Graphics Card DOA?

[Jak]

Since ibuypower.com forums are way too damn slow at helping me and their support team is even slower.. I decided to post here. I'm in desperate need of help and if this e-mail seems choppy or sloppy it's because I'm at work and writing it in pieces every 10-15 minutes.

I bought a new computer last month and it finally arrived yesterday all nice and shiny. I plugged in the power cable, I plugged in my mouse/keyboard, and then I plugged in my flat screen monitor. When I turn my computer on everything seems to boot up (I guess, it's really quiet but I bought it to be quiet) from the LED lights displaying temps and fan display to the inside lights. The one thing that doesn't turn on is my monitor!

Now I already double checked to make sure the graphics card was properly put in, I took it up and resituated it. The fan on the card even works but my monitor automatically goes into power-save mode. It's as if my computer isn't turned on or my monitor isn't connected to anything. The tech support said it's my graphics card and it must have arrived at my house as dead as can be so I have another one on the way.. what worries me is when I turn my computer on it makes no noise period. No beeps.. no music.. no nothing. Is that normal? What do you guys think?

Here is the original message I posted on the ibuypower.com forums in case I forgot to mention anything to you guys.. and at the end I listed my new computer specs so you guys know what graphics card and shit I have on it.

Well, I talked with customer service technicians and they said they would replace my video card.. but I have some further questions maybe someone can answer?

I got my computer today took it straight from the box to my desk. I plugged the power chord in, the mouse, the keyboard, and then the monitor.

When I turned the computer on I noticed my monitor goes straight to power save mode meaning it's acting like it isn't even noticing my computer is turned on. The tech guy says my video card is just bad and needs to be replaced. I understand and that's fine..

But are there any ways to confirm it's my video card? Or the power supply? I mean the fan works on the video card.. but that's it.. since monitor won't work.

Also, when I turn the computer on with the speakers plugged in I notice no sound from the computer. Now granted I may have to setup the computer since it's new.. shouldn't my computer be making some form of a noise? This kinda worries me as well. :-/ So does anyone know if there might be a bigger problem? Or am I just getting too worried and my computer not making noises is just me being worried?

Thanks. ;( Sorry if this post is more rambling than nothing.. I'm just so very very sad I waited a little less than a month and "Christmas Day" arrives and my present is busted!

Case ( Nzxt Guardian 921 Gaming Tower Case Black )
Case Lighting ( None )
Power Supply ( 600 Watt -- Power Supply SLI Ready )
Processor ( [== Quad Core ==] AMD Phenom™ II X4 925 Quad-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology AM3 & AM2+ support )
Processor Cooling ( Sunbeam Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooling Fan System Fan Controller Included )
Motherboard ( Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 DDR3 AMD 770 Chipset w/7.1 Sound, Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, USB 2.0, PCI-E MB )
Memory ( 4 GB [2 GB X2] DDR3-1333 Memory Module Corsair or Major Brand )
Video Card ( ATI Radeon HD 4850 1GB PCI-Express x16 )
Video Card Brand ( Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA )
Free Game for ATI Video Card ( [Free Game] - BattleForge Free with purchase of AMD CPU & ATI Radeon HD Video Card )
Hard Drive ( 500 GB HARD DRIVE [Serial-ATA-II, 3Gb, 7200 RPM, 16M Cache] )
2nd Hard Drive ( None )
External Hard Drives [USB 2.0/eSATA] ( None )
CD/DVD Drive ( None )
CD-RW/DVD-RW Drive ( [** Special !!! ***] LG 22X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive Black )
Sound Card ( Creative Lab Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio )
Speaker System ( iBUYPOWER 2.1 Channel Stereo Super Bass Subwoofer Speaker System )
Network Card ( Onboard LAN Network (Gb or 10/100) )
Floppy Drive ( None )
Monitor ( None )
2nd Monitor ( None )
Keyboard ( iBUYPOWER USB Keyboard w/ 18 Internet Hot /Multimedia Keys Black )
Mouse ( iBUYPOWER 1600 dpi High Sensitivity Internet Mouse Black )
USB 2.0 Accessories ( Built-in USB 2.0 Ports )
Meter Display ( Thermal Temperature LCD Display Black )
Flash Media Reader/Writer ( 12-In-1 Internal Flash Media Card Reader/Writer Black )
Operating System ( Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium + [Free 60-Day !!!] Microsoft Office 2007(Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access ....) 64-Bit )
Software/Game ( [Free Game] - Halo 2 Free with purchase of Microsoft Windows Vista operating system )
Software/Game ( [Free Game] - S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: clear sky Free with purchase of AMD DDR3 System )
USB Flash Drive ( None )
MP3/MP4 Player ( None )
Video Camera ( None )
Headset ( None )
Power Protection ( None )
Warranty ( Standard Warranty Service Standard 3-Year Limited Warranty + Lifetime Technical Support )
Rush Service ( Rush Service Fee (not shipping fee) No Rush Service, Estimate Ship Out in 5~10 Business Days )

