[masterb7]

Hello, and thanks for reading this. Recently, my computer has crashed. It went as this: I had returned from my vacation, and arriving home booted up my pc. When I returned to it from getting a drink, I noticed that the computer had frozen in the middle of startup, the part with the windows logo. (It was an windows XP, if relevant)

So I powered down the computer, and restarted it. However, this time, I got no input from the computer, my screen telling me it couldn't detect anything. I made sure that it wasn't the monitor's fault by hooking the cable up to another monitor, but to no avail.

I'm pretty sure that a piece of hardware has broken down, but I'm not sure what it'd be. I'm using an Nvidia graphics card. I was considering removing it and seeing if connecting the cable to the inbuilt graphics card would do anything, but I decided to consult with someone who knows more of hardware then myself first.

Thanks for any and all help

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I was considering removing it and seeing if connecting the cable to the inbuilt graphics card would do anything, but I decided to consult with someone who knows more of hardware then myself first.

This is the correct next step to take.
Can you hear the drives power up or spin up as it is commonly known as?
Do you get a post beep like normal?
Do the lights on the system come on?

[rshaffer61]

I was considering removing it and seeing if connecting the cable to the inbuilt graphics card would do anything, but I decided to consult with someone who knows more of hardware then myself first.

This is the correct next step to take.
Can you hear the drives power up or spin up as it is commonly known as?
Do you get a post beep like normal?
Do the lights on the system come on?

[masterb7]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll do that now. In the meanwhile the answer to the other questions:

Yes, I hear the drivers spinning, and even opened the case to verify that everything does indeed get power. All lights switch on as well. I don't remember any beep though, but I'm not sure if there's ever been one. But part of me does get the impression the computer doesn't turn on as it should. I'll post the results of trying to remove the video card asap.

edit: just tried to remove the video card, to no avail. No video input.

Edited by masterb7, 11 August 2011 - 08:10 AM.

[rshaffer61]

OK that may indicate a motherboard issue.

I made sure that it wasn't the monitor's fault by hooking the cable up to another monitor

What cable are you specifying here about?
The correct test would be to connect the monitor to a known working system or even to a laptop and see if you get video then. If so then it is not the monitor.

[masterb7]

I meant the cable connecting the pc to the monitor. But I went ahead and tried connecting it to the laptop I'm using now, and the monitor works. So I assume the motherboard failed?

[rshaffer61]

That would be my consensus also since you tried both the onboard and a add on card and neither works.