No Signal after Installing graphics card

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Buggrum

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Hi Folks,

I am working on my first build and I've run into a snag that I don't seem to be able to solve on my own / with googling.

I tried installing all the hardware before the first boot and that didn't work so I stripped it to the bare bones (cpu, cooler, ram, disc drive, ssd) and was able to install windows 8, using the mb HDMI output and a usb mouse and keyboard. Then when I installed the graphics card (Msi gtx 980) and booted it up I got no signal and the USB ports also appear to be lifeless. Now after removing the graphics card it's still showing no signal and I don't seem to be getting power to use either.

Thanks for the help
 
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MarkW
As soon as you can download something go grab HWinfo. Its free and will log temps. And lots of other things. What you want from it is on the Sensors tab.
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Buggrum

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Also I just noticed this, it seems like when I boot up it starts, then it turns off for a second and starts again. Still no signal with or without the gpu.

Sorry, I figured out how to edit after posting this but not how to delete.
 
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MarkW

MarkW

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The shutdown is likely your CPU powering down because the heatsink is not properly installed. I would very carefully remove the CPU, and take the heatsink off of the CPU and make sure that when you first put it together, that the thermal paste spread properly. It should cover most of the metal lid on the CPU but with a very thin coat. then remove the thermal paste with Isopropyl Alcohol (bottles of this can be purchased in a pharmacy, I have also found that the Prep Pads doctors and nurses use before giving someone a shot work well), and then reinstall like you did the first time, but make sure it is nice and snug to the motherboard. The heat sink needs to be firmly pressed down against the CPU to do its job, and the thermal paste, when properly applied, helps it do that.
 
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Buggrum

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Sounds reasonable, I was a little timid screwing in the heat sink. The thermal pasted was preapplied, so you'd advise that I buy some and just reinstall it?
 
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Buggrum

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So I removed the heat sink and it seemed like the thermal paste had been spread thinly and evenly across the processor, I'll try and reinstall the heat sink but right now it seems like something else might be the answer.
 
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MarkW

MarkW

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There is also a thin plastic see-through protective covering on the bottom of some heatsinks. Make sure that has been removed. And when tightening the screws that hold the heatsink down, get em tight, but don't go crazy with it... You don't want to damage anything.

And on the thermal paste. Yes, I would. Most thermal pastes will work well anymore.

Once you are done getting that back in place, disconnect everything except for the video card/monitor, and only leave 1 stick of memory in the computer. All we are trying to do here is see if the core of the computer is working. So if the CPU, 1 stick of memory, and a video card are all that is installed, you should get a message on the screen that it could not find a boot drive. That would mean that all of those components appear to be functional.

If it works to that point, turn off the power, and put the other memory back in. The boot again. If it again gets to where it says no boot drive found, then we are making progress. Turn off the computer, and plug the hard drive in, and then turn the power back on. And see if it will get to the hard drive this time. If the drive is not formatted, it might repeat the same message about not being able to find a boot drive. If it does, power down one last time, and connect the DVD drive, and power up again. Put your Windows DVD in as soon as you can. It may boot from the DVD that try, or on the next power, depending on what stage in the boot process it was at when it detected the Windows DVD.

Anyways if you have gotten this far, then the problem should be fixed. If you did not get this far without a problem, let us know, and we'll try to figure out what it is.

 
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Buggrum

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Sorry I didn't mean to mark that as the solution, I just got off work, I'm gonna go buy some thermal paste and alcohol.

Any tips on applying the paste or What kind of cloth to use to clean it off?

I'll try your recommendations and get back to you.



 
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MarkW

MarkW

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OK, I undid the mistaken solution thing for you.

I use the grain of rice sized drop in the middle of the CPU cover method. Just put it right in the middle, and try to mount the cooler straight downward to just press flat against the top of the CPU. As long as you put something close an amount of thermal paste that is close to a grain of rice, and don't make it all go one way or another, you should be ok. Its pretty simple actually. Make sure things are nice and tight to make sure the cooler doesn't wander around on the top of the CPU. It needs to stay where you mount it.

Since you have not done this before, I would recommend that you go to youtube and watch a few videos on doing this. That way, you will know exactly what you are doing when you do it.
 
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Buggrum

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So I've given this a shot, I'm not getting any signal out still, qcode says 00 and everything seems functioning except that the keyboard doesn't seem to be getting any power through the USB and there's no signal on the monitor, I'm gonna try with anther monitor later.


 
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MarkW

MarkW

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If both the keyboard and the monitor are not working on your system, is there another system you can plug those two items into to test them?

Because if both items work on an other computer, then I have to guess that your motherboard is defective. The fact the Qcode showed a code to you tells me the CPU is alive. Something had to be working to set the code, and that would be the CPU.
 
