Helpful Information
 
 
Category: Computer Hardware
NO video signal and no Post Beeps at start

Below is a post from a few months ago from rxsid. My problem is similar in some ways.

I started out with a perfectly good working computer (with 2 Hard Drives in it), that I made myself and had no problems for 2 years. I decided to take on of the HDs out and put it in another system. One of the HDs had Win XP on it and the other had Win 2K on it.


After taking out BOTH HDs and then putting back in the HD with Win 2k, the computer wouldn't recognize it. It said bad disk.

I switched the both drives a number of times, with the same results: the HD with XP worked fine and the one with Win 2K wasn't recognized by the system.

Then after a number of tries, when the HD with Win 2k looked like it was finally working, all of the sudden the screen broke up into a colored rectangular pattern and went black.

Since then I can't get any video signal or posting beep codes. I put both of the HDs in another system and they work fine. The monitor also works fine with the other computer.

So I am guessing that the order of components to swap is first the video card, then the RAM, then the power supply, and last the MB.

I have an Iwill KK266 MB and other components that are about 2 years old. I think I might have damaged the MB a little when I was taking out the HDs. I wasn't as careful as I could have been.

ANY OTHER IDEAS ??????

_________________________________________________
Last edited by rxsid on December 24th, 2002 at 10:27 AM

Hi All,

I'm trying to setup my computer for the first time, but I'm getting a "NO SIGNAL" showing up on my monitor (older analogue 15 pin d connector type)
I know for sure works.


I've set up my motherboard (ECS - p4vxasd2+) according to the directions.
Memory (256 mb sdram), cpu (1.7 celeron), hard drive, cd-rom and graphics card (gigabyte 32 mb model ag32s).
I know the cpu & m/b are compatable because I bought them at a local computer store that had the combination on display and working.

The problem is, when the computer is turned on (fans come on ok) and the monitor is hooked up, I'm getting a "No Signal" displayed on the monitor.
There is no audible sound/noise from the hard drive and no beep codes.

What could be wrong? The video card is fully seated in the AGP slot and the cord is fully seated and screwed into the connector on the video card.

Please advise.

Thanks


Last edited by rxsid on December 24th, 2002 at 10:27 AM

Check for bent / broken pins on the cable, try a different cable if you can.

Try the vid card in another PC or at least with another monitor. Try the monitor on a different PC if you can.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. If that doesn't work, I'll get my lazy *** up and get my Bigelow's book of useless knowledge from the bookshelf across the room and see what other steps are in it.

So I am guessing that the order of components to swap is first the video card, then the RAM, then the power supply, and last the MB.

Video Card: possibly and would be the first thing I check.

RAM: nope. You would get POST beeps at least

Power Supply: Possibly.. do the fans come on?

MB: If all else works, it has to be...

It does sound video related. Try another videocard or put the suspect card in another computer and see what happens. Test the monitor as well. I would also reseat your cpu to be sure of proper connections. CPU problems can cause a computer to turn on, but go no further.

Your ram could also be bad and you wouldn't necessarily get beep codes. Many times the mobo doesn't know the ram is bad and the beeps don't happen. There is a linux memory tester you can run on ram that does a really good job of detecting bad ram. I have the tester down at my store, not here.

I would also check the other cards in the computer. Maybe you bumped one of them in the process, and it isn't firmly seated.

One thing you have to be very careful with when switching 2k and XP around to other computers, is the ide drivers. The problem seems to arise when the motherboard in the computer you move the harddrive to has a different chipset, i.e. via to sis, etc. You get a blue screen warning you of a hardware problem. There is a fix on the M$ website.

Hehe. If you ain't got no HDD sound, then power ain't workin' properly. try it w/o any drives attached. including CD and FDD. If you get signal then, you'll nee dto find out what powered device is hozing up.

Originally posted by Trellph
Hehe. If you ain't got no HDD sound, then power ain't workin' properly. try it w/o any drives attached. including CD and FDD. If you get signal then, you'll nee dto find out what powered device is hozing up.
I'm going through a similar problem, but this doesn't necessarily mean that the power supply isn't working. It could also be the motherboard as well.

