First Build, Monitor says no signal, think fried CPU!!!! I saw sparks!!!!!

[_Hazard_]

Well after searching online and reading other posts on the same thing I think I have either fried my CPU, Mobo, or both while building my first PC
Ill start from the beggining, the first thing i did was screw the motherboard onto the motherboard tray. During my reading i have found that i missed the seaters. Problem is i am not 100% what they are, an explanation would be nice. continuing i placed the power supply, hd, fans, RAM, vid card, sound card, cables to make use of power button, usb, firewire in front of case. Then i put the cpu in, being a complete nub i forgot to open the slots and i think i might have forced the pins a little before i realized what i did. After correctly seating the cpu i put the lever back down and applied the HS after a tough 5 minute battle that smeared the thermal material all over the cpu and probably left horrible heat transfer capability. I then put power connectors to all of the needed parts except for one i overlooked. That one is the 4 pronged square connector that is called the ATX 12v in the Asus A8N-SLI Premium user guide. Upon pressing the start button the fans and lights came on, i was filled with joy, and then sparks flew from the HS and the pc shut down. :unch:
I then spent a good 30 minutes checking every connection praying the cpu wasnt busted. After finding that i had forgotten to plug in the ATX 12v i proceded to do so.
After doing that the pc will turn on seem fine, nothing unusuall happens. But the monitor just sits there and says 'no signal'
The vid card has all connectors in place including molex power. Fans work perfect, DVD is active (eject drive is working), the HD is spinning i can hear it. But it seems my pc doesnt want to do anything than blow air at me and show me pretty lights. I have requested RMA numbers for the mobo, cpu, and vid card. I am hoping that solves the problem, but not wanting to repeat my mistakes i would like to have any comments on anything i could have forgotten to do, something i can do now to check something, etc. Thank you

aslo i have hooked up the speakers and headphones and i cant hear the Asus voice that is supposed to tell me what is wrong if anything. No beeps either on start up.

Also a reminder, WTF are seaters? I am guessing that they seperate the mobo from the tray and also allow the PCI slots to properly fit in the slots of the case...(now my cards seem to sit high in their slots, so i 'modified' my vid card to not sit in the case slot but on the board only, bad move on my part :hotouch:


My system specs are:
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice socket 939
Asus A8N-SLI Premium socket 939 ATX motherboard
PNY 6800GT PCI-E
NEC dvd-rw
WD sata 160gb HD
2GB OCZ Ram (4x512) dual channel
Audigy 2 zs

if i mail the parts tommarow then i should manage, my granparents are in town for about a week starting tommarow, no today now in about 10 hours. Im going to bed but i will check this often. I DONT WANT TO BE A COMPUTER NUB ANYMORE :giddy: :giddy:

thanks for anything, even a haha you screwed up, cause thats what i keep saying in my head, the tramatic stage hasnt hit yet :stickout:

 

[DonNagual]

http://www.motherboards.org/articles/guides/35_3.html

I hope this link helps. It shows you what the mounting riser pins are, and I think this is what you are refering to when you talk about "seaters".

And the fact that you don't have the seaters in explains why you vid card doesn't quite reach the opening.

Nice rig by the way! Hope you get it up and running on your second attempt!

 

[zephead]

Also a reminder, WTF are seaters? I am guessing that they seperate the mobo from the tray and also allow the PCI slots to properly fit in the slots of the case...(now my cards seem to sit high in their slots, so i 'modified' my vid card to not sit in the case slot but on the board only, bad move on my part

'seaters' are usually referred to as standoffs, mounting pylons. they affix to preset locations on the metal backplate of your case. once installed where thier respective holes line up with the mounting holes on your motherboard, you can screw the board down. first screw all screws in but leave them loose. then, starting with the screws closest to the back panel, tighten to a reasonable firmness.
failing to properly employ said standoffs causes permanent hardware damage. if you never used them, odds are your mobo and possibly the psu are fried on account on the short circuit that occurrs.

aslo i have hooked up the speakers and headphones and i cant hear the Asus voice that is supposed to tell me what is wrong if anything. No beeps either on start up.

there is a jumper block on your motherboard for fp audio. without certain jumpers installed on said block as per your manual indicates, your back panel audio ports will not work.

if you live near one, i strongly advise that you take your machine to a local pc repair shop and have an experienced technician look at it.

 

[_Hazard_]

so far i have RMA'd the video card and im waiting for the RMA numberrs from zip zoom fly for the cpu and mobo. after i took out the mobo i went ahead and screwed in the risers, they are gold screws but they dint have a head just a place for another screw to fit into. Im pretty sure that they are the right things. Is that all i have to do with them, screw in, place mobo over, screw on mobo?

thanks

 

[zephead]

in a word, yes

 

[_Hazard_]

thats the word i wanted, thanks

 

[scooterpie]

Wow.

*Moronic post detected & deleted*

 

[_Hazard_]

thank you for that thoughtfull and courteous advice, i shall ponder the actions that you have requested in he future and get back to you on the progress of said actions.

If you have any other advice please post, as the undeniable intelligence behind your words is of epic proportions.

come on, you can just tell me to take it to a professional. no need for bashing me or any name calling. are you twelve. also thats not the best impression to give on a first post.

and yes i am a ***** for following the insructions that came with the case to the letter for installing the motherboard.

"1. remove case cover
2. insert motherboard with screws
3.replace case cover"
that could have been clearer, and no mention of grounding or anything like that in the mobo manual

oh well, if anyone polite has anymore advice please post, ive already RMA'd the vid card and proccesor, im waiting on a RMA number from ZZF.

Thanks so far, well most of you

 

[mailpup]

Hazard, no need to waste time even responding to that kind of post.

 

[Justin]

Ignore scooterpie, _Hazard_. Those kinds of posts aren't welcomed or tolerated at this board. No matter how big of a muckup things can be (we all make mistakes), we are civil here - No time for trolls.

Chalk this one up to learning, and remember to take it slow.