First build, no post, it's been 12 days, send help.

Legault

Honorable
Jan 3, 2013
13
0
10,510
Before anyone mentions the sticky post for the "No Post Checklist", I've gone through the list pretty extensively over the past few weeks and still can't get this thing to work.

So I decided to go ahead and build my first computer and was super excited until 12 days ago when I booted it up for the first time. The fans all began spinning, the case lit up and the whole thing came to life! However, the monitor continued to stay blank as ever. After pulling the DVI cable out and plugging it into the GPU then the motherboard then back into the GPU, I realized this thing just wasn't going to put out any sort of video signal. Over the past few weeks, I have gone through every part individually to assess to the best of my ability if it was malfunctioning. Here's what I've done and have come up with:

Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
Don't know what could have gone wrong here. The thing just sits snugly onto the motherboard. At one point I thought maybe I got some thermal paste on one of the contacts so I cleaned it with some isopropyl alcohol. Besides that, it has just sat on the motherboard the whole time. I don't know how to test if it isn't working besides if I take it out the computer won't start at all and if I put it in everything starts up fine (besides the whole no video part.)

Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Here's where I really don't know where to begin checking. I've checked all the pins on the processor socket and they are all aligned with one another. I read the manual over and over again with no sort of revelation to report. Maybe I bent a pin somewhere without noticing? I've scanned over the whole thing and straightened out anything that looked off so I don't think anything is broken. After that I thought maybe I plugged in something into the wrong place. So I tried just putting the 24 pin power, CPU, CPU power, SATA to the hard drive and 1 RAM stick in and it still doesn't work. At this point, I'm unsure if it's the motherboard or something connected that doesn't work. I've tried clearing the CMOS on multiple occasions but it hasn't helped. One thing to note is that if I plug my phone into one of the io usb ports it doesn't charge but if I plug a mouse in, the mouse lights up.

Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
I ordered a speaker to see if maybe the RAM isn't being recognized but that's coming Friday. I've tried every possible configuration of these two sticks and each individually into the 4 slots (pretty thoroughly) and haven't gotten it to work (obviously.) The processor and motherboard support DDR4 so it's probably not a compatibility problem but hey, what do I know?

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card
I've tried running with and without this thing in so I don't think it's the problem. Honestly I haven't paid this any mind so far since regardless of whether this is in or not the system doesn't work.

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
So far I've been unjustifiably suspicious of this thing because I have no idea how many wires are supposed to be present. Everything powers up which is great but I have my doubts. The peripheral connection is fine and even if it didn't work, the fans and lights would probably tip me off. The VGA connection to the GPU seems to be working seeing as the card does start fidgeting when the computer is on. As for the SATA connections, I took a stethoscope to the drives and they seem to be making noises when the computer starts up which tells me that they are probably powered. The motherboard connector is where I have my problems. The thing is missing some wires and through a few google searches, I see that one of the wires is a legacy sort of addition so it doesn't need to be present. However, modular side of the cable that plugs into the PSU is missing 2 wires and neither line up with the one on the motherboard side. It provides power to the motherboard but if anyone knows if the missing wires is a problem, let me know.

Some pictures I took can be found here.Can take more photos in the evening (EST).

Besides those parts, if anyone would find it helpful for me to provide additional information or pictures, just let me know and I'll try to fill you in.

ANY and all help is deeply appreciated. Suggestions, comments on prior experiences, even baseless guesses will help me in some way even if it is entirely useless. Thanks in advance.

-Legault
 
Solution
Then what I feel is your Motherboard might be faulty. Also Did you try placing those parts out of the case? cause sometimes the case can make unnecessary short circuits rarely. Just be sure. If not, it should be with the motherboard I guess.

Also try a different Cable for the monitor if possible.
That PSU is a multi rail one. So try connecting those two PCIe power connectors (that goes to the GPU) to individual connectors on the PSU.(Not 1 Connector of the PSU goes to a wire that gives two ports of PCIe connectors)

Also check
24 pin connector to MB
8 pin Auxiliary connector to MB
2 PCIe 6 pin connectors to GPU

If it doesn't make change, plug only PSU,MB, CPU, RAM with the monitor connected. That should give the display. If not one of them are the problem.
 


To answer your first question, yes, I have been using this monitor with another computer for some time now and I tried using another monitor to make sure that it wasn't a problem with that particular one.

As for your advice to connect 2 power connectors to the GPU, I tried with no luck. It still does start moving although no video shows when I connect to it or the motherboard io DVI port. I made sure the 24 pin connector was firmly inserted, then the 8 pin (I was thinking you are reffering to the one labled CPU, correct me if I'm wrong) and that one was snapped into place. Along with the 2 separate 6 pin cables leading into the GPU, no video was shown.

Afterwards, I did as you suggested with only the PSU, MB, CPU and 1 stick of RAM (one and then the other), and no video was shown. Now I at least know it's probably not the RAM (assuming at least one of them was working) but now I'm stuck wondering how to narrow it down any further. I could see if I can find someone with hardware that can support one of these parts but I doubt I know anyone with a motherboard supporting the LGA 1151 socket or DDR4 RAM. I sent a support ticket to ASUS asking about the motherboard but haven't heard back yet.
 
Then what I feel is your Motherboard might be faulty. Also Did you try placing those parts out of the case? cause sometimes the case can make unnecessary short circuits rarely. Just be sure. If not, it should be with the motherboard I guess.

Also try a different Cable for the monitor if possible.
 
Solution