Blank screen on post / windows but i can hear windows !!!

[ashwinc]

Hello, been pullin my hair out with this, hope someone can point me in the right direction.

Just put together this new machine:

ASUS Rampage Formula Republic of Gamers Series iX48 lastest bios 701
Core 2 Duo E8400 Socket 775 (3.0GHz
Corsair 4GB Kit (2x2GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory
Sapphire HD 4870 1GB
Corsair 620W HX Modular PS
1TB Hard Drive SATA300 7200rpm 32MB Cache Caviar
Optiarc AD-5200A-0B 20X DVD±RW/DL Int IDE
SB Audigy 2z


p182 case
case is open with no panels, temps on both cores 32'C roomtemp is a chilled 15'
Windows Xp pro sp3
Everything is running at stock

put the machine together 3 days ago, no probs at all everything was running on stock. 2 days ago the probs started after i removed 2 ide drives that i backed up on the the 1TB sata drive. Restarted the comp and all i got was a black screen from my monitor (samsung 22'lcd) monitor detects a connection, the screen has a box that flashes the words analogue then digital every 4 secs, if i discconnect the cable then it displays " no signal check cable".

But i can hear winodws xp pro loading, also the lcd post display that came with the mobo does not display any erros, it simply turns off after the the hdd start loading XP as it should, Except i cant see anything because the monitor is blank! after the drives have gone quiet i can use kb-shortcuts to restart/shut down comp, XP has def loaded!


So i panic and check everything, remove ram, check power leads, check gpu is seated ok. Monitor works on laptop, another monitor has same problem on new computer.
This is the stranger thing, after 20 mins with the comp being off i turned it on and it booted ok into windows, i ran prime 95 in case the ram was funny and benchmarked the gpu with the lastest ATI drivers and both were ok after 45 mins. BUT when i restarted windows xp i got a blank screen on post but the lcd post display was again like before showing a post taking place and then xp would load but i could not see it.
Finally i move the gpu to the secondary pcie slot, furthest away from cpu. Computer boots! no probs!
Now today after changing the FSB from 333 too 366 and leaving all the bios setting alone then loading windows ok , ran prime 95 and orthos for 30 mins ok, then i restarted the comp and the same problem! Blank screen on post and xp loading up. Reset cmos did nothing, i have left the comp off for over 30 mins but still the monitor is blank on post and boot.

Sorry for long post, just wanted to make sure i included everything
Hoping someone can shed some light because i'm running out of google hits to read!

Thanks
AC

[Sava700]

Take a few ram chips out and start with one chip after you clear the CMOS again.. the ram might not be compatible with that board..its hard to say.

Also if your having this many issues with overclocking then leave it stock for a few months so it can settle in and you ensure everything is working properly before you attempt to break it. Also might want to switch out the video card with another just for the hell of it since all your problems are revolving around the display although your messing with settings the card could be bad or going bad.

[ashwinc]

thanks for ur reply!, i reset cmos this morning and then cold booted and the screen came on! so into windows device manager, no conflicts reported, i checked the bios version, i have v4 and current is v7 so i downloaded and updated the bios via the Asus EZ Flash. Bios said flash went ok, rebooted and blank screen again and now the LCD poster displays BIOS error.

RMA'd board now waiting for reply, still wonder about the 4870 though... we wait and see.

[Mark]

also check that the memory is set to the correct timings and voltage.

[ashwinc]

thanks mark, thats something i had read as well on the corsiar forums, update ur bios then increase the memory voltages to 2.0-2.1v, well i got halfway there! Thing is if only i could see what was going on i could prolly recover the bios !!

[ashwinc]

Finally got there, mobo is faulty, new one arriving monday, phew! Cant believe how long its taken, bad graphics and mobo, hopefully all works this time