New Computer Problems

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Hi, I recently bought a new computer but I am having trouble getting everything to work. Here are the parts I bought:

Case: Antec P180 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129154
Motherboard: ECS KA3 MVP v1.0A http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135024
CPU: AMD 64 X2 3800
RAM: 2 512MB Corsair http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145539
Video Card: Sapphire X1900 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102022
Hard Drive: 250 GB Western Digital http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144417
DVD-Drive: Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827151136
CPU Cooling Fan: Zalman socket AM2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118004
Monitor: Samsung 19" Widescreen http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824001088
PSU: Thermaltake 700 W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153039

I also have an ATI PCI video card ( http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=ATI-RAGEXL-8M&cat=VCD ).
I installed everything and turned the computer on, but nothing appeared on the monitor. I tried reinserting the graphics card and made sure all the connections were right. The video card has DVI out so I tried using a DVI to VGA converter but still nothing appeared on my monitor. I tried using an older monitor, nothing appeared. I tried the ATI PCI video card, which has VGA out but still nothing appeared on the monitor. The computer turns on, the case fans turn on, as well as the CPU fan. The fan on the x1900 turns on so I think that is working. The DVD drive works, but I can't get anything to show on my monitor. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Thank You
 
It sounds like you built the computer from parts, rather than "bought the computer."
Look at the motherboard manual for info on setting up the video card. I suspect a simple setting is currently incorrect... maybe you don't have it set for PCI-express? Look at everything related to video in that manual and on the web site.
That is a good card, and it would be extremely odd for it to be dead... a failed card would likely still put out some kind of image.
Wait until you are not stressed (and we all get stressed when something like that happens) then go through everything while rested, and feeling patient. I am confident you have missed something fairly simple.
If this is your first build, this is supposed to happen. It is the computer God's way to show you she is still boss.
 
As I understand from your post, you already tried a different video card. And I assume that you try one video card at a time.
The monitor is VGA? Not DVI? If so, that should always work when you use the correct adapter.

When I built my Asus system with an Asus/ATI PCI Express DVI video card, I was unable to get any display on the DVI output. I was able to get the VGA though. Problem turned out to be an incompatibility between the video card and my monitor, so I returned the video card and bought a BFG 6800, which worked great.

As the other reply advised, I would wait until you are relaxed and have plenty of time to evaluate the system in a methodic manner. Perhaps you forgot to plug something in, or have something plugged into the wrong place. Make sure you check your BIOS settings.

Think of it this way: If it worked perfectly the first time, you would never learn anything. Troubleshooting usually results in gaining new knowledge, which can be applied to your next project.

FW
 
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