New graphics card gives nothing

[takahiro]

Ok, well this time I tried to do a better topic title.

Well, here is the problem. I did search and read some of the other threads and I couldn't find any answers that would help me.

I just bought a 8800GT and installed it. When I turn everything on, it gives me nothing. I mean nothing. The lights inside my case light up and all my fans spin. But, I don't get any kind of video or such. No beep at all from my Mobo. I can't even get to BIOs using it. The three lock lights don't even flash and I can't turn any of them on.
So, I take out the card and use the VIA brand internal chipset. From there everything works. I tried changing some setting on the xserver and on the BIOs, but still nada.
I even tried changing my monitors, from a 15"CRT to a 19"CRT, still the same result. I put this in the 64-bit because I run it and I have heard of some problems with the 8800GT on it.

Here are the specs:
700 Watt PSU that is SLi ready, CedarMill LGA775 P4(3.0Ghz), 2Gb DDR2 ram, 500Gb WD HDD, Biostar MicroATX P4M890-M7 TE, Ubuntu 7.10 x64, and (for now) VIA onboard video chipset.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[whoop]

maybe a stupid question, but did you disable your on board graphics in the BIOS when you booted with the new card ?

[jespdj]

Did you connect everything correctly? Some high-power video cards need a second power connection (internally or externally).

[takahiro]

Well, yes I have changed the settings for the video on the BIOs and I have tried both power connectors for the card, there are two. I should have enough power, there is a 700 Watt supply.
I set it to boot from the "PCIeX" and still nada. Just in case, I also exchanged it for a new card today and still the same. I'm fiddeling around to see if I can get it.

Any other ideas?

[Temüjin]

My spidey sense tells me that the VIA chipset is a piece of sh!t and that you won't get an 8800GT to work in there.

[takahiro]

Yeah, I kinda thought that too. So, next payday I'm gonna get a new mobo. Anysuggestions?
A local comp store sells a Gigabyte GA-N650SLI-DS4. It seems pretty good. It has the LGA 775 socket and supports basically all 775 chips, which I have a P4 that uses it and I am planning to get a quad core from Intel. Plus it is already for SLI, and it has all-solid capacitors.

That sounds good,any ideas again or suggestions?

[Temüjin]

That sounds like a good board if you want to buy from and support a local vendor. Gigabyte does good Intel boards.

You'll definitely want to get a new CPU for gaming. Pass the Cedar Mill chip on to someone who's stuck with a Prescott (but keep it around initially for BIOS updating). I don't know if quad core would be a good buy for you or not. How much multi-tasking do you really do?

If you're more into gaming than multimedia encoding, I'm thinking an E8x00 chip would be a good buy for you.

[takahiro]

I do plan to start gaming this fall when I get into my dorm with free high speed net. This summer I'm gonna dual boot Ubuntu and Vista Ultimate.
I'll be getting a package from Intel most likely this summer as part of their Retail Edge program, there is a processor, mobo(cheap one, my co-workers replaced theirs' right away) and Vista Ultimate.

But I'll look into that chip that u suggested.