Tech Support: Bad video card...or???

Draft Dodger · 03-12-2008, 08:14 AM

I'm trying to figure out what's up with my PC. Last night I rebooted my computer and I got a black screen - no signal to the monitor at all. I opened up the PC and did all the normal stuff - blew out all the dust, reseated the video card, checked all the cable connections. I still can't get a signal (I separately was able to verify that the monitor and the cable are both ok). I've run into this a few times recently, and checking all the connections has always resolved it in the past.

I know the computer is booting at least some of the way - when I turn it on, I can hear the hard drive working just like during normal boots. When I turn the machine off using the power button and turn it back on, the computer beeps and reboots after 45 seconds or so (my assumption that it hit the "Windows was not shut down normally" screen which will reboot after a certain amount of time).

so, it's a bad video card, right?

I haven't had a chance to swap out an older card to test that theory, but there's something that makes me curious. When I boot the machine, it should be going all the way to windows (I have XP "log in automatically"). But I can't see the machine on my network. Would a bad video card keep the machine from booting all the way? Could there be something else I'm missing? I've been suspicious of one of my IDE cables, but I can't see that causing these symptoms. What really makes me go "hmmm" is that this issue only seems to happen during restarts. I'm going to begrudgingly swap in an older card tonight, but I welcome any other ideas on what may be vexxing this machine.

JetsIn06 · 03-12-2008, 09:28 AM

This is exactly what happened to my previous laptop and it was a bad video card. Hope you can fix it!

Draft Dodger · 03-12-2008, 07:49 PM

so, it's not the video card. I swapped it out today with a working card, and still no signal. I know it's not the monitor or the cable, or the card or the seating of the card. I guess I'm looking at something wrong with the mobo.

JetsIn06 · 03-12-2008, 08:12 PM

Heh. That's weird. Is your screen completely dark? No backlight or anything?

When my video card was busted the monitor was turning on, the backlight lit up the screen, but nothing ever showed up. Again, hope you can figure out what's wrong and fix it.

JetsIn06 · 03-12-2008, 08:12 PM

dola

I guess the monitor won't have a backlight if it's not a laptop. Disregard my previous question.

Draft Dodger · 03-12-2008, 08:27 PM

yeah, it's a desktop. the monitor is acting as if there's no signal at all.

CU Tiger · 03-12-2008, 09:32 PM

my old PC (home built) did the same thing
intermittently from the day I built it for the 4 years I used it.

As odd as this sounds, the only wasy I ever found to fix it was to remove and reinstall the processor, this would work every time, and I never worked out a theory as to why.

But went through same steps, diff vid cards,cable,monitor...monitor would act like asleep, no input signal at all. Unplug processor and re install and it would boot every time...

Draft Dodger · 03-13-2008, 07:16 AM

hmm. that doesn't sound like fun at all.

Subby · 03-13-2008, 07:17 AM

Did you verify that your monitor is actually working?

Draft Dodger · 03-13-2008, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subby

Did you verify that your monitor is actually working?

yep, monitor and vga cable are working fine when connected to other machines.

Subby · 03-13-2008, 07:28 AM

I think you need a new johnson rod.

Draft Dodger · 03-13-2008, 07:32 AM

what size?

MizzouRah · 03-13-2008, 09:50 AM

You should at least get video when it first boots.. definitely sounds like a mobo/power supply issue. Have you check the memory?

Toddzilla · 03-13-2008, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subby

I think you need a new johnson rod.

I lawled.

03-12-2008, 07:49 PM	#3
Draft Dodger Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Keene, NH	so, it's not the video card. I swapped it out today with a working card, and still no signal. I know it's not the monitor or the cable, or the card or the seating of the card. I guess I'm looking at something wrong with the mobo. __________________ Mile High Hockey

03-12-2008, 08:27 PM	#6
Draft Dodger Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Keene, NH	yeah, it's a desktop. the monitor is acting as if there's no signal at all. __________________ Mile High Hockey

03-13-2008, 07:16 AM	#8
Draft Dodger Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Keene, NH	hmm. that doesn't sound like fun at all. __________________ Mile High Hockey Last edited by Draft Dodger : 03-13-2008 at 07:16 AM.

03-13-2008, 07:17 AM	#9
Subby lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: sans pants	Did you verify that your monitor is actually working? __________________ Superman was flying around and saw Wonder Woman getting a tan in the nude on her balcony. Superman said I going to hit that real fast. So he flys down toward Wonder Woman to hit it and their is a loud scream. The Invincible Man scream what just hit me in the ass!!!!! I do shit, I take pictures, I write about it: chrisshue.com

03-13-2008, 07:28 AM	#11
Subby lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: sans pants	I think you need a new johnson rod. __________________ Superman was flying around and saw Wonder Woman getting a tan in the nude on her balcony. Superman said I going to hit that real fast. So he flys down toward Wonder Woman to hit it and their is a loud scream. The Invincible Man scream what just hit me in the ass!!!!! I do shit, I take pictures, I write about it: chrisshue.com

03-12-2008, 09:28 AM	#2
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	This is exactly what happened to my previous laptop and it was a bad video card. Hope you can fix it!

03-12-2008, 08:12 PM	#4
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	Heh. That's weird. Is your screen completely dark? No backlight or anything? When my video card was busted the monitor was turning on, the backlight lit up the screen, but nothing ever showed up. Again, hope you can figure out what's wrong and fix it.

03-12-2008, 09:32 PM	#7
CU Tiger Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Backwoods, SC	my old PC (home built) did the same thing intermittently from the day I built it for the 4 years I used it. As odd as this sounds, the only wasy I ever found to fix it was to remove and reinstall the processor, this would work every time, and I never worked out a theory as to why. But went through same steps, diff vid cards,cable,monitor...monitor would act like asleep, no input signal at all. Unplug processor and re install and it would boot every time...

03-13-2008, 07:32 AM	#12
Draft Dodger Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Keene, NH	what size? __________________ Mile High Hockey

03-13-2008, 09:50 AM	#13
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Troy, Mo	You should at least get video when it first boots.. definitely sounds like a mobo/power supply issue. Have you check the memory? Last edited by MizzouRah : 03-13-2008 at 09:51 AM.

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