Peopole always ask me about building their own computer, so I wrote this up to get them started.
To start with, here are a few tips that may help you in your endeavor. First, if you don?t have a ground strap, then you will need to discharge, any static charge that you hold, by touching the computer case, or any metal object. Before handling any static sensitive objects CPU, memory sticks (dims), motherboard, and expansion cards, be sure to discharge yourself first.
? If you are building your own computer, first try and put it together outside the case, this has a couple advantages, the first being saving your sanity. You want to start with the bare minimum, that being the motherboard, CPU, and the power supply. You may need a front panel speaker, if there isn?t a beeper, on the motherboard, and also the on/off switch, from the computer case, plugged into the motherboard?s front panel terminals. Now, when you turn the computer on, you should see all your fans spinning and hear a bunch of beeps, so you now know that the motherboard, power supply, and the CPU all work.
? Now, this is very important, before going any further, unplug the power cord, from the power supply. Be sure to discharge your static, and now, install one stick of memory, I know, you want to put them all in, but only one stick, for now. Plug the power cord back in, and turn it on, you should hear a series of beeps (1 long 3 short), as the computer searches for the video card. Ok, turn it off, and unplug the power cord again, from the power supply
? Now, discharge yourself and inset your video card, then connect your monitor to the video card. Plug the power cord back in and turn it on. You should get the Power On System Test (POST) one beep. Then, you should get a display, on your monitor screen, showing your basic boot screen, and a boot disk error, because you don?t have any drives installed. Up to now, if you have the monitor display, and the disk error, your system is sweet.
? Now, start putting these components, in the computer case, but first, be sure to look at the number, and the placement of the standoffs. Make sure you don?t have more standoffs than you need, and they all will line up with the mounting holes, on your motherboard. Sometimes, a standoff will be slightly leaning too far to one side, and may have a tendency to short out a circuit on the motherboard. In the case of the misaligned standoff, maybe try persuading it over in the correct direction with a needle nose pliers, or use a small piece of electrical tape around that mounting hole, on the motherboard.
? Once you have these components installed, in the case, and have your boot display, on the monitor, along with the disk error, then you know you have a good start.
? Now, install the drives, partition, and format your hard drives, setup the BIOS, install the operating system, and add the remaining hardware and drivers. Now. go take your computer for a spin around the block.
Motherboards shorting out is one of the most common problems with new builds, and that is why I like to put my basic system together outside the box, first, so I know where to look if problems happen.
Here's what I ordered off newegg:
intel BOXD915PBLL Socket T (LGA 775) Intel 915P ATX Intel Motherboard
Model #: BOXD915PBLL
Item #: N82E16813121230
Advueu AMW-F196B Black 19" 25ms LCD Monitor
Item #: N82E16824180025
ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon X600Pro 100-714131 All-In-Wonder Radeon X600Pro 256MB DDR PCI Express x16 Video Card -
Item #: N82E16814102463
intel Pentium 4 530 Prescott 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Processor Model BX80547PG3000E
Item #: N82E16819116184
Kingston HyperX 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4300) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model KHX4300D2K2/1G - OEM
Item #: N82E16820144176
Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JD 80GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive -OEM
Item #: N82E16822135106
SONY Beige IDE DVD Burner Model DRU710A
Item #: N82E16827131236
Rosewill R114A-BLK 2-Tone Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 400W Power Supply
Item #: N82E16811147006
Easy enough. I've built a computer prior to this. Not even close and I want to stab my eyes out.
So my brother and I put it all together and powered up. everything ran great. Lights, HDs, burner, keyboard, mouse, monitor light stayed orange. RGB no input signal flashed onscreen and that was that. Here is some of the EVERYTHING I have tried.
I took the PCI-E graphics card and drove 2 hrs to try it in a friends computer. It worked.
I tried my monitor on someone else's PC. It worked.
I tried a different monitor on mine. It didn't work.
I sent back the motherboard and got a new one. It didn't work. (same problem)
I reset the BIOS.
Checked connections.
Tried new monitor cables.
Checked for bent pins.
Disconnected the HD's.
Disconnected the burner.
Bought a new antec power supply
POST info:
the keyboard lights do all flash and then go out as they should.
I have taken out one stick of ram...1 short beep
I have taken out two sticks of ram...3 long beeps
I have taken out video card....no beeps
I have left in two sticks of ram....no beeps
I notice when there are no beeps, there is the most faint beep of a different tone. You could only hear it if it were completely silent in the room.
I have also tried running the system outside the case.....same issues.
It has been over a month of trying to figure this out. Someone please tell me I'm ******** and forgot something very simple!
That or I send every part back next week. . . .

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