I Need Help Selecting A Video Card

[log]

Hi,

I have just built my first do it myself PC, I am not able to use it yet as I have no video card.

What I have done though (out of impatience while waiting for video card) is to plug the PC into power and turn it on just to make sure everything is spinning. Everything does spin, BUT! and this is where my question starts... All it does, is everything goes for about 8 seconds, then it turns off, restarts and does it again. Because I have no screen I actually have no idea whats happening. But when I unplug the power to the CPU it doesn't do this, everything just keeps spinning until I turn it off. Should I be worried? Or is it just telling me to press a key, I'm not doing it in time so it restarts?

I am VERY worried about this, any reply would be appreciated.

Thanks
-Martin

PS if this is the wrong place to post this question, please direct me to where it should be posted.

[Corbs]

Here's my opinion:

Most recent systems (BIOS) can't boot without a video card (you might have an option in the BIOS enabling it). Thus resulting in the PC shutting down. It's probably restarting because it keeps trying to find your video card...

To my knowledge, you should be hearing a beeping sound each time it restarts. If you do, google 'bios beep codes'. You'll know exactly what's your problem (probably missing video card... which is normal in your case!).

It's also normal the fans are spinning fast/loud when you boot.

I wouldn't be worried, but then again, I could be wrong.

Hope this helps, even though it wasn't much

[log]

Thank you!!! Eases my worries at least, I didn't bother to plug in the pc speaker yet :P so I don't know if its beeping Thanks for the reply. I hope you are right

[Corbs]

Originally Posted by log

Thank you!!! Eases my worries at least, I didn't bother to plug in the pc speaker yet :P so I don't know if its beeping Thanks for the reply. I hope you are right

So do I, haha

Keep us posted!

[D0gSoldi3r]

I don't have that problem, My room is over run with crappy graphics cards that i haven't thrown away over the years. But you should be worrying about this when you get your graphics card.

[log]

Hey again,

I have my video card now, the pc is still having the problem I mentioned earlier, in fact nothing has changed.

I turn the computer on, all the fans start spinning like they should, then BAM it all stops and all starts again.

The monitor doesn't power up, i have no idea whats happening :S this is probably a bit hard for anyone to help me with but I have no idea whats wrong :S

The specs are:
MOBO: Abit, IP35-E
CPU: Core2duo E8200
RAM: 4GB 800hz
GFX: Gigabyte 8800gt

I hope someone knows this problem and can help! :P

Thanks in advance again!
-Martin

[log]

Thank you to anyone who read my previous post. I have discovered my problem and am ashamed to say that it was quite simple. The BIOS needed updating to be compatible with the E8200 CPU...

So to anybody who buys an Abit mobo, make sure you know how to update bios :P

[D0gSoldi3r]

Shame i was going to suggest that you take the circle battery out your motherboard and reinsert it back in, usually works for me when i have problems with bios and restores everything back to there defaults, Usually do it when i overclocked my processor to much and the pc won't power on for me to fix it in the bios.

still a nice tip to have for the future.

[BeeHay]

Originally Posted by log

Thank you to anyone who read my previous post. I have discovered my problem and am ashamed to say that it was quite simple. The BIOS needed updating to be compatible with the E8200 CPU...

So to anybody who buys an Abit mobo, make sure you know how to update bios :P

did you have an extra cpu to find this out? how did you get it to boot?

are your 4GB of RAM 2x2GB or 4x1GB?

post some cpuz screens CPUID

[log]

Yes, I used a second CPU to figure out it was the bios stopping me from booting (just an old standard P4). I had actually tried this before I even posted here, but I think I was too imaptient and didn't install the heatsink tight enough, (which also causes very quick restarts). I had also already tried the battery trick, which in this case also did nothing :P

My 4gb is 2x2Gb, the reason I chose 2x2 over 1x4 was simply the huge price difference between the two.

And my CPU has now been overclocked to 3.2, and running very stable. I had it at 3.8 for a while, which ran great! Also stable, but was running a little too hot, and honestly I have no need for that much power so I have backed it off. (only using stock cooler, with arctic silver)

CPUZ screen as requested

[BeeHay]

nice!

how does the memory clock?

[Webshock]

Originally Posted by BeeHay

nice!

how does the memory clock?

lol... first built computer, boots without gpu and doesnt plug in the speaker to hear the post beeps, do you really think he knows what you are asking?