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
 
Solution
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.

Buggrum

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Now I can't get it to boot to BIOS at all, even without the SSD plugged in.
When I turn on the PC the motherboard lights up, qcode says 00 it powers off and then stays powered on, qcode 00 cpu led lit with no signal out to monitor
 

Buggrum

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I've got a Corsair H90 water cooler attached, how to tell if its going?

 

Buggrum

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It is now, and booted to bios. The plug or socket seems a little finicky as it took a couple tries uplugging, replugging, booting before it clicked.

Going to try booting from the dvd drive now with the windows install in the drive.
 

Buggrum

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Using EVGA Supernova 850 G2

Also had the radiator fan plugged into CHA_Fan and cooler pump plugged into CPU_Fan so I switched those.

Switched SATA power cables from SATA2 to SATA1,

Back to getting no power in the CPU (qcode 00, cpu_led lit) - Could this be a power supply issue?

DVD drive opens though
 

Buggrum

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I'll do that now but earlier, when I first managed to boot a couple of days ago with the PCIe SSD I was able to install windows 8 using the DVD drive and only had the catastrophic failure when I installed the GPU.

What is the likelihood of my incompetence here being the issue? I'm going to unplug and replug CPU power, unplug and switch out SATA cables for the DVD drive, install the PCIe SSD and the Graphics card and see what happens.

Wish me luck
 

Buggrum

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EDIT: Unplugged GPU, booted, back to qcode 00, BOOT_LED lit, no signal, no power to USBs or case power button.


So.....ups and downs

I switched out as many of the cables as I could, looks like there was a chance the the CPU power cable was a tad wonky - though thats still to be determined. I plugged in everything but the SATA SSD and the wireless adapter I'm planning on adding - so right now I've got plugged in the CPU, the Cooler, the bluray drive, the gpu, and the PCIe SSD.

The motherboard is showing Qcode A0 and the usb devices are getting power. That qcode should mean IDE initialization has started, and other threads say that this means everything is all good - which is great except that I've still got no signal to the monitor.
 

Buggrum

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Yeah that's what it should be, unfortunately after removing the gpu and booting again I'm back to Q-code 00

What could it be that it can seemingly come and go like this? That just unplugging things and plugging them back in can solve it but then it comes right back?
 
Ok. Found a Qcode list in the manual for your motherboard. The frustrating part is that it refuses to let me copy the Qcode list. I can highlight it, but not copy it. I'll find a way later.

Still no video from the back motherboard video connections with the video card out of the system?
 

Buggrum

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So another wrinkle has arisen.

I had had enough and needed to take a break and thought maybe the pc did too.
I left it powered off with the power supply switched off as well and only just came back to it now.
Now, with the gpu still unplugged but everything else still plugged in (cpu, cooler, PCIe SSD, Blu-Ray drive) I got it to boot into the Windows 8 that I was able to install the other day - I've got it plugged into a TV with an HDMI and the resolution seems to be pretty off but otherwise, it seems fine.

Why would just leaving it alone for a while change anything? Also this time when I booted it up it came on, shut off and then came on again but actually booted into windows.

Is there possibly a heating issue that could cause this? In the BIOS it always said that the CPU temperature was approx. 26 degrees celsius, is that good? Bad?

I'm using windows and everything seems fine other than the resolution - the resolution is apparently too small to open any windows 8 apps and I haven't tried plugging in an ethernet to try the internet.

I'm a little nervous of what will happen if I power off again, feels like its not gonna power back on.

Again the qcode is A0 which makes sense if that means all good as some other Tom's threads say.

Any ideas, sorry for the wall of text.
 
If the HDMI port works, why don't the other video ports work.

I am seriously thinking RMA the motherboard, and CPU if you can. Power is on. Everything works, if you use the HDMI port, but no other video port works. Its CPU or motherboard. That much I am almost certain of now. I just have no way to distinguish between the two from here.