hi all,

i finished building my first PC - which will be linux (dual boot - mepis and ubuntu) only, of course.

anywho, i'm using an asus a8s-x mobo and it has no onboard video.

i have an evga 7600gt video card installed.

when i start up the computer, the monitor doesn't sense any video. i'm using a dvi to vga connector for my vga monitor.

all the fans start whirring and the cd becomes usable (after i cleared the cmos, anyway), but there is no video signal.

i'm thinking it could be my memory is incompatible, but in my other computer the fans won't run if the memory isn't seated correctly - so i'm not sure if i can exclude the memory as a problem or not. unfortunately, this mobo is very picky regarding memory.

the hard drive is completely blank. i tried using a mepis live boot cd, but it doesn't pick anything up.

i'm at a loss b/c i don't exactly what i'm supposed to do to be able to access the bios and install an operating system.

any help is appreciated.

tia...

tia...

an easy way to tell if it is the memory, is to boot up without it installed and see if you get the same results.
I would be more suspect of the video adpator

pete

I agree with drpt, It's probably the video card or adaptor. just one question - do you see the BIOS POST screen when you boot up?

i see absolutely nothing. removign the memory will be my next step - there is a lot of bang for the buck, there.

btw, the fan on the evga works when turned on.

i did notice that the case doesn't seem to allow it to sit perfectly level. the board sticks out above the metal "L" faceplate and the case's locking mechanism hits the board so it can't lock it down.

it isn't much, but maybe it is enough. is it reasonable to have the video card get power but not able to produce any video?

tia...

Also make sure that all your cards and cables are seated properly, and that the video card has the power cable hooked up. Back in the early 80's a friend showed my how to build a PC. The only thing he installed at first was the video card, and powered it up to see if he could see the post screen. Back then, you had two plugs to hook up to the power. "Black and Black, Back to Back" was the mantra to remember, or you could fry the board.

the machine starts up exactly** the same even if the ram is removed. no video at all either way.

**well, not quite. the mobo is dual channel. i need to load single modules in the B slots (there are two, one blud, one black).

the keyboard lights lighted up when it was blue. i removed the ram, it didn't light. i reinserted the ram into the black slot - no lights. i put it back in the original blue slot and no lights. i can't recall if i saw the lights on the first boot with the keyboard and mouse added.

it is a pci-e x16 card. does it have a power cable? i don't have one hooked up and i didn't see an obvious connecttion for power, but i didn't look too hard and i don't know it doesn't have a power cable, now that i think about it.

having said that, the fan is running on it without a power cable.

i'm off to read the manual.

thanks for the lead.

external power shouldn't be needed on this card, as far as i can tell.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130073

any extra ports, tv out or a second port for duel head for instance? If you can get it on a network you should be able to ssh into it at some stage in the boot but its not going to help you with a bios problem.
One suggestion, RTFM . Check the motherboard manual, you may have jumpers on the motherboard that need to be changed for your configuration.
Cheers,
Stan

i did go through the mobo manual that came with the unit. to the best of my knowledge, the jumpers should be right. i downloaded a more indepth manual, though, so i might go line by line through it, too.

the evga card says to update files before installing - how can i do that if i can't see the screen? uggh!

how is this supposed to work?

should it boot into and display the bios even if the mobo doesn't have onboard video?

should do, it should be using basic drivers to get video out on boot. you have tried re-seating the card, connectors etc. ? does the monitor show any signs of life at boot ie. a quick flicker or a flash of the power light?
cheers,
stan

the monitor is dead - no sign of life at all. i'll try using the second dvi connector - maybe it matters what dvi is connected when only one is used.

i'll try and reisntall the card - it is difficult to seat and my case won't lock it due to the card sticking up above the metal "L" faceplate by about 3/16". i may have to modify, file down, the case locking mechanism.

i got the pci-e x16 installed correctly by removing the quick lock mechanism, installing the card and the securing the quick lock mechanism.

this mobo has a 400 mHz bus speed - will it work if the memory is less than 400 mhz?

also, i'm not seeing much, if any hard drive movement - a flicker of the HD light is all i saw - and just once at start up.

how do default drivers get loaded in the case of a new install? does the bios (on mobo code) have the drivers?