Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

Need help - no display on bootup


  • Please log in to reply

#1
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Hey guys, new to forum and would appreciate any thoughts on my current situation...

My problem is that when I turn on my pc, I get no display at all. This started yesterday without any warning. I had the pc on for a few hours in the morning, powered down & later on I tried to power-up and got no display at all. I tried a different monitor, different v-card, mouse (non-wireless), keyboard (all are known to be ok) - no luck! When I power-up, all of my fans (case, processor, power supply and v-card) start, my harddrives run, my optical drives have power (can open & shut the doors) but I just don't get any display at all. I also don't get any sort of post beeping. I pulled out my RAM (RDRAM 4x256) just to see if I'd get any error beeping, but I don't get anything. I removed the battery and reset the cmos, I even bought a brand new battery and installed it. I re-seated the proc, but that didn't help. One curious thing is I don't get any lights on my keyboard, nor do I get a light on my wireless mouse receiver. I'm thinking something has gone wrong with my motherboard - that's the only component I can't swap out with my parts on hand. I was thinking the PS was bad, but I get power to everything in the case. The PS is a Chieftec 420w. This is kinda frustating - it's my son's PC and I am known as the one who can usually fix anything PC related, LOL! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Listed below are the pertinent PC specs:

MB: Asus P4T533-C
PROC: Intel P4 2.8 ghz
MEM: RDRAM (4 x 256mb)
V-CARD: Nvidia 6800GT 256mb
HDs: Maxtor 80gig EIDE x2
OPTICALs: Liteon 52x CDRW, Pioneer DVD-R 4x
PS: Chieftec 420w
SOUND: Soundblaster Live 5.1

Once again, thanks in advance!!

Edit: OS is WinXP Home

Edited by troypar54, 31 July 2005 - 08:43 AM.

  • 0

Advertisements


#2
lionelhutz5

lionelhutz5

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts
Have you tried connecting the monitor to the onboard (integrated) video instead of the video card. Note, this would also involve removing the video card.

Jared
  • 0

#3
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
I would, but the MB doesn't have onboard video.
  • 0

#4
lionelhutz5

lionelhutz5

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts
Sorry, my fault. Do you have access to any other video card, even if it cruddy?
  • 0

#5
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Yeah, I tried my 6800GT out of MY pc - it didn't work, then I tried an old TI4200 I had laying around - that didn't work either... thx
  • 0

#6
lionelhutz5

lionelhutz5

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts
Oh, sorry about the v-card - missed that in the post (must not have gotten the "video" part hahaha I'm stupid. Ummm... you say that not even the lights go on on your keyboard. That is important I think for a couple reasons now that I think a little harder. If only the monitor portion of your system was bad, then everything would continue to load, and go into windows like normal, only you would not be able to see it. But since you lights are not going on, the system cannot be reaching the Windows sign on screen. And what loads before Windows starts? BIOS. And what does the BIOS start you ask? - the monitor and keyboard, which is also not working. All of these (BIOS as a whole) are a part of your Mobo I should believe, and if you cleared CMOS with the battery, then the BIOS should be reset to boot in a certain priority. Therefore, it sounds to me that your assumption may unfortunately be correct. The motherboard is blown. But I do not want to jump to that yet because I hate to say that is really probably the worst. Does anyone else here have an input?

Jared
  • 0

#7
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Yeah, that's what I was heading towards. I was hoping the cmos reset would help, but it didn't and with the keyboard and mouse being legacy bios items, both of which don't seem to be working (both work fine with MY pc) - that's what I was afraid of. Been meddling around with pcs for a long time, had about every type of hardware crash you can... but this one has thrown me for a loop. Thanks again for your timely inputs!
  • 0

#8
lionelhutz5

lionelhutz5

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts
I'm just hesitant beacuse I have been reading reviews about your Mobo, and it talks about that it is high wuality and design to perfection. But then again, nothing is 100% safe. Still, though, it is a tough call. That's why I'm hoping that someone else has an idea - if we can keep this thread at the top - cause of right now, I do not see any other solution...none that would involve saving your hard drive. Huh..could that be it? Could the harddrive be ruined where Windows is not loaded properly on it anymore? But again the lights...but again the cost of a Mobo...?????

You're right about it being a noodle scratcher though...

Jared
  • 0

#9
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Could be, didn't have any other boot HDs to use - it should still try to boot the BIOS shouldn't it? I just think it's odd that with all items (v-card, memory, optical and hard drives) disconnected - I don't get any POST error beeps - it's like it doesn't give a hoot that there's nothing there.
  • 0

#10
lionelhutz5

lionelhutz5

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts
Does you rmotherboard have diagnotic lights on the back of it? Like 4 small lights - perhaps labeled A B C D?
  • 0

Advertisements


#11
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Nah, don't see any, just a bright green LED on the lower right-hand side that stays on, only goes off when the power is physically disconnected.
  • 0

#12
lionelhutz5

lionelhutz5

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts
Shoot. Please, anyone else have something to say! Even just a confirmation would be helpful to be sure of heading in the proper direction.
  • 0

#13
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Update: I tried a different PSU and my problem remained unchanged, so I think I can rule that out...
  • 0

#14
Samm

Samm

    Trusted Tech

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,476 posts
Hi there

Sounds like you've tried most things already including swapping out the psu, video etc.

Before you give up on it, try this (if you haven't already):

1. Disconnect the psu (both external lead & internal ones)
2. Remove all your internal cards etc, leave only the cpu & ram in place
3. Disconnect all drive cabling from the motherboard.
4. Remove the motheboard from the case
5. Place mobo on pile of paper or matt cardboard so that the underside is fully insulated
6. Reinsert the video card & hook up a monitor & keyboard. Leave everything else (pci cards, drive cabling etc) disconnected.
7. Clear the bios again - do not connect psu yet & leave clear cmos jumper in the clear position for 30 secs
8. Reconnect the psu
9. Power up the system again. If the soft power switch from the case to the mobo no longer reaches, locate the 2 soft power pins & with the psu turned on, briefly bridge the 2 pins using a flat bladed screwdriver.

If you still can't get the screen to come up, reseat the ram & try again. Then try swapping the rimm in slot 1 for the one in slot 4 for example.

Let me know how you get on
  • 0

#15
troypar54

troypar54

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 8 posts
Darn it... wish I'd seen your post just a bit earlier - I just got back from the UPS Store. I didn't get a chance to try your suggestion. I called Asus and after explaining the problem, I got an RMA# to send it to them - sounds like the tech thought the MB may indeed be bad. I'll re-post in a couple weeks when I get the MB back form them . Thanks for your time and suggestion!
  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP