Built a computer, not working. Please help!

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

I built a friend a computer today, and it's not working. These are the parts:

case
DVD-/+RW drive
CPU
RAM
power supply
mobo
video card
120GB Western Digital HDD that we stole from his old computer
some 19" LCD monitor
random generic PS/2 keyboard and USB mouse

Quite simply, it doesn't work. We get no video output. All the fans spin (on the video card, CPU heatsink, and the case fans). The keyboard doesn't work (pressing caps lock/num lock doesn't light up the appropriate LED), and there is no video output (using the DVI-VGA adapter that came with the video card btw). We tried the video card in both PCI-Express slots, and tried both DVI ports in each slot. It got to be quarter after midnight so we said screw it.

What further measures should we take to debug this thing and get it working? I've done MANY computer upgrades in the past, but this is my first from-scratch build.

Problem solved! New graphics related problem with a different computer (see last post).

EDIT: or right here

New problem: The graphics card (ATI Radeon X1600 Pro) from his old computer that he gave me refuses to work in my Dell. It's in the AGP slot, and the floppy power is plugged into it. I get no BIOS screen. If I put my old GeForce4 MX 420 back in, everything works fine. Any ideas?

[Skyone]

I've had this problem in the past, and the problem was my RAM; one stick was dead. Try using one stick at a time, see what your results are then.

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

I've had this problem in the past, and the problem was my RAM; one stick was dead. Try using one stick at a time, see what your results are then.

Thanks, Sky. I'll try that tomorrow when I go over to my buddy's house again.

This is not my day for computer upgrades. I just tried to put the Radeon X1600 Pro that came from my friend's old computer into my Dell 4550. The damn thing won't work. I put it in the AGP slot, replaced my old Geforce4 MX 420. No effing video output, and I'm pretty sure no OS boots. Why would a card work in a FREAKING EMACHINES but not in a Dell?

Ugh, I'm going to bed.

[timmeh87]

Start the computer with minimum hardware. That is

- mobo
- CPU
- one stick of ram in closest slot to CPU
- monitor on integrated video (video card if you have to, in closest slot to CPU)

If it starts then begin adding things.

This sounds a lot like what happens if you plug an IDE device in backwards.

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Well, I reseated the RAM, unplugged the HDD and optical drive. Gave it power, and without even pressing the power button, it started doing this weird thing. The funny blue LED will go on for a split second, along with the fans. Then they'll stop, and do it again about a second later. Google got me nowhere, help?

[bicostp]

Do you have another power supply you can test with? (Maybe the one out of the computer he got the hard drive from.)

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Do you have another power supply you can test with? (Maybe the one out of the computer he got the hard drive from.)

No. The computer we got the hard drive from is an eMachines with a low-wattage power supply (not enough to power this 8600gts). That was an inkling of mine, too, that it could be the power supply, judging from the symptoms.

[project_failure]

Use the power supply from your own computer then.

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Actually, I just remembered. This graphics card is PCI express, and none of my friend's power supplies or mine have PCI-E. So, that's out.

[bicostp]

The computer we got the hard drive from is an eMachines with a low-wattage power supply (not enough to power this 8600gts).

Then try booting the eMachines off the new power supply.

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Tried that; the eMachines has a 20-pin power connector, but the new power supply (and the new mobo) has a 4-pin connector. Is there a way I can put a 24-ping power supply cord into a 20-pin slot (some sort of adapter perhaps?)?

[bicostp]

Sometimes the extra 4 pins are detachable...

Looks like the extra 4 pins just allow more power to the motherboard without stressing the wires too much. It may work, it may not work. If the regular 20 pins on the 24 pin connector can fit the 20 pin slot properly, it may be worth giving it a try (as long as your friend doesn't mind taking that chance).

Source:
http://www.motherboards.org/articles/guides/1487_4.html

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Well, the power supply is good. Using Bic's "just jam it in there and pretend the other four pins don't exist" method, I was able to get a BIOS screen on the eMachines. What's the next most likely culprit if the PSU is good?

EDIT: W. T. F. I reconnected it to the mobo of the new computer, and they retarded blinky problem is gone; still no video output though.

EDIT 2: Well, we've decided to call it a night. Any further suggestions are still appreciated, but bear in mind that I will be away from the computer for the next week, and possibly also away from internet (oh noes)well that depends if anyone near my grandma's house has crackable wifi.

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Well, I'm back from Connecticut. A friend of mine was able to get it working while I was gone. Apparently the problem was I needed to plug some other power into the mobo (some goofy nonstandard SLI-related thing). Anyway, it's working and everything's fine and dandy... with that computer.

New problem: The graphics card (ATI Radeon X1600 Pro) from his old computer that he gave me refuses to work in my Dell. It's in the AGP slot, and the floppy power is plugged into it. I get no BIOS screen. If I put my old GeForce4 MX 420 back in, everything works fine. Any ideas?

[timmeh87]

Are there integrated graphics? I would say make sure the BIOS setting is ok, but it seems your other card works...

Oh wait a minute. its a Dell? haha. good luck ever getting that to work.