 Computer build for a newbie - Hope you can help |
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 Jul 12 2009, 12:35 PM
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#31
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Forum Addict  Group: BC Advisor Posts: 14,289 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068  |
Louis |
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Jul 12 2009, 02:41 PM
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#32
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 Forum Regular Group: HJT Junior Classmen Posts: 155 Joined: 25-August 08 Member No.: 233,250 |
actually, dell normally pre-packages their own copies of xp to give out with purchased computers, it's really just an xp cd with dell
s logos and stuff on it. You should still be able to use your dell cd to access the recovery console and run the commands i suggested towards the end of my last post. Again, it may not work, but it should only take about 15 minutes or so to try, so if it does, you've saved a lot of time, if not, you've only potentially wasted 15 minutes or so, so i'd give it a shot.  as far as the firewire pinouts, if this board has them, they would most likely be on one of the three sets of pinouts at the bottom of the board (the three orange sets of pins below your last black pci slot) but it looks like those are labelled as the USB 2.0 headers? newegg doesn't list any firewaire ports being on this board, so i'm assuming it doesn't actually have it 
This post has been edited by case.bolt: Jul 12 2009, 02:45 PM |
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Jul 12 2009, 07:37 PM
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#33
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Member Group: Members Posts: 28 Joined: 17-June 09 Member No.: 342,934 |
Some update from my above note, My daughter and I plugged everything in ( monitor mouse, & keyboard) & turned the computer on. (Hard drive on same cable as CD/DVD; - HD config as Master, CD/DVDE config as slave) ( side note maybe of importance - we already palced a graphics card in the mb) Nothing showed up on the monitor - it was as if it was not receiving a signal. We tried both monitor outputs, from MB first, nothing, then graphics card monitor output, no signal to the monitor as I expected. Moved monitor cable back to the MB monitor output I thought that we must load the drivers to see anything on the monitor ( didnt think so, but..wanted to try something else - by inserting the MB CD? right or wrong in reason, we found that the cd would not open! Long story short - we found that only if the IDE cable was NOT hooked up to the cd/dvd it would open. With IDE attached it would not open. I would be a little surprised, but was wondering if the IDE cable has plugs designated for Master, vs Slave devices. I told my daughter I would be surprised if that was so. Out of curiostiy pulled out an IDE cable from our old cable, and on it was stamped by one plug, "Master" by the other plug "Slave" Hmm, maybe that was for setup at the factory? When we turn on the computer, get the MB green light, see the red lights on the graphics card, all the fans run,( CPU, case, PS) That's all that's working so far! Help would be greatly appreciated. thought we would get a little further than this  Matt |
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Jul 12 2009, 08:07 PM
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#34
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Forum Regular Group: HJT Junior Classmen Posts: 155 Joined: 25-August 08 Member No.: 233,250 |
normal configurations require the master device to be the one furthest from the motherboard on the cable, or the one on the end. The slave device must be the second, or middle IDE plug.
However, you can have cables that makes use of "cable select" which is basically just a special IDE cable that does not require specific positioning for master/slave. Since yours is labelled, I'd follow that. This may make things even more difficult, since i know you had problems mounting both the cd/dvd drive and the HDD while plugging them both in due to the length of the IDE cable initially. It may be best to just go out and pick up an IDE expansion card for one of your PCI slots, then you can just run both as a master on separate cables/controllers. For some reason, optical drives and HDs sometimes have problems running on the same cable. Good news is, PCI expansion cards are dirt cheap, can probably get one for somewhere between 10-20 bucks. As far as your video drivers, you will need to install them, but you should still be able to get a picture of some sort. It's normally really ugly, bad resolution, messed up colors, but it's a picture that works until you get drivers installed. everything will just be really big and ugly in windows. |
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Jul 12 2009, 09:14 PM
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#35
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Member Group: Members Posts: 28 Joined: 17-June 09 Member No.: 342,934 |
Thanks for the quick reply,
I will switch the devices on the cable, to try that first, though the IDE cable we tried did not have master/slave written on it, just a spare one I pulled out for reference, and that one did. I did get a an IDE expansion card just in case. This is what I get confused about, what must come first, what is dependent on what. The expansion slot came with a cd .but how can the computer initially recognize the expansion for what it is without first laoding the MB drivers? For the expansion card, do I load that driver before loading the drivers for the MB?.. This is what I think , and I know it may be wrong. 1) get all the basic hardware installed, HD, CD/DVD, RAM, & wires hooked up ( DO I really need to install a HD at this point?) 2) hook up all cables, power cord, mouse, keyboard, monitor 3) Turn on computer. Bios should " fire up" and I should see something on the monitor relating to BIOS. 3a) OR, Turn computer on, will not see anything on the monitor until I put drivers CD in and let it autorun 4) Let all drivers be installed, then add components which require its own cd for programming the computer ( graphics card, expansion card 5) Then try loading windows..... I think that is it I hope it is the cable for why we did not see anything. I am thinking the computer I am on now may have a SATA cd/dvd, not sure but can open and check and use it if there are any other problems seeming relating to this. Will be trying tomorrow night with the cable. Thanks! Matt |
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Jul 13 2009, 10:55 AM
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#36
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Forum Regular Group: HJT Junior Classmen Posts: 155 Joined: 25-August 08 Member No.: 233,250 |
Most hardware devices will work straight out of the box. Graphics cards/adapters are a special case. they will work in the sense that you should be able to get some kind of picture, although as i said before, once you get into windows, it will be ugly, with bad resolution and messed up colors. Once you install the drivers, then the card knows how to properly interpret everything, and things will be pretty, with the correct resolution and color and all that jazz.
