The power is reaching the system but it isn't starting up.
The power is reaching the system but it isn't starting up.
Hello everyone, I'm just starting out with PC building and facing a problem where nothing shows up on the screen when I power on my machine. I've tested using two different monitors—first a Magnavox 19ME402V/F7 with a standard HDMI cable, then a Dell 1908FPT via an HDMI to VGA adapter. Neither setup displayed anything. I've checked the CPU and motherboard; everything looks intact, and the power is reaching the board correctly. The monitor doesn't have HDMI, so I'm trying to confirm the connection point. The motherboard has no display troubleshooting LEDs, which makes things confusing. Please find the specifications and a screenshot of my current setup. If you need more details, let me know. Thanks for your help!
It should be possible to post without a cooler. The build isn’t perfect but it works. You mentioned all steps from the manual, yet the GPU spins despite fans running. Did you verify this on another machine? Also, based on what I’ve heard, RAM is usually the issue when there’s no output. Do you have another verified unit to test with? Have you tried using a single stick in slot A1?
Hello, Harmsway1283. Your message is clear. You're using the Peerless Assassin 120 SE as your CPU cooler and are temporarily disabling it just in case you need to adjust your setup. The fans remain connected to the motherboard. It seems the system should still reach BIOS without overheating since it won't power down automatically until you manually shut it off.
Hello MG2R, your reply is appreciated. I'm using the Peerless Assassin 120 SE as my current setup, but it hasn't been installed yet because I found the process a bit cumbersome. Since I'm still getting familiar with PC building and this is my first PC, I don't have another machine to test it on. All my previous devices were gaming laptops, not full PCs. I haven't tried either of these yet—thank you for the advice. I've used a single stick in slot A2, but I don't own a second set to compare with. I'll look for a compatible set and let you know once I've tested it.
Intel claims your chipset includes a native GPU. Consider detaching your dedicated GPU and connecting your monitor straight to the motherboard. If this fails, look for a PC motherboard speaker such as the one listed here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pc+speaker+mo...doa-p_1_14. This should be your most affordable debug option—it will display an error code you can cross-reference in the manual. Try booting with just the CPU and a single RAM stick, excluding the GPU, drives, etc. Reseat the CPU and install the cooler.
Hello MG2R, thanks again for your assistance and the extra ideas. I purchased the VENGEANCE RGB PRO 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 DRAM 3600MHz C18 from Best Buy earlier to verify the RAM placement by checking the RGB activation and confirming compatibility with ASUS' QVL guidelines. I experimented with dual channel (A2 and B2 as recommended in the manual) and single channel (A1 as you suggested, plus A2 per the manual). Although the RGB lit up when the PC powered on, no output appeared on the monitor. I also tried it with the new RAM, but had no success. Interesting, I’ll definitely need to order another one and test this again, thank you for your help. From the motherboard manual, it mentions a warning speaker for beeps, yet there are no beep codes listed—maybe it’s available online?
The forum offers details based on your motherboard’s product page, mentioning an LED debug function named “q-led core” that provides additional insights. Explore it here: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1042678 For more troubleshooting info, check the ASUS FAQ at https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1042632. Good luck!
Hello MG2R, thank you for your assistance once more. I had read about the Q-LED Core on ASUS' site but thought it was an internal LED, so I assumed it might be a feature on another ASUS board similar to mine. When I connected my PC case's LED to the board, I discovered a "No VGA" error appeared. Rather than relying on the on-board HDMI port, I switched to the on-board VGA port and the monitor turned on without any further issues. I suspect I might need to adjust settings in the BIOS or install an HDMI driver, which I’ll investigate further tomorrow. This solution felt unusual for such a problem, as VGA usage is rare and I hadn’t encountered it before. I’m happy it worked, though. Maybe adding a note like "if your board has VGA, try using the onboard one" to the no POST or power-up section would help. I hope this isn’t a common issue, so it’s up to you. Appreciate your support and patience—it means a lot.