Comp won't boot...no video/something else...

I don't know exactly where i should put this post but....here goes.
Like a week ago, when i would (attempt to) start my computer, the lights (hdd led, cd-rom) would turn on solidly and my computer would not start. (no video, no beep, no memory test sound) I came here and told people about it and they said i needed a new psu (power supply). I spend like a week deciding which one to get...(sparkle 350) and i got it and hooked it up. It worked for a couple days....then it started not-booting again...i opened it up and checked all the connections, resetted the cmos, blew dust out of stuff, reinserted all the cards....now, it doesn't do the no boot thing....but i have no video (ati aiw 7500 agp)...i just happened to have a brand new spare video card (geforce2 mx 200 agp)...so i replaced it with that.....to no avail. I reinserted it several times...tried both....check all connections again....reinserted the memory....and took out everything not vital to booting.....still no video... whenever i try to fix something....i make it worse.....someone please help me!!! What am i doing wrong??!!

p.s...i can't get my heatsink off my cpu...last time i tried forcing it off and broke off one of the notches and killed a processor... how do you get it off right?

after screwing with it a bit more, i must edit my last post:

1st) the computer isn't doing the *beep* which it is supposed to. I don't think that it is just starting with no video. i don't think it is starting right.

2nd) i figured out how to get the heatsink off

so...the quest continues....I took my whole computer apart, put it all back together, discharged the cmos, put Arctic Silver ceramique thermal gunk on the cpu and the northbridge, bought a new stick of ram...
so thats new ram, psu, mobo, and ups.....and still my computer won't work....i press the button, the lights turn on solidly, and its stuck that way....but i REFUSE to take it into a shop. ITS AGAINST MY RELIGION!!! but darn man....i don't have the slightest inkling why it aint working.....i running out of options....please someone...
help...

Did you use the plastic washers under the mounting screws?

You're using the metal standoff studs only on the mobo holes the mobo manual says to?

You took your time and double checked each and every connector to make sure the polarity was correct and not plugged in backwards somehow or in the wrong header?

I took all the screws out of the mobo and now its only using the plastic supports....the metal studs are still in though....
looks like i am gonna just take it right out of the case-i think it's shorting sumwhere...


and yes, every connector is in correctly.

the mobo is lieing on piece of plastic with nothing but a video card and ram plugged into it. I took out everything not vital to booting, even extra fans. and yet......still doesn't work. I hate my life...

bumpitty bump bump bump!! whats wrong with it!??!?

Not that knowledgeable yet, but had a similar problem.

Basically I just mixed and matched every part I had avaliable in the hope that something would work together (after buying a new psu).

I got lucky and had the new cpu work with the old mobo. Personally I think my psu first killed my old processor and then new mobo.

Hopefully something will work together for you.

Well, if you're not getting any beeps, and it's not shorting, it sounds like a BIOS problem to me. I have the exact same problem now after a failed flash. The IDE lights and fans come on, but no beep/post at all. I ordered a BIOS kit from excaliberpc.com; we'll see if that helps. You might try this.

http://fae.abit.com.tw/eng/faq/qa/2002/2002073001.htm


David