I see this about 3 times a week:

1) if it turns on, but no video, check: videocard, cpu, mobo, maybe ram
2) if it doesn't turn on, check powersupply. if any funny burning or hot smells out of the powersupply, then it is toast.
3) if it turns on and beeps, check ram, video, video cable. any of these can cause a beep code

Even if the fans come on for your power supply, that doesn't mean the power supply is good. Happened to me once, the supply started dying, and it looked ok. But when I took a dmm to the pins, I discovered the voltage output had fallen 40%, which was enough to screw up the logic circuits on most hardware.

It really could be anything though.

I also had a lightning strike power failure fry some ram on my mother board, but like mentioned above, the system was able to diagnose that with an irregular post beep sequence.

I had a similar problem too. Turned out i hadn't seated the RAM properly. (but i had no beeps)
Like everyone else is saying its just a process of elimination.

First

I wanted to thank everyone who offered their help.

This is actually the first hardware problem that I have ever had with a PC that I made myself or I bought since 1995. I have had many software problems.

I had a number of problems with a Mac 512 that I bought used that was about 7 years old, but I guess you would expect that.

I bought a Dell computer in 95 and never had one problem with it.



Second

I was kind of sad when I fixed the problem, because I didn't have the problem anymore and all of the community feeling of a group of people trying to solve something. I work as a financial planner and we do group problem solving also, but always comes down to the human element as to whether a client will take our advice.

I view computers as a closed system. I have done web design before so I know that design is more of an open system.

I guess I kind of like working in a closed system because there are only so many solutions.


Third - Thanks again.





the answer is revealed below.

















It was the video card

just one more thing.

What kind of preventive solutions can save the most headaches in the future for hardware problems??

I thought of getting an additional hd and creating several partitions on it where I keep cloned copies of the entire hard drive which is only about 10 gigabytes.

Any other ideas???

1) Backup, Backup, Backup - Get a cdrw, zip drive, or tape and do daily backups. Then take those backups offsite. In case of fire, flood, etc. You can also do drive images as backups.

2) Get yourself a good APC unit that has battery backup. Brownouts and minor power ups and downs are bigger threats to computers than spikes.

And if you have any of those cheap power strips on your computer, throw them out. They don't do squat.

Them power strips sure do help. How else would I get all them plugs into one outlet?

Lick your fingers, stickem in the socket and then grab the power cables. She'll turn on alright.

I have the same problem, no video signal at all. no post beeps
the hardware is all new (apart from graphics card) so "shouldnt" be faulty.
specs:

GA-7NNXP motherboard
AMD 2700+ athlon xp CPU
2x512mb Corsair XMX ddr ram
Radeon 9000 pro 128mb graphics card

any help would be fantastic guys :)

I suggest you check the graphics card :p

I have the same problem, even with the CD, FDD and HD disconnected the POST does not go through, no beeps and no video signal, the keyboard LEDs do flash on so power is getting initially to the keyb.
The only problem being the monitor socket goes directly onto the main motherboard, there is no video card as far as I can see. Does anyone have any clue what else I can check??

Cheers
And

hmm... i have almost the same problem first my comp loads nicely into winXP or linux ,but if I reset it what happens is screen goes into standby mode and that's it.I turn off/on the computer i get no signal .... and that's it ... then i wait for about 10-15 minutes it works ok. Strange. Problem with power supply or overheating? BIOS says it's about 50C.
Anyone ???

i have a problem just like the rest here .. just started yesterday

pc is a HP pavilion a450n

Things it does

starts up
fans runs on heat sink
power light on front comes on
and the other hdd activity light is steady yellow



its the gf's pc .. she said she plugged in her camera (usb) then she turned on her camera and when she did her screen went blank only the cursor remained.. So she rebooted and nothing except the fans and the soild yellow hdd activity light on the front of the pc...

so i thought it was the PSU ... well i was wrong (that did'nt work)

so i was thinkin about buying a videocard ... but for some reason i dont think its the video card ...since there is no beeps ...all video problems have beep codes ....

Just lettin you all kno for future reference..


btw: also did the tear down of the system ...that did not work either :(

damn this sux....

Arize Zombie Thread Arize (we need a zombie smiley)
No worries though it's good you managed to use the search feature.

If the warranty is still any good I'd give them a call before you go poking and prodding about.
If warranty is expired then if you have the knowledge and parts required I'd start by swapping out known good parts until you discover the culprit. Start with the monitor and the video card first.










privacy (GDPR)