Ok here is my situation. I've been building computers for a little less than a year. This one here is my 7th machine, so I'm still very new to this. See if you can help me get this thing running correctly.

When I first built this machine, it seemed to run ok. The monitor didn't kick on at first but after a few presses of the reset button it came on. I was able to load windows, etc...
After all that I turn the machine off. Next day I power it up to install some other software and the machine seems to turn on, but the monitor only powers up and then gives the "OFF MODE IN 5 SECONDS" screen and then turns off. Sometimes the monitor won't even power up (light stays orange).

So thinking this is just a video card issue, i send the card back to newegg and get another. Same exact problem continues. I take the whole thing apart and re-build it. Same thing.
I replace the monitor with another monitor, doesnt work. Yet the monitor I was using works fine on other machines.
Not knowing what else to do, I send the motherboard, ram, case, videocard, and hardrive, back to newegg to get all new parts.

Well i put the machine together again, and the same problem!! I even switched the processor with another machine I had built recently and the processor worked fine in that machine.

And NOW even to add to the problem, this machine powers up right when i hit the on/off switch in the back where the power cord connects. It just starts up when that is in the on position, so i really don't know whats going on. I'm sure that minor, but the monitor issue is makng me pull my hair out. I about to just send everything back and refund the customer. But I would like to avoid that.

Please any suggestions are very appreciated. Here are all the components I'm using.



CPU AMD|2700 /333 ATHLON XP RTL
HD 80GB|SAMSUNG 7200/ATA133
CASE ASPIRE|ATXB2KL-BK/350 RETAIL
MB ASUS A7V8X-X/LAN KT400 RTL
DDRAM 256M|PC-2700 990961 MUSHKIN
FD 1.44MB|SONY MPF920 Black
MNTR VWSNC|19" CRT G90FB
DVD+/-RW LITEON SOHW-812S BLACK
DVD|LITE ON 16X SOHD-167T BLACK
GeForce MX 4000 128MB AGP Video Card

Thank you.
-bobby

Try clearing the CMOS ,because I take it you can't get to BIOs setup screens.And I think you might have some settings in there causing some problems.APIC,Ram Latency ,etc.
If you can get to Bios ,Flash to latest update.
Run a memory test at this point.
It might be best to strip that system down to the bare minimun outside of the case , andput it back one piece at a time testing at each step .
Also try to reverse the power switch connectors at the Mb .
Let us know how far you get.

ok. finally found it!!

the brass screw holders that go down before the motherboard.

I had put to many of them down, more than were necessary for this particular motherboard. so i'm guessing they were contacting the bottom of the MB in places it shouldn't have been touched.

so yeah i'm all good now, after taking those extra ones out.
thanks for everyones input, it all helped.

thanks.
-bobby