New PC: Beyond frustrated

[Stora]

One thing I will say though:



Lady if you can remove a GPU and reseat it, you possess literally 100% of the skills needed to build your own PC. I promise you, on my honor. Building a PC is like putting together the world's ugliest Lego model, except the model is only made out of like 6 pieces.

That is just bollox.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I've put together 3 of my own systems. It's nothing. It's impossible to put one together wrong because everything only fits one way. Even the plugs are all differently shaped so you can't accidentally plug the CPU power cable into a drive or something. RAM can't go in the GPU slot. Fan cables can't plug into SATA ports.

The only thing I can think of that anyone would even remotely have any trouble with are the tiny pin-plugs for the case on the motherboard...like that the power button and reset button etc plug into. And those things are still marked and color-coded. AND of course there's the motherboard book that just tells you.

 

[Stora]

I've put together 3 of my own systems. It's nothing. It's impossible to put one together wrong because everything only fits one way. Even the plugs are all differently shaped so you can't accidentally plug the CPU power cable into a drive or something. RAM can't go in the GPU slot. Fan cables can't plug into SATA ports.

The only thing I can think of that anyone would even remotely have any trouble with are the tiny pin-plugs for the case on the motherboard...like that the power button and reset button etc plug into. And those things are still marked and color-coded. AND of course there's the motherboard book that just tells you.

Lady if you can remove a GPU and reseat it, you possess literally 100% of the skills needed to build your own PC

you post a lot of good shit but sometimes you just don't think.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I still don't see where the problem is?

 

[bubblesort]

I still don't see where the problem is?

I agree with you, it's mostly like putting legos together. I think the only tricky part is dealing with thermal paste. Most CPUs seem to come with their own paste now, which simplifies things. You just have to remember to be gentle with it and don't go trying to change the orientation of the CPU cooling fan after you already placed it on the thermal paste, because the thermal paste won't want to let go (pro tip: Use unwaxed dental floss to cut through the paste if you have to seperate a CPU from it's fan cleanly).

 

[Stora]

I still don't see where the problem is?

For one researching and sourcing parts to build a PC is a different skill set than simply re-seating a component on a system board.
Any way I don't want to drag this topic down with my point any more because it's not helping Cindy resolve the problem.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

The skills needed to build a PC:

1. The ability to use a screwdriver to remove or install a screw
2. The ability to press a card into the appropriate slot on the motherboard
3. The ability to plug a cable into the correctly-shaped port

That's it. Those are all the special skills. Putting together the computer is just doing those things, a few times over in sequence. We know Cindy can do all of those because she used 1 and 2 to remove and reseat the GPU, and plugging in an HDMI cable is no different from plugging in any other cable so 3 is covered. What's left? Just open the little book that comes with the motherboard and do the steps in order.

OH WAIT SHOOT! There's one important skill I left out. Can you put toothpaste on a toothbrush Cindy? Cuz you'll need to squeeze a dot of thermal paste onto the top of the CPU (that only fits in one way) before you clip the CPU cooler on top of it. But if you can brush your teeth then yeah, no sweat.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Have to tried plugging into the video connector for the motherboard, or just directly to the video card? If there is an HDMI near the motherboard back panel connectors, it will use the CPU graphics instead of the GPU, ion case that is where the problem is.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I agree with you, it's mostly like putting legos together. I think the only tricky part is dealing with thermal paste. Most CPUs seem to come with their own paste now, which simplifies things. You just have to remember to be gentle with it and don't go trying to change the orientation of the CPU cooling fan after you already placed it on the thermal paste, because the thermal paste won't want to let go (pro tip: Use unwaxed dental floss to cut through the paste if you have to seperate a CPU from it's fan cleanly).

I remember the first time I removed a cooler when I was taking apart an old build. When I pulled the cooler off, it pulled the whole CPU with it - even though I hadn't released the little CPU holder-latch on the slot.

I don't think I damaged it, but still - it's a good thing I was making a new build, heh.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

For one researching and sourcing parts to build a PC is a different skill set than simply re-seating a component on a system board.
Any way I don't want to drag this topic down with my point any more because it's not helping Cindy resolve the problem.

That's kind of reductive for reduction's sake, though. Opening a mail package safely so that you don't damage the contents is also an important skill set you'll need if you're ordering stuff by mail but do we really need to include that?

If push comes to shove, you can get whole build lists from online; and anyways, the way Cindy started her post:

The main advantage I was going for was a faster GPU (GTX 1660 SUPER Phoenix 6GB GDDR6) and more HD space (6 TB). Nothing exotic. No overclocking. Don't even need a monitor and keyboard. Save a few bucks.

...makes me think that Cindy probably knows enough to cover that part of it.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

Have to tried plugging into the video connector for the motherboard, or just directly to the video card? If there is an HDMI near the motherboard back panel connectors, it will use the CPU graphics instead of the GPU, ion case that is where the problem is.

I've tried both, even went back to analog. Nada

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Then it's DOA. Time to return it. If you have a Microcenter near you look at their in house brand (Powerspec). They provide in house service with good turn around time.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

Actually
have you tried plugging in your monitor into the motherboard's GPU port instead of your dedicated card's to see if an image comes up?

If yes, try re-seating your GPU card. Also, before that, see if you need to enable the GPU PCIe slot in the bios settings. (You normally don't though.)

Yep, both my HDMI cable as well as my analog (not at the same time). Same nothing.

