Member Avatar for nov19th

Before I ask my question, may I please just get it out there that I know nothing about computers? I'm really a computer idiot, and so, please try to take that into consideration. :D

Okay, so, my monitor says 'No Input Signal'. I've checked to make sure that it's plugged in properly, and even plugged it into my laptop to see if there was a problem with the cable or even the monitor itself, and it works fine. I've figured as much that there's something wrong with the connection inside the tower, but the problem is I don't know what. I've tried giving everything that looks like a plug a push to make sure that nothing is loose, but still, 'No Input Signal'.

I've recently been downloading a lot of things onto my desktop, and that has been slowing down my computer quite a bit. Also, whenever I open Windows Explorer, it crashes and tells me something along the lines of 'Problem encountered. Windows Explorer was closed down to avoid losing information.' etc. I figured that that has something to do with how I changed the default location of My Documents (and everything in it) and also the Desktop to a different drive. But the problem had never been major enough to shut my computer off completely.

Also, just before my monitor stopped showing anything, I had been attempting to turn on my computer, only to have it freeze completely after BitComet tells me that it's not running properly and has to shut down.

I'm not so sure what has happened, and am afraid that something had burned out in the tower. So. Help?

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Brief expert summary tied to the thread: since already confirmed the monitor and cable work on a laptop, the fault is almost certainly inside the desktop case rather than the screen or lead. This expands on ideas from , and by giving a short, safe diagnostic sequence and what each result means — aimed at someone who needs clear, low-risk steps before taking the machine to a shop.

Suggested diagnostic sequence (simple and ordered):

  1. Look and listen first — on power-up note whether fans spin, drive(s) spin, and whether the keyboard LEDs (Caps/Num) toggle at boot. Presence of activity narrows the fault toward video hardware or BIOS; total silence points at PSU/motherboard.
  2. Confirm monitor input selection (VGA/DVI/HDMI) and try the other video output on the PC if available. Some monitors stay on the wrong input even with a working source.
  3. Minimal boot: disconnect peripherals, remove any extra PCI cards, leave only CPU, one RAM stick (try each stick in the primary slot), and the video output. Reseat RAM and the video card (if present). This isolates RAM/GPU problems without many tools.
  4. If the board has on-board video, remove the discrete GPU and connect to the integrated port. If video appears, the discrete card or its power cable is suspect.
  5. Check power connectors: ensure the 24-pin ATX and 4/8-pin CPU power leads are fully seated. A loose CPU power lead can let the system spin but not initialize video.
  6. Reset CMOS (power off, unplug, remove battery for 30 seconds) to rule out BIOS config issues.
  7. If boot still fails, remove the boot drive and connect it to another PC (SATA-to-USB adapter) to back up data before further tests.

Safety/caveats: always unplug mains before opening the case and touch chassis metal to discharge static. If any step feels risky, professional repair is preferable. The Explorer/BitComet freezes mentioned earlier suggest the system was unstable — if the machine becomes visible again, prioritize backing up important files and then run memory and disk checks or a repair install.

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Member Avatar for Suspishio

When a computer shuts down on its own it's a power or motherboard hardware problem.

If software is reporting an error or the system is freezing, then the problem in order of likelihood according to my experience (might not be so in your case, of course) is:

1. Device driver causing internal conflicts which would corrupt kernel functions

2. One of your RAM cards is misbehaving or not properly seated. Can be tested by removing one and running with the other, paying attention to the remaining card being in slot 0.

3. A component isn't functioning properly - such as on-board graphics. If a monitor says 'no signal', it means that the computer isn't putting out a signal. That could be because the device has been disabled (by a person or by itself if told to by other software).

I frankly don't think you're gonna get that fixed here through the forum. The PC and screen need to be put in the hands of someone who's good at this stuff. Hopefully you have a friend who fits the bill.

Member Avatar for nov19th

I will most likely take it to a IT technician, but I just figured that maybe someone has had similar problems and knew how to deal with it. Thanks anyway. >__<

Member Avatar for cguan_77

does your keyboard lits up when you power on your pc? does caps lock respond after powering on for about a minute?

if pc doesn't lit up.. might be a motherboard problem...

if it lits up but caps lock no response.. could be a motherboard problem also

if it lits up and caps lock also got response then your video card might have some problem...

if you don't know the basic on how to deal with hardware then better take an IT guy.... or try to do it yourself carefully... check out google for basic pc troubleshooting..

Member Avatar for fluffy345

basically what the thread saided on the last page is what my computer also went throught

Member Avatar for radheydesai

Possible Solutions

Ensure the hardware is working fine
Ensure that monitor switch is turned on and the monitor receives the required power supply.
Interchange the monitor with better one of the same interface.
Ensure that there are no software or configuration changes.
Check the front panel display controls for fuzzy characters

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