New PC build issues

[CoffeeOfDoom]

I've just built a new PC and I'm having trouble with the monitor not receiving signal. I've checked all of the connections and they are all okay.

My specs:
- 750w corsair PSU
- Asus Sabertooth P67 mobo
- i5 2500k sandybridge
- Patriot sector 5 4gb DDR3 (have checked compatibility on mobo website and is compatible)
- Sapphire radeon HD4890 vapor-x 1gb (this is from old PC, but worked yesterday!)
- Crucial M4 SSD 128gb

Any suggestions as to what's causing the problem, any help is appreciated!

 

[Griffolion]

If possible, get another graphics card known to work fine and try it in the computer. If it works, then your graphics card has died unfortunately. To confirm this, try your graphics card in another system known to work fine, if you don't get a signal in the same manner, that confirms it.

Next up, take the RAM out and seat it in the two empty slots you didn't seat them in last time.

If it doesn't turn out to be your graphics card or RAM, then you're not receiving a signal because the computer isn't even able to boot, which suggests something badly wrong with the processor, motherboard or power supply. The only thing you can do here is go by process of elimination, swapping out the CPU for another one and the same for the PSU. The motherboard will be the worst to diagnose, but trying your parts in another motherboard (preferably known to work fine) will be the best thing to do here.

 

[CoffeeOfDoom]

If possible, get another graphics card known to work fine and try it in the computer. If it works, then your graphics card has died unfortunately. To confirm this, try your graphics card in another system known to work fine, if you don't get a signal in the same manner, that confirms it.

Next up, take the RAM out and seat it in the two empty slots you didn't seat them in last time.

If it doesn't turn out to be your graphics card or RAM, then you're not receiving a signal because the computer isn't even able to boot, which suggests something badly wrong with the processor, motherboard or power supply. The only thing you can do here is go by process of elimination, swapping out the CPU for another one and the same for the PSU. The motherboard will be the worst to diagnose, but trying your parts in another motherboard (preferably known to work fine) will be the best thing to do here.

The system doesn't boot up - i can't hear a boot up 'beep'.
The motherboard has a built in system to check for memory issues and if there is one then a red light will turn on. The red light is on, but the website says it is compatible and it worked in my old build. I tried seating the RAM in the other two slots but nothing changed.

 

[Griffolion]

Well to confirm this, I'd try each of the RAM sticks individually to try and isolate the bad stick. If both are bad then try another set of sticks known to work fine. By the way, did you plug in the boot 'speaker' into the motherboard jumper heads? If you haven't then you'll not hear a beep.

Does the red light flash to indicate specific problems or does it just go on should there be a memory error? Is there a similar thing for the CPU etc?

 

[CoffeeOfDoom]

I think I may have been a little silly.

The RAM is for the P55 chipset and the mono is P67. This would be the issue? Have heard of P67 boards having trouble with P55 RAM.

 

[robert01]

Usually if there is some form of memory fault the post will beep a series of beeps. Even if the memory is unusable by the motherboard it should still at least get to the post phase before stopping.

Try taking out the ram and see if the PC boots up to post and beeps(the amount varies on the manufacturer).

To me it sounds like the motherboard might be shorting out. Make sure you installed the motherboard properly.

 

[Griffolion]

I think I may have been a little silly.

The RAM is for the P55 chipset and the mono is P67. This would be the issue? Have heard of P67 boards having trouble with P55 RAM.

It's just a marketing gimmick to say which RAM is suited to what. If it's DDR3 then it will do fine.

The next thing I'd suggest is breadboarding your motherboard to ensure nothing is shorting out on the underside of the motherboard. Basically take your motherboard out of the computer alongside the RAM, CPU, GPU and PSU. Place the motherboard on a bread board, connect everything else up and turn it on (you'll need your monitor near to where you're working). This will ensure that nothing is shorting out on the underside of the motherboard and allows you to make quick modifications to the set up.