Built my own PC, nothing happens

[zero4zero]

It is defintively a memory problem. Is the first memory stick set closest to the CPU? Are the memory sticks the right type. Since you have a pIII 866 you must have PC133 SDRAM with a 6.5 multiplier setting. If you placed PC100, nothing will work. If you cannot get to the BIOS, it is because there is no binding between the mobo and the RAM. Check to make sure you have PC133 and no PC100, with memory stick set in right place.

 

[snowdog]

Hey, that might be it! I just checked all of my RAM cards and they all say "PC100" on them. Will that really stop me in my tracks? I hope that's all it is, if so I'll go but what I need tomorrow. What exactly do I need to look for when I buy a new memory stick? Thanks a bunch!

 

[snowdog]

...and will this keep the video from working at all? I am using onboard video and don't even get the screen where the RAM counts up.

 

[zero4zero]

There you go, that's the problem. You can use PC133 on a 100Mhz bus, but not the opposite. And yes your onboard video will work too because it uses a portion of those RAM to function.
With never motherboards, you can put a memory slower than the bus, the computer will work anyway but not at its' rated capacity, so your computer won't perform as well. When you buy a motherboard, always check its' bus frequency and make sure you have matched memory sticks. Many computer companies sell systems with under-rated RAM: like a PC2100 (266Mhz) on a mobo with a bus speed of 400Mhz>the mobo should have PC3200 (400Mhz) same speed as the mobo bus.

 

[snowdog]

Great. what about that 6.5 multiplier thingy?

 

[DarkBlade1]

What chipset do you use? If it is the 810 or 815 Intel chipset, then you MUST USE LOW DENSITY SDRAM!! If not, then it will never work.. And I am almost positive this is the problem.. All SDRAM sold in BestBuy, CircuitCity, newegg, and many many other places is HIGH DENSITY, but Intel required low density to keep latency down since the PIII's need a lower core density to run at the speeds they were set for.

 

[snowdog]

Chipset is SIS630ET