I'm throwing money at this because I'm compulsive and self-centered I drove over to Best Buy out of desperation - I haven't been there in years, preferring to order my stuff online. First they sold me a new monitor (curved), and that didn't work so I returned it. Bought a new PC of roughly the same specs as my Cyber. Even with a rush order, it'll not be here til Tuesday.

So if 2 brand new machines break right out of the box I think I'm going to become a hermit and move to the mountains. Hopefully in a state where weed is legal

 

[Jolene Benoir]

My old machine was showing its age badly, and since it's over 6 years old I decided to buy a new one. Since my current PC came from Cyberpower and I'd had good luck with them, I elected to go to Cyberpower again. I won't be making that mistake a third time!

The main advantage I was going for was a faster GPU (GTX 1660 SUPER Phoenix 6GB GDDR6) and more HD space (6 TB). Nothing exotic. No overclocking. Don't even need a monitor and keyboard. Save a few bucks.

Unfortunately, while the box seems to boot up ok, I don't know what it's doing because I have no video display - the screen is black. I switched it to HDMI and rebooted again. Same thing. Removed the GPU and reseated it. Same problem. Phone tech support with Cyberpower was mediocre - he could not inspect the connectors over the phone and his 2 best suggestions were to reset the GPU (done) or ship it back. Swell, huh? As a last resort, I sprang $350 on a brand new Samsung curved monitor but I'm having the same problem PLUS inability to understand the monitor interface.

This might be a motherboard problem, I'm guessing, but I've delayed shipping it back because it would be 3 more weeks without a machine. At this point, I'm decided that I'm just done with Cyberpower and I just want my money back. Before I do that, I was hoping a tech genius here would offer other notions I could look at.

* No, I do not build my own PCs. Have you met me?
* No, Cyberpower will not get my business again.

I'm kind of late to this, but does this also have onboard graphics and if so did you check the bios to see which it wants to boot up? In my admittedly ancient bios, unlike UEFI I have the choice of onboard, pci or IDE (if there is a pci gpu it will boot that and if not it will boot the onboard one) It makes a difference on mine because there are two hdmi out ports, the onboard one and the pci one. So..let's say I have the hdmi plugged into the pci card, I would have no video if the bios was set to onboard.

Probably not this, but just wanted to mention it.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

I'm kind of late to this, but does this also have onboard graphics and if so did you check the bios to see which it wants to boot up? In my admittedly ancient bios, unlike UEFI I have the choice of onboard, pci or IDE (if there is a pci gpu it will boot that and if not it will boot the onboard one) It makes a difference on mine because there are two hdmi out ports, the onboard one and the pci one. So..let's say I have the hdmi plugged into the pci card, I would have no video if the bios was set to onboard.

Probably not this, but just wanted to mention it.

Without any kind of display, I don't know what the BIOS would do for me. (I'm open to suggestions, though). The HD light comes on and flickers as usual. The fans quietly whir. But I can't see anything.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

Without any kind of display, I don't know what the BIOS would do for me. (I'm open to suggestions, though). The HD light comes on and flickers as usual. The fans quietly whir. But I can't see anything.

Ah yes, of course that makes sense. Completely my fault for not remembering that you still would have no video.

Let's try this: When you look at the back of the computer where you have the hdmi plugged in? Is it the only hdmi out port? If not, you could attempt to put it in the other, then boot? If it were set to boot to that, then you would indeed have video and be able to get into the bios to see the setting. Naturally, you would want to set it to the pci one, switch it back to the pci port, reboot and then it would work.

Of course, all of this assumes the possibility that there are onboard graphics in addition to a pci port.

 

[bubblesort]

Yep, both my HDMI cable as well as my analog (not at the same time). Same nothing.

I'm throwing money at this because I'm compulsive and self-centered I drove over to Best Buy out of desperation - I haven't been there in years, preferring to order my stuff online. First they sold me a new monitor (curved), and that didn't work so I returned it. Bought a new PC of roughly the same specs as my Cyber. Even with a rush order, it'll not be here til Tuesday.

So if 2 brand new machines break right out of the box I think I'm going to become a hermit and move to the mountains. Hopefully in a state where weed is legal

If two different computers give you black screens in the same week, then you might want to join an amish community. They don't really smoke pot, though. They're more into running cocaine for the Pagans MC.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Box it up and get your refund.
A new pc should work. End of discussion.
At least for me.

This.

I personally would mess with it for an hour or three but that's because I've done that for a living and have a pretty good chance of sussing out anything just a little dodgy.

I would then go to NewEgg and order a used high end workstation that's like five years old. I've been very happy with the HP z series, but that's just me. For some bizarre reason there are people who prefer Dell. They're all built like tanks.

 

[Knutz Scorpio]

Not fully seating the power cable to the GPU card seems to be PC manufacturers' favorite mistake lately. Look for the eight pin (2 x 4) power connector on the GPU on the top and to the back, if there's a power cable plugged into it press on it to make sure it's fully locked into place, if there's no cable there it fell out in shipping and is laying in the bottom of the case.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

Not fully seating the power cable to the GPU card seems to be PC manufacturers' favorite mistake lately. Look for the eight pin (2 x 4) power connector on the GPU on the top and to the back, if there's a power cable plugged into it press on it to make sure it's fully locked into place, if there's no cable there it fell out in shipping and is laying in the bottom of the case.

Did that days ago. Thank you though