First Time Builder - Video Card - Please HELP

Discussion in 'Building a new PC' started by onawire72, Mar 26, 2009.

  1. onawire72

    onawire72 Member

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    I needed a second computer, so I bought one on ebay. Everything is together except I needed to buy a hard drive and a video card.

    I'm not in to gaming so I only needed something that would work.

    I bought a Sparkle Geforce 9500 GT 1024MB DDR2 PCI Express 2.0.
    Newegg:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814187034

    The motherboard is:

    XFX MB-N780-ISH9 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI Intel Motherboard

    Newegg:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] XFX%20780I

    I installed the hdd, and then put in the video card, plugged in my monitor and the monitor says no signal. I know the monitor works because I connected it to my laptop.

    What could be the problem? DOA?



    PSU:
    CoolMax CXI-600B
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817159055


    My computer starts up fine, no problem. It has a clean HDD in it so I don't have an operation system yet.

    My other computer is a laptop, I can only test to see if the monitor works, and it does.

    I start up the computer, and the monitor just says (NO SIGNAL), then just a blank screen. Though, if I have the monitor already on (blank screen) and then turn on the computer, the monitor senses something because all of a sudden it says (NO SIGNAL), but then goes away to a blank screen.

    I dont' really have anything to test it with. Is it possible that I didn't have the video card completely in the PCI express slot and it shorted or something? I watched videos and read about video card installation, and if doesn't seem like it should be this difficult.

    Is there anything that I need to do to the motherboard, I have 3 PCI e slots, I have the video card in the #1 slot.

    I've looked all over for a compatibility list btw the video cards and motherboard, but haven't been able to find one. I don't want to send it back and get a replacement just to find out that the motherboard doesn't like this card.

    paul

    Anybody have any ideas?
     
  2. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Did you buy the stuff as a complete system from the same guy? If you did, send it bck. That's the world's worst power supply brand and one of the world's worst motherboards. If you don't have issues now, you will later. You can keep the 9500GT, that's alright, but return the board and PSU (and aything else it came with).

     
  3. onawire72

    onawire72 Member

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    But, why won't it work? The motherboard and power supply will eventually be replaced but what could be the problem? I just need something to work for the next 2 weeks while my laptop is being fixed.

    paul
     
  4. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    It could potentially be a faulty motherboard or Power Supply, and if it is, all the other diagnostics are a waste of time. With poor quality components, you're always at risk of that happening. Firstly though, check you have plugged the 4-pin CPU power connector into the motherboard, that the board is screwed onto proper standoffs, and not screwed directly into the case, and that the CPU cooler and RAM are securely attached.
     
  5. onawire72

    onawire72 Member

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    Thank you for the advice. I got it to work. Not really sure what I did exactly, just one of those things, where you stare at something long enough and it just decides to work.

    I unplugged the power supply to the motherboard and plugged it back in and I noticed that one of the memory cards wasn't connected completely. Not sure if that has anything to do with it but thats all I did.

    thanks again,
    paul
     
  6. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Possibly. As I say though, you are runing a great risk with that Power supply. All you stand to lose with the motherboard is it may well fail within 6 months to a year, but if the PSU fails, it could take the rest of your system with it, and trust me, with a Coolmax, that's quite a high probability.
     
  7. onawire72

    onawire72 Member

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    If the power supply fails, will that ruin all of the other components, (cpu and video card).

    Could you recommend a decent psu? Nothing too expensive, just something that is reliable and will last.

    I could sit here all day on newegg looking at prices and reviews, the reviews are always mixed on the less expensive psu's.

    intel core 2 duo E6550
    geforce 9500 gt
    xfx 780i motherboard
    1 HDD (Probably add one or two more)
    2 Cd/dvd
    1 FDD

    paul
     
  8. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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