ok, i love simple answers. an IDE cable was not connected to the motherboard.  i was very happy to see it flopping around, haha. i'm hashing away 100% now after first connecting it to the wrong (apparently) open IDE connector on the motherboard.  IDE 1 was the module farthest from the PSU, by the way, for anyone else wondering. opposite of what i would have guessed but thanks all

for those asking to buy it, i'm not really interested to sell it, just happy to finally have a freaking ASIC finally but if you have some eye popping number in mind, throw it at me, i am not made of stone, lol