Help with my mobo/videocard/apg slot....?

[OGcritic]

Ok, here is the deal. I got some computer parts, and built a newer computer.

So I set the motherboard into the Case, wire everything up...and Plug everything in.

Here is the problem. My monitor is not recognizing the videocard. So I'm not getting any picture...period (not even to access the bios, or anything.

At first I think It's my video card...but I test it in my old computer...and it works fines (my monitor recognizes it).

So then I'm thinking maybe it's the AGP slot. Though the fan on the video card is working fine, so it's getting power (though I guess it can still be a bad slot)

Here are what the items are.

MSI KT4V (VIA KT400 chipset based) motherboard
GeForece 4 TI4200 64mb
Athlon xp2400+
512 2700 DDR RAM.
ATX case w/ 400w power supply

So yeah, I'm lost...and running out of Ideas. I don't have another video card I can test the AGP slot with (all my other AGP cards are older, and have different grooves then the new board supports). So yeah. Anyone?

[Calliander]

Could be the mobo or power supply. Front panel might not be wired in correctly, also, so I would double check that.

[OGcritic]

The mobo has a retail heatsink already on it...and that spins... Also, what do you mean by the front panel might not be wired correctly? Could you go into a little more detail on that?

Much apreciated.

[Kenshin]

In most BIOSes there's a setting in one of the sub-menus for setting your primary graphics slot to AGP or PCI.

There's no way in hell it should be set to PCI, but may as well check.

Does the mobo have built-in VGA?

[OGcritic]

The mobo does not have built in VGA.

Here is exactly what happens: I put the Geforce 4 into the AGP slot, I plug in my mouse, keyboard, and the monitor into the aropriate places. Then I put in the power cord....

I then turn the system on...the Monitor light turns green for about 2 seconds (like it knows something is there), and then the monitor goes back to orange/red like it's not plugged into anything.

Any that's it...the computer is running, all the fans are going....etc etc.

I can't get into the bios, cause I have no way of seeing anything.....

[Dyne]

(all my other AGP cards are older, and have different grooves then the new board supports). So yeah. Anyone?

this is what boggles me. agp is agp. there arent "different grooves".
from what it sounds like you got a new motherboard, so im assuming you installed the cpu and heatsink yourself? it sounds like your cpu is overheating. you did put some sort of arctic silver on the cpu before putting on the heatsink/fan right? or better yet you DO have a heatsink/fan installled on the cpu? we need a lot more info to narrow this down mate.

and whats this mean?
"The mobo has a retail heatsink already on it"
where? i have no clue what this means.

[OGcritic]

Ok...

I bought the mobo and cpu from someone, they are used, not new. So the cpu and hearsink (it was a name brand one, but I can't recall which one, at the moment) were already installed onto the mobo.

So I haven't done anything with the cpu/fan.

As for the different grooves for AGP...I don't know why...but my older (And I mean OLDER computer's agp slot/cars are a bit different (the Geforece has groove at a fw different places...so it fit in my older mobo fine)...but my old vid cards have grooves in a different place, and it doesn't fit in the new mobo.

[OGcritic]

Bump.....this is quite frustrating. :/

[JMET]

this is what boggles me. agp is agp. there arent "different grooves".
from what it sounds like you got a new motherboard, so im assuming you installed the cpu and heatsink yourself? it sounds like your cpu is overheating. you did put some sort of arctic silver on the cpu before putting on the heatsink/fan right? or better yet you DO have a heatsink/fan installled on the cpu? we need a lot more info to narrow this down mate.

and whats this mean?
"The mobo has a retail heatsink already on it"
where? i have no clue what this means.

That would be incorrect, earlier AGP video cards had a different connection then later versions, I have some older ones that are the same as in they wont even fit on the newer boards.

Bump.....this is quite frustrating. :/

Try a PCI video card.

Go to the motherboard manufactuers web site and find out if the motherboard is pinned right etc. for the cpu.

Is the fan on the HSF for the cpu plugged into the cpu fan header on the motherboard or is it labeled case fan?

[Six]

Try a PCI video card.

Yes.

Get another card. If it works then fix whatever is wrong with the other one and then use it.

If the other card doesn't work either you might have bigger problems than the graphics board.