While I am technically knowledgable, this is referring to the first system I've ever built, so pardon any of my newbie tendencies.

So I install a new HD today that I'm going to futz around with in MacDrive and make it a Windows drive (woo formatting) and put it in. Turn my comp back on, and no video. I've tried the obvious stuff: unplugging/replugging, reseating my video card, taking the HD back out, etc. I'm pretty sure it's my motherboard for several reasons:

- None of my USB ports or my PS/2 ports get any power. PS/2 Keyboard, USB mouse, flash drive, Zen V, nothing. Usually my computer requires input for the video card to wake up and display what's happening on the monitor, and without input possibilities...kinda screws that chance.
- My video card's fan spins up and runs fine and the thing is producing heat, so something is working down there.
- A guy on my hall (gotta love the dorm life) let me test his monitor and he got the same problem, so my monitor is fine. Well I mean it sucks, but it works at least.
- Everything else in my computer works. The hard drives spin up, the CPU puts out heat and the fan works, all my case fans are spinning, and even the mobo chipset and onboard NIC are working. It's JUST THE INPUT PORTS. LOLWUT?

Has anyone else ever been in this situation? I can't tell what it could possibly be other than the mobo or, on a very slim chance, the power supply, since it is kind of old and is only 300 watts.

when you installed the harddrive did you ground yourself properly to the case of the computer?

what is the brand and model name of both motherboard and videocard

I'm pretty sure I did, but that may have been a mistake on my part.

My motherboard is a MSI K9N4 Ultra-F, and the video card is a PNY Technologies NVidia 7300GT (PCI-E 16x.)

IS the mother board under warranty?

i think replacing it would be your best course of action

Yeah I'm pretty sure it is, problem is that information is at home and I'm currently in college a hundred miles away, lol. My mom is sick but when she gets better she's going to make the epic trek up into my closet to find the box and manual (It's quite high up.)

Thanks anyway for your help.