New Computer-follow up

Power Supplies are really important.

Check the specs on the label that is pasted to the power supply. Feel free to post or PM me with the amount of amps for the +12V, +5V, and +3.3V rails and I will let you know if this is sufficient to support your memory, AGP card, and micro processor set-up.

By they way, check the latest issue of PC World Magazine on how to build a new computer. March issue.
 
Well, I got everything assembled, started 'puter up and it went into BIOS, I exited that without making any changes, it asked for boot disk. So I put CD with Win XP in CD and its starts installing files. I get to Lic agreement and read that and hit F8 to accept.....nothing happens. I hit F8 again...nothing. I wait a minute or so and hit ESC. It re-boots and now all I get is a cursor blinking in upper left hand corner. I've re-checked all connections, but that's all I get. I do see a screen asking to hit DEL if you want to enter BIOS, but after that its just a blank screen with a blinking cursor.

I called Microsoft and they said that based on my product key, the softwware was sold with a new computer and to call the manufacturer. No retail support. Newegg.com should have made it clear I was not buying a retail version. Any ideas? Is this a software problem or a hardware problem? :confused:
 
Quote from Arnie:

Well, I got everything assembled, started 'puter up and it went into BIOS, I exited that without making any changes, it asked for boot disk. So I put CD with Win XP in CD and its starts installing files. I get to Lic agreement and read that and hit F8 to accept.....nothing happens. I hit F8 again...nothing. I wait a minute or so and hit ESC. It re-boots and now all I get is a cursor blinking in upper left hand corner. I've re-checked all connections, but that's all I get. I do see a screen asking to hit DEL if you want to enter BIOS, but after that its just a blank screen with a blinking cursor.

I called Microsoft and they said that based on my product key, the softwware was sold with a new computer and to call the manufacturer. No retail support. Newegg.com should have made it clear I was not buying a retail version. Any ideas? Is this a software problem or a hardware problem? :confused:
More...

if you have an old win 98 startup disk put it in and reboot. see if it will start the computer.
some win oem cds wont work unless it is matched to the correct computer.
 
If I recall all WXP software with Newegg does state with the description of the product "OEM".

Which means essentially not retail.
Ordered the same product and had no trouble.

mktman
 
Too late now, but next time consider a Lian-Li case. Built my first PC with an Enlight, then some friends talked me into trying a Lian-Li for my next.

No more Enlight for me. Lian-Li's are better designed and precision built.

Anyway, on to your problem. Are you sure your CPU fan is plugged in? Your BIOS may have this neato feature where you can get the temp of your CPU, check it out. And while you are in there, make sure everything is securely plugged in.

Next step is probably worthless, but every support company in the world is gonna ask you to do it, so you might as well before you call them. Go DL the latest BIOS for your mainboard and flash it.

Next step is to turn it on, go into the BIOS screen and let it sit there for an hour - see if it hangs. If it does, my guess is that your problem is either CPU, video card or mainboard related. I think you can still get to the BIOS screen without any RAM or drives, so disconnect and/or remove them, then try the same test again. If it hangs again, it's definitely CPU, Video or mainboard problem.
 
almost certainly a hardware issue. first, check the connector on the keyboard. i mean really check it; pull it out, see if any of the pins are bent, put it back in. i've seen a keyboard cause a problem like what you describe.

if that isn't it, then you need to strip it all down and rebuild it. :( sorry. but, try to simplify the problem: only connect the cpu to the motherboard, the ram, hard drive, and video card. only the necessities. and try to boot like that. if it seems ok, add items one by one.
 
For now I will use 2 existing monitors. I would really like to get LCD but they are just too much. I was thnking about getting 2 19" samsung CRT's.

Arnie, I am coming a little late to this thread.....Sorry to hear about your problems.

I bought a dual 550 matrox card and two 21" Sony cpd-g500 monitors on Ebay...but I am not suggesting buying expensive or used electronic products like this. But I took the chance and everything working fine...

Matrox 550 card...$85.00 inc tax and shipping
Sony 21" Monitors 207.50 ea including tax and shipping

I just love my monitors on my used pentium III that I got for a steal on the internet at pcsurplusonline http://w2.pcsurplusonline.com

Michael B.

P.S. If you are not real handy with computer building and repair a great thing about Radio Shack(who I have never liked) you can go get a warranty for 3 years and have a convenient drop location for service....it is just 100-200 dollars more ON ANY COMPUTER NEW OR USED AND NO MATTER HOW OLD IT IS.
 
Well, I couldn't figure it out so I took it to the local shop. Cost $75 but its working now. The problem was in the BIOS settings. I had taken a jumper off the CD/RW that made it default to "Slave" and the boot order was wrong. I had it set to first look to floppy, then HD, then CD drive last for the bootable disk. So somehow it was not seeing the HD

I went to sight someone else posted earlier today and one of their members solved it too, but by time he posted I had taken into shop. Thanks to all for your help and replies. A lot of good info that I will have to check out. So how do I overclock this sucker? :D :D :D
 
Oh yea, almost forgot. How do I hook up dual monitors to the Radeon 9800 Pro? Its got two ports but one of them looks different than a regular VGA.
 
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