Computer turns on but no signal in monitor

I just made my first custom PC. I plugged everything in and when I turned on the PC the fans and lights went on but the monitor says that there is no signal. I am using an integrated graphics on a F2A68HM-H motherboard with an AMD Athlon Multi-Core Processor. It has 8 GB of Balistic Sport ram and a WD terabyte hard-drive. Do I need a graphics card to fix the problem? Or is it something else?

The monitor works when I use it for my other computer and so does the cable. AMD Athlon X4 860K: http://amzn.to/22DTC4c 8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport: http://amzn.to/1XVAecj

Evan Athanasakes

Posted 2016-10-17T13:55:08.087

Reputation: 103

1Have you tried reinserting your ram? – None – 2016-10-17T13:57:14.967

1Yes. It has made no effect – Evan Athanasakes – 2016-10-17T14:02:30.093

Your ram might not be compatible with your CPU – None – 2016-10-17T14:03:49.637

1How do you know if they are compatible or not? – Evan Athanasakes – 2016-10-17T14:04:46.043

For the future, using https://pcpartpicker.com/ is an excellent tool to ensure system parts compatibility when speccing out a new build

– Brian says Reinstate Monica – 2016-10-17T17:14:38.027

This is a real pita, but the F2A68HM-H does not have onboard graphics, despite having graphics ports. You pretty much have to use a "qualified" A-Series "APU" if you do not have a discrete GPU. Ideally you will have both although I am not a big fan of "hybrid" as featured. – mckenzm – 2016-10-18T00:03:40.673

Answers

I believe your problem is that you bought an "AMD Athlon X4 860K" processor expecting it to have integrated graphics, however it does not. As you have listed your parts, there is no GPU in your part list.

If you would like a processor of the same level as the one you bought with an integrated GPU, I would check out the A10-7850.

Edit:

As it has been stated, it is probably easier to buy a GPU at this point, so if you are looking for a good GPU for a decent price XFX Radeon R7 360 or an ASUS GTX 700 GeForce GTX 750 Ti as both of these GPUs are good, budget GPUs that could actually play newer games at medium setting while getting 60+ frames.

Also, I am inferring that this build will be used for gaming because the average user doesn't tend to build their own PC. However, if you plan on just using it as an office computer, like user34716 suggested below, you could purchase a low end GPU, like the GeForce GT 610 and be perfectly fine.

Muamer Bektić

Posted 2016-10-17T13:55:08.087

Reputation: 386

5At this point, wouldn't it be better to recommend a GPU to the OP? Nevertheless, the A10-7850 may be useful to others. – jpaugh – 2016-10-17T19:52:49.300

You are right, I was just at school so I didn't really think about it at that moment. I have edited my answer to include GPU recommendations. – Muamer Bektić – 2016-10-17T21:59:38.420

TIL not all processors have integrated graphics. – TMH – 2016-10-18T10:19:18.567

@MuamerBektić Thanks! As it happens, I am considering the GTX 700 series at the moment. Do you have any experience using the 750 with Skyrim, for example? They recommend a GTX 780/Radeon R9 (for the SE version of Skyrim), but I'm not going to buy such an expensive card!

– jpaugh – 2016-10-18T15:12:06.610

Interesting theory that gamers build their own computers. I have built my family's computers for years and my computer is for gaming, but others in the house are for simple web surfing etc. However if I hadn't built my own for the gaming purposes then I wouldn't know how to build the other ones (and it wouldn't be worth learning) – stannius – 2016-10-18T15:16:10.013

@stannius Interesting, indeed! I started building initially because I was curious, and then realized it was much less expensive to reuse parts when an old PC was superseded or trashed. Only recently (thanks to Steam sales), did I reconsider 'gaming' as affordable. – jpaugh – 2016-10-18T17:38:09.613

1@jpaugh regarding Skyrim, looks like it requires minimum of GTX 470. Tom's hardware graphics heirarchy chart considers that that equivalent of a 750 Ti. Generally the minimum recommended is, well, the minimum recommended; even with that you'll have to accept less than perfect performance and experience. GTX 750 is one tier lower but, assuming it runs, it may just be a slightly worse experience. – stannius – 2016-10-18T18:10:02.343

@jpaugh So, I can guarantee that a desktop GTX 750 will easily run Skyrim. On my laptop, which has a mobile GT 740 (not even a GTX) at high settings, 1280x720 without mods, while usually getting 60+ frames, maybe dropping to 40 depending on what is going on or even 100+ indoors. However I run a heavily modded version of the game, running it at medium setting 1280x720 at about a smooth 40 fps outdoors and a 80+ indoors. So, that being said, I think it is logical you can run the game. (Going to split comment into two to discuss the upcoming enhanced edition.) – Muamer Bektić – 2016-10-19T13:39:07.603

@jpaugh Now to talk about the Special edition. So what I know, which may be incorrect, so please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the special edition is built in fallout 4's engine, which I have also tried to play with a GT 740. At lowest settings, The GT performed at 20-30 frames and i personally found it unplayable. However, what I am thinking is if a mobile GT 740 can perform at 30 frames, I am sure the gtx I recommend above can easily bow 60 frames out of the water on probably medium settings. I have not personally used one, but I do know it is a good budget card from friends. – Muamer Bektić – 2016-10-19T13:52:48.113

@MuamerBektić Much thanks! It's so hard to get a feel for a card without actually purchasing it. This is encouraging. (I'm not actually sure about the engine used for the SE.) – jpaugh – 2016-10-20T02:53:27.013

@stannius Thanks! That hierarchy really helps my understanding a lot!

– jpaugh – 2016-10-20T02:57:40.890

@TomHart Even if they do, the motherboard may not be able to use it, for instance the P8P67 LE motherboard could only use a dedicated graphics card; even if your Intel processor had an integrated GPU, the motherboard could not physically use it. So it's really important to check all the details! – Thomas – 2016-10-22T08:26:47.103

The problem you have is that your CPU does not have integrated graphics, and you don't have a graphics card. Rather than invest in a new, expensive processor and potentially risk buying a processor with an incompatible socket type, simply buy a graphics card. If you don't plan on gaming, you can pick up an adequate graphics card for quite cheap. A gt-610 or similar GPU should suffice. A cheap graphics card will have significantly more power than CPU integrated graphics.

user34716

Posted 2016-10-17T13:55:08.087

Reputation: 121

8Especially if the CPU integrated graphics aren't actually present. – Eric Hauenstein – 2016-10-17T17:52:52.447

3@EricHauenstein However, nonexistent integrated graphics can display blank screens very well in high definition, so they're not completely useless, despite being worth literally nothing. – Thomas – 2016-10-18T05:05:37.843