I just built a P4 3.2 Socket 478 Computer using a ASUS P4SE Motherboard and a PNY 256 MB Video card. Point being; I'm trying to get everything set up for the first time and Ive come to a big brick wall...I boot and I don't get any visual, the monitor flashes a signal but then goes dead. I know the videocard works because I tried this with a non-functioning video card and there was no flash. So obviously at some point theres a signal disruption...

I get no POST beeps and similarly I know the ram I have is in good working order and I also have made an effort to put it back in to see if it worked. Its single channel DDR (one stick of 256, another 512)

The HDD LED Blinks and it makes reading noises so I know that its trying to run, Im sure its not a processor dilemma...I'm thinking theres a jumper missing on the motherboard perhaps?

Anyone have a suggestion?

Edit/Delete Message

is there an onboard video adapter.

No

[quote author=Ishbar link=topic=17026.msg172830#msg172830 date=1189930266]
No
[/quote]

Maybe it's the monitor?

few weeks ago i had a similar problem. i think there was a bad contact in the AGP slot on my motherboard because if i yanked the card in a good position, the computer would work just fine but then the signal would die because the contact went out of place again. so i replaced the motherboard and all works well now. try sending back/replacing the motherboard.

[quote author=l2k-Shadow link=topic=17026.msg172835#msg172835 date=1189960644]
few weeks ago i had a similar problem. i think there was a bad contact in the AGP slot on my motherboard because if i yanked the card in a good position, the computer would work just fine but then the signal would die because the contact went out of place again. so i replaced the motherboard and all works well now. try sending back/replacing the motherboard.
[/quote]

Woah man, ever heard of replace suspected bad with known good?

Try the card on a different motherboard (old / friend's computer). Try a different card on your motherboard (old / friend's card). If switching the card with a different one works, replace the card. If switching the card to a different motherboard works, try replacing the motherboard. Notice I said try, because a whole lot of stuff is attached to the motherboard which could change your result, and you may even want to diagnose further before sending back the mobo.

EDIT -
Try to get your hands on a copy of CompTIA's A+ Certification book for computer repair and maintenance. This was the book I worked out of in my CS class last year and I learned a good deal from it.

I should have mentioned. I used an AGP and a PCI card as well, they were pulled from working computers and I also set up several other computers using that monitor (as opposed to pulling all the cords from the back of my computer desk and unplugging my main one.)

So then it would appear to be your motherboard?