[OhioStateBoy710]

Hello! I am building a computer for someone and having some On-Board Video Issues.
Specs:
MSI P4MAM2-V
Pentium 4 2.53 ghz socket 478
512 mb DDR ram [PQI]
160 gb hard drive

Problem:
My problem is that I am almost positive that I have assembled my computer correctly (In fact, i'm actully building 2 of them, both of them are using the same exact specs listed above though). But when i turn my computer on after connecting it to a noteworthy monitor, No picture is displayed. The monitor simply is blank. The monitor's LED Indicator is orange as if the monitor was idle (but its connected because there is no "no signal detected" message). Both computers have the same issue. I have tried them on2 different monitors. I initially thought maybe a bad part, but all parts are brand new and the chances of both computers having the same bad part are slim. I have no graphics card to do further testing (is it worth buying one to test). I'm sure the power supply is working because the fans whirl, the LEDs light up etc. Now i'm only 13, i'm trying to be as specific as possible =)...If i was not specific in any area please tell me and i'll update immediately. I appreciate you reading this, thanks. OH YES very important, no beeps.

Edited by OhioStateBoy710, 12 October 2005 - 07:23 PM.

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Hi OhioStateBoy710! Welcome to G2G!

You are very understandable for a 13 year old. Wouldn't of thought you were that young except you mentioned it.

As for your problem. When you say you have no picture on the screen, do you have EVERTHING hooked up or doyou just have the processor seated with heatsink on it and just plug it into power supply to test and make sure it works or is the entire unit built, aka you have the hard drive's hooked up, CD-ROM drives hooked up, etc...

Fenor

[Fenor]

Hi OhioStateBoy710! Welcome to G2G!

You are very understandable for a 13 year old. Wouldn't of thought you were that young except you mentioned it.

As for your problem. When you say you have no picture on the screen, do you have EVERTHING hooked up or doyou just have the processor seated with heatsink on it and just plug it into power supply to test and make sure it works or is the entire unit built, aka you have the hard drive's hooked up, CD-ROM drives hooked up, etc...

Fenor

[OhioStateBoy710]

I have everything hooked up as far as im aware of- processor, heat sink, fan, motherboard, power cables, cd-rom, hard drive, memory, and i believe the jumpers are correct. It is starting to get to me, as while i do have many issues all the time, they usually are resolved very quickly. But it seems as though im having a hard time figuring this out.

(Thanks for the compliment=D)

Edited by OhioStateBoy710, 12 October 2005 - 07:40 PM.

[Fenor]

I have everything hooked up as far as im aware of- processor, heat sink, fan, motherboard, power cables, cd-rom, hard drive, memory, and i believe the jumpers are correct. It is starting to get to me, as while i do have many issues all the time, they usually are resolved very quickly. But it seems as though im having a hard time figuring this out.

(Thanks for the compliment=D)

Try disconnecting everything but leaving the memory in and then try and see if the computer will get a POST screen to appear on the screen.

Fenor

[OhioStateBoy710]

Alright! I disconnected my primary IDE that had my cd-rom and HDD on it. and I connected the monitor and powered it on and the computer sorta made a beep! I was so happy.

[Yes a beep is all it takes to make a young boy happy after hours of labor]

Could you tell me what my one little beep means? Thanks!

[Fenor]

One little beeps is usually a good sign, unless of course you get no picture on the screen.

Are you using one 512MB stick of ram in the computer or are there two 256MB sticks? And is THIS an exact picture of what the motherboard you're using looks like?

Fenor

[OhioStateBoy710]

I am using 1 512 mb stick. And that is the exact picture of what my motherboard is.

[Fenor]

Try putting the stick in the other slot and see if you get a POST screen on the monitor.

Fenor

[OhioStateBoy710]

Same issue if i switch the ram to the other slot

Were making more progress than I could of ever started to do by myself though!

[Fenor]

Can you locate the jumper for the BIOS? It will be very close to the CMOS battery itself. It should say near it BIOS or CMOS. It will be over 2 pins with the third pin showing. If you can't find it check in the manual for the motherboard for it. Once you have found it reply.

Fenor

[OhioStateBoy710]

Yup, I have found what you are talking about.

[Fenor]

I want you to take it and move it so it's jumpered over the middle one and the pin that is currently not covered by the jumper. Then turn the power on and let it stay on for a good 10 seconds. You won't get any picture on the screen at this time so don't think somethings wrong because nothing is happening. After the 10 seconds turn it off, put the jumper back to the position it was in, then turn the computre back on again. What this is doing is resetting the bios back to it's original condition in case something got it messed up.

Post back with how things are going after doing this.

Fenor

[OhioStateBoy710]

I moved both the jumpers over, but now no power comes on at all. Should I have only moved one of the jumpers?

[OhioStateBoy710]

Im sorry, i refeered to the manual and found out i moved both the lock/unlock cpu , and the clear data, ill fix it right now and post the results

[Fenor]

There should only be one jumper that covers two of the three pins. So you should only have to take the one jumper off and move it over so it covers the middle pin and the pin that wasn't previously covered by the jumper. You might have the wrong jumper location. Check your motherboard manual to be sure.

Fenor