Problem Booting, no video at all

SquatSquat Michigan
edited January 2006 in Hardware
Hi there, I was playing homeworld the other day, and my computer went to blue screen for about half a second, and then turned off. I let it go for the night, and was gone for a while, when I tried to turn it on later, it would turn on all right, but no video. The fans come on, the memory light on the motherboard is on like it should be, but the graphics card fans don't turn. I checked all the power leads from the psu, and they all worked. I figured it was the graphics card, but have since tested it in another computer, and it still works just fine.
The only thing I can think of is the motherboard, but I have had this computer for about 2 years without any problems. I'm just curious if anyone has an idea what it might be, if not the motherboard. Or any other thoughts you might have.
Forgot to thank you very much in advance. So thanks.

Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Motherboard
WD 40GB 7200
Asus Geforce FX5900 Ultra
P4 2.66Ghz
512MB 1066 RDRAM

Comments

  • SquatSquat Michigan
    edited December 2005
    Hi folks, just wanting to bump this, I was hoping for some outside input.

    Thanks again.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    No video at all? So, you can't even see the initial POST screen? Video card is good. RAM apparently is good. Is that 2 X 256 or 1 X 512?

    Here's what to do next:

    - Remove the video card and clean the contacts. Even though it works in another computer, it could still a problem with dirty contacts. Clean out the AGP slot with compressed air. Sometimes old motherboards can be very temperamental with less than perfect electrical contacts. If that doesn't work, go to the next step.

    - Reset your CMOS jumper. (If you are unfamiliar with this, just ask.) Then you'll need to reset all the BIOS entries, assuming your video card is working by this time.

    - If that doesn't work, then you should check for short circuits. Remove the motherboard and inspect the case for loose objects and ensure all the motherboard standoffs are secure in the case. Clean the case.
  • SquatSquat Michigan
    edited December 2005
    Hey, thanks a lot. I didn't have any compressed air on hand, but I went the old fashioned route and got in close and blew them out. That didn't help.
    As for resetting the CMOS, I am not exactly sure what that would help or how to do it.
    If it is a short circuit or some such thing, the motherboard is most likely toast, right?

    Is it possible for mabye just the AGP slot to go bad? Is there something else that might be wrong that would cause this kind of problem?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    It does sound like your AGP slot has gone bad. Did you clean the contacts on the video card? I imagine they are clean, but it's something you have to try.

    CMOS jumper. It's a little plastic piece on the motherboard near the small disk-shaped battery. It rests on two pins, out of a set of three pins. When you move it down to the lower two pins, it resets the BIOS - Basic Input Ouput Systme. The BIOS code is stored in a small chip called the CMOS.
  • SquatSquat Michigan
    edited January 2006
    Hey thanks again, I found the CMOS jumper and reset it, no luck.
    I think that it is probably the motherboard also. A couple questions: Will I have to reinstall windows if I install a new mb. Or could I just do a repair install.

    Thanks again for your help, I appreciate it.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2006
    Ah, that's too bad. Sorry. So, you aren't getting any screen at all, not even the white text on black background during the initial boot phase (POST)? It really is sounding like a bad motherboard.

    Quite often a Windows XP Pro "Repair" installation will work just fine to get your system to accept a new motherboard. You may though, have to reactivate Windows with Microsoft.

    Ensure that you have all your motherboard drivers consolidated on CD before you do the Windows re-installation. Or, you can put all the drivers in a Folder and install from there. First do the Windows repair installation. Then immediately install the motherboard drivers. Ensure also, that you have any RAID drivers ready to install at the Windows installation "F6" prompt.
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