How to install a GPU on a motherboard that already has onboard?

[supernerd]

Hello ~Darkseeker~

I took a look at the manual for your mobo (Asus M4A78LT-M LE). Whether that is your system board or not. I've seen those jumpers on modern boards and they are for a "wake-on" feature when your computer goes to sleep. The jumper near the PS/2 port is for "wake-on keyboard". when the jumper is set to "enable" you can wake your computer up by pressing any key. That's why you have one near the USB, for a USB keyboard. Some even have a "wake-on LAN" for a Peer-2-Peer server. Nothing to do with your issue really.

As for your current problem. I had a similar situation. Only it was a transportation issue. I built a desktop for my friend and it was all ready to transport. Took every precaution. Powered it up at his house. No video. I'm assuming that your system lights up, fans blowing, and had drives spinning, but no activity and no beep codes. Obviously something did not pass the Power On Self Test bringing the system to a complete halt. They way I delt with my problem, was that I gutted it of everything. I disconnected every cable and connector, removed the RAM and even the CPU. I let it sit in the tower with nothing in or on it overnight, not even the CMOS battery. That gave the board and the Power supply time to discharge any electricity that may be hiding in the capacitors. Installed one piece of hardware at a time, the minimum system requirements. Eventually I did get it to work and now I'm using it as a server for a home lab. If you still have nothing, take the time to rifle through your system boards documentation. The only thing that's left that could be causing a problem is a fried processor.

 

[~Darkseeker~]

ill give it a go, nothing to lose really, it cant get any more broken than stuck at POST really. lol

worst case senario is.. ebay.

 

[~Darkseeker~]

still getting nothing, i stripped it down and rebuilt it but same problem. i even tried different DVI->VGA adapters :/

is there anyway i can test all or most of the components with a multimeter? i dont own a PSU tester or anything lol

 

[Danny93]

still getting nothing, i stripped it down and rebuilt it but same problem. i even tried different DVI->VGA adapters :/

is there anyway i can test all or most of the components with a multimeter? i dont own a PSU tester or anything lol

If you're really really struggling to make it work then you could take it to TechGuys at PC World. They will install components for you.. I think a GPU costs about £20. They set everything up and configure everything

Also I just noticed you are using Windows XP on your build (assuming that is the one you're trying to install the 5770 in)
Are you sure the 5770 is 100% compatible with Windows XP?

 

[supernerd]

You can test anything with a multimeter, but it may not give you what you're looking for. The power supply is just about all you can test unless you're feelin ballsy to test all the leads on a graphics card or processor socket, which is NOT recommended by the way. So I've provided different levels of troubleshooting below. I would recommend trying to power the system up after each one if the previous one did not solve the problem kinda like a flow chart, but in a forum:

Power Supply
==========
~To test the power supply, connect the 24 pin and 4 pin ATX connectors to the system board.
~Make sure to also connect the front panel LEDs and switches.
~Power it on and ground the negative probe of the multimeter to the tower somewhere.
*Note; if your multimeter has alligator clamps or a short stubby probe rather than a long pointy probe, open up a paper clip and clamp it in the alligator clamp; if it's a short stubby probe, wrap the paper clip around it to test each wire*
~Take the positive probe and test each wire of the 24 pin and 4 pin ATX connectors by wedging the probe into the connector parallel to the wire.
~As you check the PSU voltages, consult your power supply's documentation for the proper voltages.

System LEDs
==========
If everything is okay, push the reset button and pay attention to the LEDs around the system. This includes the LEDs of the HDD, LAN, WLAN, Power, and the ST-BY LED. Look for any activity at all. If the HDD LED does nothing than it sounds like POST did not get past the processor.

CMOS Battery
===========
Try testing the CMOS battery with your multimeter and make sure it has 3V (+/- 0.2V) Nothing more, nothing less. If it's dead, replace it with a KNOWN working one, not necessarily a brand new one.

Processor
========
Basically at this point there's a problem with either the processor or BIOS. If possible, try to test the processor in a different system board as well as testing a KNOWN working processor in your system board. Other than that, you're system board and/or processor might need to be replaced, but if you can in some way, test them before officially disposing them.

That's just about all I have to offer as far as troubleshooting. If the problem still remains contact Asus, AMD, or the manufacture of your BIOS chip about your situation. If you do get the system up and running, take a look at the BIOS version and compare it with the latest. I would highly recommend upgrading the BIOS to the latest version.

Hope some of this helps...

 

[~Darkseeker~]

well i can rule out the PSU, since ive tried a couple other ones since (a Corsair one from a friend's old PC and a GX650 coolermaster i bought reently) and i doubt all of them would be faulty, since the system worked fine on my TRUST thing for a while (half a year thereabouts). I actually installed the GX650 and the gpu together, in hindsight i should have installed them seperately, but i was in a rush to get done before dinner because i knew id just keep putting it off if i didnt get it done then and there. As it stands my system is set up as it was before the psu or gpu were put into it, so something has happened that is sticking around.



holy shit

while i was typing this, i turned it on an it works >.<

must have been the three-day leaving the case totally empty.

 

[~Darkseeker~]

got the SOB working finally.

lovely GPU though, glad i stuck it out.