so, to follow your list, you have everything in the right order. Yes, you do need a HD at this point. without the HD you won't be able to do anythingother than look at the bios, which won't get you much. The HD is the storage center, and along with your processor, functions like the brain of your computer, so without it, your computer won't be able to store ANY data including drivers. To install any drivers, you're going to first need to get into windows. This is most likely where you're going to run into the biggest problem. Given your space/cable restrictions, you may have to lay the HD and cd/dvd drive of to the side with the case open at first until you get into windows. So, try this list: 1. Hook up all your internal hardware devices, including your IDE expansion card (lay the HD and cd/dvd drive off to the side if you can't mount them just yet due to cabling restrictions) 2. Hook up your cables (power/keyboard/mouse/etc.) 3. Turn your computer on and try to boot into windows. 3A. If it doesn't boot into windows, see one of my previous posts regarding the fixboot/fixdmbr commands from the Recovery console. I belive I linked you to a walkthrough on how to get into the recovery console as well, but just in case, here's the link again: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058 You'll want Option 2: Option 2: Starting the Windows Recovery Console from the Windows XP CD-ROM (your Dell XP CD) Once you are in the Recovery Console, just type in "fixboot" and follow the prompts, followed by "fixmbr" and follow the prompts for that as well. 4. Once you get into Windows, you can proceed with installing all your drivers. 5. Once you have all your drivers installed, you can shutdown the PC, put your cd/dvd drive on a separate cable from the HDD and mount both the cd/dvd drive and HDD in your PC case properly. Good Luck! This post has been edited by case.bolt: Jul 13 2009, 10:56 AM |
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Jul 13 2009, 06:33 PM
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#37
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Member Group: Members Posts: 28 Joined: 17-June 09 Member No.: 342,934 |
This is what we did tonight, pulled the HD & CD/DVD, out recabled as needed, HD was Master, CD was slave. Getting nada on the computer monitor. To make this short, we unplugged all plugs from the cd, and only ran the HD Turned the power on, HD did not start ( could not hear it) Turned power off Removed the IDE cable, left the power to the HD Turned the computer on, could hear the HD start and continue to run repeated the above. Repeated the above with my backup HD, same thing, once the IDE cable is plugged in, the HD will not run. Seems like the IDE cable is giving feedback to the devices, and preventing them from running. Would it be worth to try the expansion card, even though that needs drivers to run? - so I think? If the MB is bad, I want to thank you for all your help and esp your patience!!! Matt |
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Jul 14 2009, 02:40 PM
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#38
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Forum Regular Group: HJT Junior Classmen Posts: 155 Joined: 25-August 08 Member No.: 233,250 |
hmm. sounds like ether a bad cable or bad IDE controller. you might want to try a new cable first before assuming the mobo is bad, if you have one. if you bought this mobo new, you should be able to return it for replacement.
