New PC. I have no video signal after powering it up

[St4venger]

Hello everyone, what's up?
Well, First time making a post, but long time user. Always found everything needed without asking anything, but sadly now today.
So.. big problem here: I built a PC for office work, first time I did anything like this, so I read up before hand several tutorials and magazines as to not to make mistakes... that didn't really work very well, right? Anyway, I have no video. It turns it on, but does not produce any noise or beeps, fans runs normal, as the LED of power, in the front panel and that's it. Nothing else happens I don't even get to the BIOS screen. The PC is this:

Motherboard: Asrock D1800m. It comes with built-in and welded CPU.
CPU: Integrated
Video Card: Onboard too, this is an office PC.
RAM Memory: DDR3 1333mhz 8gb Markvision. It is only one stick.
Power Supply: 350w Plus Seasonic
HD: 500GB Western Digital Sata
Drive: CD/DVD LG

As you can see, it is the most efficient PC possible I could get with also the least possible money spent for work use only, but sadly the damn thing is not collaborating. All parts are new, except for the Power Supply, HD and Drive.
Now, I know this is a common problem, so I went online to see if I find something. There was something. So this is what I did and not worked, of course:
* I checked all connectors, plugs and pins. All is in their proper places and proper settled
* This motherboard uses one 24 pins power connector and not the 4 ones, I took it out and put it back again.
* I reset the CMOS too by removing the CMOS battery and changing jumper positions.
* Unplugged everything and held pressed the power button for like 2 minutes
* Also found out that to access BIOS, you need only: CPU, RAM and Video Card. Now, CPU and Video Card are Onboards, which leaves only the variable of RAM; I removed it, Sprayed Electronic Contact Cleaner in the slot and also on the stick itself, let it dry and put it back on. Surprise! It did nothing also. Now, I started thinking: Do I need a external video card to start the PC? The Onboard one does not solve it? Never built a PC before, don't really know -/
So does anyone have any idea on this? Really any, folks.. I really don't know what to do. I'm starting to turn on and off it every 20 minutes without doing anything different, just waiting for a miracle.. already arrived at the definition of insanity. -(

 

[Suztera]

Try a different ram module.

 

[Paperdoc]

I'll suggest two first steps. If they don't work, we'll think again.

1. A VERY common mistake by new builders is in the standoffs. A case comes with several holes (about a dozen) drilled and tapped in the bottom panel where the mono is mounted. BUT you NEVER mount directly to them! The case parts bags also come with standoffs, normally about 10 of them. Often these are little round brass pieces about ¼" long with a drilled and tapped hole in one end, and a threaded shaft out of the other. You MUST screw these into the correct base panel holes and THEN place your mobo on top of them so that you can put screws through the mobo mounting holes into the threaded holes of the standoffs. The standoffs ensure there is clearance between the mobo bottom traces and the mounting panel to avoid short circuits.

Now, in placing the standoffs in the "correct" locations, you need to match the actual holes in your mobo. The mobo has (usually 9) mounting holes through it, each surrounded by a little pattern of metal fingers. It is intended to be grounded to the case at these locations ONLY, and nowhere else. It is very desirable that there be a standoff for support under every one of these holes. It is IMPORTANT that there be NO standoff anywhere under the mobo where there is NOT a mounting hole! So, ensure the standoffs are installed correctly. If you have not done this already, that is VERY likely your problem. If you have done it (OR, if the case came with standoffs already installed, but incorrectly) re-inspect their locations to ensure that every one of them does match a mobo mounting hole.

Alert: I have seen some cases that include plastic stand-offs, rather than machined metal ones. So look for those if you can't find the metal items I described.

2. A very useful troubleshooting technique us "breadboarding", in which you assemble the minimum system OUTSIDE the case on a insulating surface. A dry board is common, hence the term Breadboard. You need the mobo, PSU, keyboard, and monitor connected together. You need to install the CPU and its cooler and ONE stick of RAM. Then consult the mobo manual, and look at the details of the connector for the front panel switches and lights. It has two adjacent pins that connect to the on/off power button on the front. That button is just a momentary-contact switch like a doorbell button. Using a small screwdriver you can short those two together for a second or two to trigger the start-up. If the system starts up cleanly, gets through the entire POST process with messages on the screen, and ends by telling you there is no bootable medium, it is working just fine. If not, you know that one of the components (you don't have many at this pointy) is faulty.

A small note here. The POST process normally will produce a "beep code". The most common is a single beep tone at the end of the process indicating success. Other beeps are information pointing to a particular failed component. BUT you cannot hear any of those unless your mobo has a small "speaker". Some mobos have these installed. But yours has only a connector for you to connect a little mobo speaker to. See your mobo manual p. 5, item #5, and its description on p. 15 at the top. With no speaker unit connected, you will not hear any beep codes. (Maybe your case includes a mini-speaker that you can connect here.)

So far you have tried something like this, but not with the components outside the case and isolated. That's one of the reasons I suspected the standoff issue. So, when you remove the mobo and components from your case to check standoff locations that is a good time to do the outside-the-case breadboarding tests.

Now, IF the first breadboard test says things are OK, the process simply goes ahead one item at a time. Shut down the system and install ONE more component (maybe another RAM module, then try booting again. If it fails, you know which component is bad. If it works, continue on with the next component, until you have your entire system assembled and able to complete the POST process cleanly on the breadboard. If you can do that, you know ALL your components are good. You disassemble the system and mount it properly inside your case.

In mounting in the case, watch for this uncommon problem I had once. The mobo has a bunch of connector sockets on the back that fit through holes in a back plate. The plate's holes often have little metal fingers around them intended to slide over the OUTSIDE of each connector to make Ground connections. Make sure none of those fingers gets INSIDE a connector to contact something there.

 

[St4venger]

Houston, We Have Liftoff!
Thank you so much for the replies, guys. It's solved!
It wasn't anything overly complicated though. I just changed memory slots and voilà! It booted. Feeling so silly right now.
Btw, I used the standoffs with their washers and everything, I just didn't have another compatible memory module to test, so I was trying different things, then I changed slots and worked.. -\
Thanks so much again, folks. The topic can be closed now.

 

[Paperdoc]

Hurray for you, and congrats to both you and Suztera who pointed to RAM modules.