Friend's got a computer problem.

[Shoeberto]

He posted this on my message board:
"So, I got the new mobo and processor and stuff installed, everything is good to go. The tragic thing is that I'm having the same problem that I did before. When I boot up, everything runs, but I don't get any response on the monitor. It works perfectly with my old computer, but I've tried 3 different graphics cards, and none work in the new computer. Any clue what would do this? Or, do you know where I could look? I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it, but sometimes it takes me 3 or 4 tries to get the power to kick on. It'll flicker every time, but most of the time it just goes back off right away. Thus, I'm sad. Somebody please direct me to a fix."

This is his second mobo. One of the guys that was helping out said that a capacitor or something was burned and that's why it wasn't working, so he sent it and the processor back and got an AMD. Now I guess he has the same problem.

The video card is PCI Express, would this have anything to do with it? His first one had onboard video, though it was only through an RCA connection, but even trying that didn't yield any sort of results.

Thoughts?

[Yamaneko]

Has he tried to flash his mobo and video card BIOS with the most recent ones?

[-N-]

If I understand correctly, your friend's computer runs, but he doesn't see anything on the monitor? Maybe his monitor's messed up.

[Endless]

I'd say either the monitor is defective or his mb is set to initialize video on PCI first instead of PCIex, although it shouldn't matter. Do you know the mb and video card models?

[Shoeberto]

1. I have no idea how to flash the BIOS stuff, so I may need some instructions with that.
2. The monitor works. He uses it with his other computer.
3. I'll ask him for the model numbers and get back to you.

[VoodooChild]

The power supply may be causing the problem? As it works fine with the old pc

[Shoeberto]

Yeah, he was thinking the PSU may be at fault, too. I don't think he's tried any other PSUs, though.

[VoodooChild]

I THINK I was having the same problem as I recently upgraded my pc. I bought a new power supply, and now its working :) So tell him to put his old pc in with his new pc and try that!

[Peegee]

Am I to understand he had his cpu replaced when he should be looking at his monitor output?

Have you tried other monitors?

[Endless]

Now that others mention it, check how many Watts the PSU can output, and all that is plugged (cd/dvd drives, hard drives, pci cards) because it could be that the PSU is too weak to power everything he needs to.
That or it's just dying.

[Shoeberto]

His new PSU is a 450 watt, which should be plenty.

Mobo: NF4UL-A9
Processor: Athlon 64
Graphics: Radeon X700

[Yamaneko]

How many amps can it deliver? Is it dual rail?

[Shoeberto]

I don't know how many amps and have no idea what dual rail is.

[Yamaneko]

Dual rail meaning the 12V current is balanced over two of the PSU's rails, so that the mobo and CPU are on one rail while the video card is on another. Ideally you should get a more balanced load like that.

[Endless]

Is that a new one or the one who sometimes wouldn't power on? If it's new, still not working?

[Shoeberto]

Are you talking about his PSU? The new one that he got (the 450 watt) is the only one he's tried. The one out of his old computer is only 150 watt.