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Jul 14 2009, 05:19 PM
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#39
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Member Group: Members Posts: 28 Joined: 17-June 09 Member No.: 342,934 |
Sorry I did not mention, did try 2 IDE cables, I do have a 3rd .............  Bought it from NEWEGG Also emailed the support tech at the MB company site. Dang, I wont get the rebate now! Matt |
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Aug 3 2009, 02:59 PM
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#40
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Member Group: Members Posts: 28 Joined: 17-June 09 Member No.: 342,934 |
Well, - I'm BAAAaaack!!! Got an exact replacement for the MB, as it was thought to be bad - New MB is doing the exact same thing... Everything hooked up ( no graphics card installed yet) IDE cable plugged into the HD When the IDE cable is plugged into the HD, the HD will NOT run. Unhookd the IDE, HD begins to run, plug IDE back in, HD continues to run. - (?) Same thing with a cd/dvd burner I am seeing a big fat ZERO on the monitor ( ie., nothing. - wish I saw at least a zero) , it acts as if it does not recieve a signal. If the HD is not plugged in, nor the cd/dvd player, I beleive I should see a signal ( I beleive the MB has its own graphics, so do not need to install a graphics card.) Why am I not seening anything? Could it be the processor? - maybe it is bad? What is the minimm I need to see anything from a working (?) MB? This is sooo frustrating!!!!!! THanks! Matt Maybe I'm missing something so basic, it isi not even mentioned...I doubt it very much, but am I to hit an F9 key or somehting.... naah, I'm getting desperate. |
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Aug 3 2009, 04:19 PM
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#41
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Forum Addict Group: BC Advisor Posts: 14,289 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
You should not be connecting/disconnecting an IDE hard drive...when Windows is up., the system is powered, etc.
That can only be done (safely) with SATA drives, if the AHCI mode is enabled in the BIOS. http://www.techmetica.com/howto/sata-ahci-...hat-does-it-do/ Louis |
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Aug 3 2009, 06:02 PM
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#42
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Forum Regular Group: HJT Junior Classmen Posts: 155 Joined: 25-August 08 Member No.: 233,250 |
hmm. the behavior doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but as louis said, it's a very big no-no to plug IDE devices in or out while the system is up and running. this can easily damage your drive (not always, but often enough for ti to be one of the first big no-nos about building a computer), especially hdds.
what kind of cabling are you hooking your monitor up with? is this the standard VGA hook-up (normally a blue plug, with a vaguely d-shaped plug where the pins are) or DVI (normally a white plug, with two distinctly different sets of pin-groups)? You may try switching your monitor input. I ran into a problem the first time I converted to DVI where my monitor was not smart enough to auto-detect that I was using DVI rather than VGA, so that may be an issue if your monitor is expecting one input (such as being set for DVI when you're using VGA or vice-versa) You should definitly be getting some kind of output on your monitor, even without your drives hooked up. You should be able to at least get as far as the BIOS load screen. |
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Aug 4 2009, 09:57 AM
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#43
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Forum Addict Group: BC Advisor Posts: 14,289 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
I may have missed it...but did you get a new power supply?
That seems a logical candidate, with a new MB and CPU. Louis |
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Aug 4 2009, 11:33 AM
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#44
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Member Group: Members Posts: 28 Joined: 17-June 09 Member No.: 342,934 |
Thanks for the above info, I am using the blue VGA hookup to the MB from my computer.
The first time around with the other MB, I even tried another monitor and got the same results, - I did have one other monitor to try, but guessed there was not going to be a change. ( The 2 tried monitors both have the VGA hookup). I have a new power supply when I ordered the inital MB, (OCZ StealthXStream OCZ600SXS 600W). When turning on the PS, the green light on the MB does light up, if that means a lot, ie does it mean that all the components of the MB are getting power? I guess everyone is stumped here? Could it be a bad processor. There is this, quite a while ago, on my other computer (DELL) some of the ram went bad ( either the sockets or the sticks) I THINK ( been a while) that when they went bad, nothing showed up on the monitor ( I still have the sticks maybe I should put them back into the Dell to confirm). There were error code lights on the machine which I think helped me track the prob down. Took out the sticks , worked. Put them back in , did not work, - but that was about 6 months ago. Thanks again for trying!! Matt  What bugs me, is this troulbleshooting which resulted me sending back the MB for another, has taken enough time past the 30 day mark for returns to NEWEGG. Also could not get any rebates, cause did not want to send in the UPC code as because who knows if I had to return something
This post has been edited by mrmatt2: Aug 4 2009, 11:35 AM |
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Aug 4 2009, 02:37 PM
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#45
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Forum Addict Group: BC Advisor Posts: 14,289 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
IMO, lights don't mean anything.
I would try the PS on a different system...it only takes a few minutes to make those simple connections and power a system. Louis |
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