[virusiidx]

Do you have another video card you can swap out and check just incase? If not, I would double check all the power adapters, make sure they are plugged in where they should be. There was a few times where I forgot to plug in the PCI-E power into the mobo, thus got no video. Most likely you know what you're doing and it's plugged in, but just thought I'd throw that out there anyway.

Don't think I would worry too much about no noise just "yet" since different bios' make different "beeps" or none at all. Also it's probably trying to setup windows for the first time, etc...

[Jak]

Do you have another video card you can swap out and check just incase? If not, I would double check all the power adapters, make sure they are plugged in where they should be. There was a few times where I forgot to plug in the PCI-E power into the mobo, thus got no video. Most likely you know what you're doing and it's plugged in, but just thought I'd throw that out there anyway.

Don't think I would worry too much about no noise just "yet" since different bios' make different "beeps" or none at all. Also it's probably trying to setup windows for the first time, etc...

I don't actually. The only other card I have is an AGP card and my new computer is PCI only. The only reason I even know that is b/c the tech guy told me. :-/

As for making sure the power is connected.. I made sure the card was connected to one of the power things.. but as for where that cord goes I don't know. I mean I know it goes to the main power source but I don't know how to check if that one is plugged in. I'm afraid if I open up the power thing I'll void my thing where they will refund my computer.

As for the noise, yah.. I forgot it is probably trying to setup windows. So should I open up my main power supply area and check?

[Jak]

Side note: just talked to tech again.. to ask if it "might" be the computer not turning on..

"If me and you both came to the conclusion its the video card then it's the video card. Is that all you need?"

:-/ Never buying from IBuypower.com again. Ever.

[Pikarya]

Does the motherboard by chance have on-board video? If so theres an extremely high chance they forgot to set in the bios to PEG before shipment. 99% of problems with Dell's shipped are due to this and give the same effect.

Otherwise goodluck.

[Jak]

Weird. Someone else mentioned on board video but never explained really what that is. I'm so sorry if I'm sounding nab at the moment but I am when it comes to computer technicality stuff. :-/

All I know is I can only seemingly find two spots in the back of my computer to plug a monitor into. And neither works ;_; Am I missing something silly?

[virusiidx]

Are both spots on the same card? Like right next to each other? Or do you see another VGA port on the ports above that. Not sure if you know what it looks like, but it's this: http://www.tvone.com/images/1t-vga-cattx-rear.jpg

If you do see that on the ports above, then you should have an onboard video as mentioned by Hiroko, which might not be set off in the bios. Check that first, then we'll go from there.

[Jak]

Oh no ; ; I don't have that. The computer I'm using right now does and that's how I connect my monitor. My new computer only has I think DVI connector is what it's called? :-/ IS there a way to like.. remove it from my main comp. and put into my new one? >_>

[Pikarya]

http://i41.tinypic.com/mvtemq.jpg

edit: also, can you link us to a spec chart of everything you bought, that way we know what we are looking at in more detail ;o

[Jak]

Yah my comp. has none of that You'd have to look at pics of my computer specs/mobo/etc. to see what it has.. but not that D:!!!!

[Jak]

The original post I made has a list of everything on my computer. ^_^ Unless you mean more info which I can try to find.. or I can try to find pics of the stuff too!

[guartz]

I would check to see if they plugged in the video card correctly. That is, check to see if the 6pin connector is in fact, connected to the video card.