insane.

Please help me before the men in white coats drag me away.

 

[smurkin]

a tuff one...dont think I've come accross a white screen before. Here are some thoughts.

First...reset the bios - look in the mobo manual - there should be a jumper on the board somewhere. Thats definitely worth trying first coz its easy.

Is the mobo shorting against the case ? Are you using proper grommets to attach it to the case ? Take it out. Check the board for obvious defects, metal shards.


Next. Unplug EVERYTHING (well...dont unhook the cpu/fan just yet)...stick in the graphics card. Hookup the monitor & give the monitor power. Put the power into the mobo (two sets of connectors) and the graphics card. Switch on. DO you get anything on screen (other than white) or any beeps ?

If you get something on screen, your in buisness. Post back.

If not....well your graphics card is probably ok...I would consider mobo or cpu broke or new psu broke.

 

[mank!]

Thanks for the quick reponse.

I've tried resetting the BIOS, I know that bit. There's a little piece of metal on the motherboard near the back of the chassis by the PS2 connector which snapped off when originally fitting the case, could that be shorting it?

I'll try the very basics one tomorrow or Sunday, I need a break from it atm. The graphics card is fine because I'm using it now in my old PC.

 

[Trem]

I am going to say its your motherboard.

So, thats narrowed that down. Smurkins idea is a very good one and that catches alot of people out. It can short on a number of things but the most common one is the studs that are put onto the case plate(the little golden coloured ones) that hold the motherboard on tend to be put in the wrong holes(fnaar). So check this first. Take out your motherboard and check CHECK that the copper studs are going on the right part of the motherboard.

My other idea is the card not liking the motherboard in some way. Try a bios update.

Post after you've tried those things young Jimmy.

 

[SawTooTH]

I usually run it outside the case first before putting it all inside. Saves time later.

and I just mean the bare essentials to get to the bios screen

 

[mank!]

It works outside the case!

I want a new case anyway so I'll buy that first, but I'm thinking it's something by the PS/2 connector. At least I know it definitely works.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

N1 !
Now get HL2/CSS installed and witness the loveliness

 

[smurkin]

is that a chieftec case ? It looks like one ! I am surprised its causing problems. ime they are quite good.

Glad you sorted it.

 

[mank!]

Fantastic! Got it all working again now, new Coolermaster case and an hour spent carefully building it and all is well. spent tonight reformatting, reinstalling and generally sorting things out. I'm so chuffed

thanks for the help guys

 

[Cask]

What case did you get mankypoos?

 

[mank!]

Coolermaster Cavalier 3

 

[SawTooTH]

My pleasure to help...seems to be my lot these days..Dads on my phone every weekend with a new problem he's created