Video Won't Come Up

[dljohnson19]

Have a machine that I was going to wipe out and reinstall the O/S on to upgrade it. When I powered it off and back on I guess the onboard video card decided it was it's day to quit because it never came back up. I have added a PCI video but still get no video signal no matter which one the monitor is plugged into. Ideas on how to resolve this?

 

[ski]

Try a different monitor, or connect yours to a different system.
If there's a display on another monitor, or if there's no display on yours, then replace your monitor.

If the monitor is ok, then install/connect only the power supply, MB, CPU, memory, video card, monitor, keyboard, case speaker, and power button, and make sure the power supply's voltage selector switch is set to the correct voltage and the PS connection to the MB is securely seated.

If there's no display, then clear CMOS either with a MB jumper, or by removing the CMOS battery for at least 30 minutes.
If no luck, then check the CMOS battery for the correct voltage(3V).

If the above does not help and the battery is ok, then place the MB on a piece of cardboard. If there's now a display, then the MB is shorting out when installed in the case. Check for a loose screw, standoff, etc., inside the case, and also remove any standoffs which do not line up with MB holes. If none is found, then remove all MB screws and metal standoffs, and install paper washers(manila folder paper works good for this) between the MB and the screws/standoffs.

If there's no display with the MB placed on a piece of cardboard, then proceed with the following:

(1)If the MB standby LED does not light up when you turn on the power supply's switch, then check the wall outlet, surge arrestor, and power cord for the correct voltage.

(2)If the voltages are ok for the items in (1) and the MB standby LED still does not light up, then then slightly raise the PS main power connector out of the MB connector a little. If the MB LED lights up, then the connector on either the PS or the MB is bad. If the MB light still does not come on, then the PS or MB is bad. Swap these 2 items out to find which one is bad.

(3)If MB light comes on, but the PS fan, other fans, and other lights do not work when the 'Power On' button is pushed, then make sure the computer case power button's wires are securely connected to the correct MB terminal(POW-ON, Power On, etc.), and that the wires are not shorting out(bare spots). If that's ok, then remove the power button's wires from the terminal, and momentarily short out the MB terminals with a screwdriver. If the fans and lights now work, then the 'Power On' button assembly is bad.

(4)If the fans connected to the MB and all other lights do not work when either the 'Power On' button is pushed or the MB 'Power On' terminals are shorted, then the MB or PS is bad. Swap them out.

(5)If all fans and lights work when the 'Power On' button is pushed but there's no display, then test the following PS leads on the back of its MB connector making sure the connector is installed on the MB and system is powered up with the 'Power On' button:

http://www.ochardware.com/articles/psuvolt/psuvolt2.html

If you do not have a voltmeter, then try a different PS.

(6)If the PS voltages are ok, or there's no display with a different PS, then either the MB, CPU, memory, or video card may be bad.
Remove and reinsert the memory a few times making sure it's firmly seated, install the memory in different slots, and make sure the video card is firmly seated(some video cards need an extra firm push to seat properly).
If still no display, then swap out the MB, CPU, memory, and video card to find out which one is defective.