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Buggrum

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[strike]So yesterday when I booted with just the cpu, ram, ssd and optical drive I was able to install and run windows 8 using the mouse and keyboard. Once I plugged the gpu in though it stopped working and now even when I unplug the gpu it doesn't seem to be able to boot or at least output to the monitor - though it is definitely possible that the cable is having trouble with the monitor.

Is it possible that the motherboard could have been damaged when I installed the gpu? It's definitely possible that I have plugged it in incorrectly but I don't think I did, the instructions included were very simple though figuring out the connection to the psu was trickier than I expected - it had two eight pin connections which required the use of an adapter included with the gpu, do you think that could be the source of the issue? I plugged it into the port on the psu labelled vga using the cable labelled vga.

Again, thanks for the continued assistance[/strike]

So a few things...
1. I have to apologize for gross incompetence, I unplugged the connection between the psu and the cpu when I installed the mother board and I didn't notice until now.
2. I fixed that issue and attempted to proceed. With 1 stick of ram, the gpu and the cooler and cpu plugged in I was able to boot and got power to the key & mouse, didn't boot all the way to bios as I proceeded to power down and install the ssd. This resulted in a return to the previous state wherein I am getting no signal and no power to the keyboard / mouse BUT also now with and without the ssd installed the cpu led is lit.
It seems like I may have truly hit the end of the rope on this one and the cpu or mb might be cooked - any further help is welcome.
Going to continue to tinker and see what comes of it.

Also it has started doing the thing where it turns on for 1/2 a second then turns of and starts again and stays on - seems like I'm either closing in on a solution or closing in on an insolvable problem
 
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MarkW

MarkW

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If you purchased the motherboard and CPU recently, I would try to get the company to exchange them for you. Most will. Getting a new motherboard and CPU in should resolve the problem. Unless its a power supply problem, and right now, I don't know how to test that with the parts you have.
 
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Buggrum

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Sorry I've been out of commission, I didn't see your response and I've been away.

I purchased them very recently and so if necessary I will definitely do that.

Update on my current status, I did a complete teardown and rebuild and switched the port I had the ram in and switched from the PCIe SSD I'd been using to the Samsung SSD I'd been planning to have as secondary storage. Managed to boot into bios with cpu, cooler, 1 stick of ram and SSD installed. From there I hooked up the optical drive and booted into bios again just fine. Seems like the next step should be to install either the gpu or the os or the rest of my ram. I'm nervous to go too fast though. If I can install the OS does that rule out a defective CPU/motherboard problem or is that still a possibility?
 
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Buggrum

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Oh god sorry, I had no idea it was important. Is this good or bad?

Here's my full build starting with the SSD

Plextor M6e Series 256GB M.2 PCIe Internal Solid State Drive
---------> As far as I know this should currently have Windows 8 installed on it from my first successful boot but its not currently plugged into the motherboard.

Intel Core i7-4790K
Asus Maximum VII Hero
G.Skill Ripjaw X 2133 MHz DDR3 (16GB)
MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G EVGA Supernova
850 watt G2 80 Plus Gold
Samsung 850 EVO (500GB)
Corsair H90
LG Blu-ray reader
Fractal Design Define R5
 
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MarkW

MarkW

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Well, when someone says SSD, I think SATA SSD. PCIe is a different animal. As is M.2 SSD's. In any case, I wasn't expecting to read PCIe SSD, and all kinds of various thoughts bounced around inside me head as I considered what that could change. Anytime you are talking about the PCIe bus, and a device plugging into it, there is the possibility that if it is defective, that it could cause your computer to just freeze. No warning. No error. It might even smile at you after it has killed your system.. Ok... Maybe not smile... But you get where I am going here.

So my first thought, as you can read above was that somehow, you had gotten your hands on one of those new Samsung SM951 SSD's, but since they are OEM only, at least so far, I wasn't sure. Then you latest post came in. I had seen the announcements on the Plextor PCIe SSD, and even some of the reviews, but I saw the headlines, and never stopped to read any of them. So I fixed that over past few minutes.

I would like you to try putting enough of the system together WITHOUT the PCIe SSD to see if it will boot. If it does, and the Samsung SSD has not yet been formatted, I would like you to try to install windows on it.
 
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Buggrum

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Ok, sounds good, I will put everything together and reply again with news.

Again, thank you so much for your continuing help.
 
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Buggrum

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So booted with the Samsung SSD in the SATA - No BIOS, Qcode 00 CPU LED lit
Booted without SSD plugged in, got BIOS, Boot Device LED lit. (CPU, cooler, 1 stick of ram)
Reinstall Samsung SSD, no BIOS, Qcode 00 CPU LED lit, PC powers on briefly before stopping briefly and starting, no bios.
 
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