Member Avatar for Rachel1010

Bear with me as I'm new to this!

This computer was built by a friend of mine about 4 yeas ago. Been working sweet until the other day, there was no signal on the monitor!!

- Have opened up the computer and the fan on the video card (AGP) is still spins happily when pc is on.
- Have swapped with another functioning video card (PCI) and still no luck!
- Have tried using a different monitor and still nothing!
- Have used the original AGP video card in another PC and it works fine!

What on earth could it be!? :cry:

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  • 4 Years Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by vitocorleone666

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Quick, practical summary tied to the existing replies: because the original AGP card works in another PC and the monitor is fine (thread observations), and there’s little or no POST/beep/drive activity as noted, this pattern usually points away from the card or monitor and toward the motherboard or the board’s power delivery. was right to suggest clearing CMOS; that can clear a bad setting, but there are a few additional, safer checks to run in sequence before assuming a new board is needed.

Follow this ordered checklist (one step at a time, power off and unplug before touching hardware):

  • Try a minimal boot: one known-good RAM stick in the manufacturer’s primary slot, CPU+heatsink/fan, video card (or onboard), PSU, and a system speaker. Remove drives, extra cards and USB devices. Power up and listen for POST beeps.
  • If you get no beeps, test/replace the PSU next (swap with a known-good PSU or measure +12V/+5V on the 24/20-pin and the 4-pin CPU connector with a multimeter). Fans can spin while key rails are missing.
  • Visually inspect the motherboard around the CPU, VRMs and AGP slot for bulging or leaking electrolytic capacitors and any scorch marks—distended tops or brown residue means a likely board failure.
  • If you have no case speaker, install one to catch beep codes; many “silent” systems give no display simply because there’s no speaker to report POST.

Clearing CMOS (safe method): unplug mains, locate the round coin battery, gently push back the metal clip and remove the cell for 30–60 seconds, then reinsert (or use the clear jumper per the manual). Always ground yourself on the chassis and avoid forcing components.

If those steps don’t produce POST, the usual next move is swapping in a known-good PSU and, if available, booting with a different motherboard/CPU (or using a POST diagnostic card). If those aren’t possible, a local technician can confirm a bad motherboard; replacement is often cheaper than prolonged bench-testing. This approach narrows the fault quickly without repeating steps already tried in the thread.

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Member Avatar for ShaneMcP

Someone may have changed the default video card to something else, probably the on-board video. If there isn't on-board video then try switching the monitor to whatever other video card there is. If that doesn't work. Turn of the CPU and unplug it, then take out the cmos battery and put it back in. You could always try to move your ram to a different slot :D. The system is receiving power, correct? And the CPU fan spins? No beeping or anything? What about clicking or clacking from the HD? Check for termites? Or chickens with large talons?

Maybe the last two won't work...

Hope this helps!

Shane McP

Member Avatar for Rachel1010

Thanks so much for the reply!

No there isn't an onboard video.
Have switched monitor with another pc, and monitor is fine.
Have also moved the ram cards into different slots in every combination!
The system is definately receiving power
No beeps
No clicking or clacking, sounds like it's running normally.
Definately no termites and chickens with talons! (unless they have an invisible spell cast over them! :eek: )

Havent removed the cmos battery and put back in as I really dont know how!!

Does is sound like the motherboard or CPU issue? or something else?!

cheeers! :)

Member Avatar for chrisbliss18

The clicking or clacking sounds that ShaneMcP was refering to are the sounds that the harddrives usually make as they are being read when Windows starts up. Do you hear these sounds at all? If you leave the system on, do you ever hear the Windows startup sound? Set up everything as if you were actually going to use the computer (speakers on, volume up, monitor on, etc), turn on the machine, and ignore the lack of the display. Do you hear what you usually hear when the machine boots up?

If you don't hear the usual sounds (the beep from the system speaker during POST, the harddrives being read, the Windows startup sound), that could mean that your machine isn't actually working and that the non-functioning display is just a symptom rather than the actual problem.

Member Avatar for shahs003

hi this is Harendra from Australia,

when I am starting PC it makes no sound(no beeps-no POST, no harddrives reading sound, no window stratup sound), monitor didn't show anything, when I remove data cable from monitor it shows "no signal- self diagnostics"-display. can you please help me, how to solve this problem?

Member Avatar for chrisbliss18

hi this is Harendra from Australia,

when I am starting PC it makes no sound(no beeps-no POST, no harddrives reading sound, no window stratup sound), monitor didn't show anything, when I remove data cable from monitor it shows "no signal- self diagnostics"-display. can you please help me, how to solve this problem?

First, read this thread.

Second, it is normal to see the "no signal - self diagnostics" message when you remove the cable. That is a message that many monitors display when they stop receiving data from a computer. Since you removed the data cable, it would logically follow that you would see that on the monitor.

Third, post a new thread detailing your problem since this is someone else's thread about their own problem and the thread is more than two years old. When you post this new thread, include details about what you tried from the thread I linked above and what the results were.

Member Avatar for ECCTech

Bear with me as I'm new to this!

This computer was built by a friend of mine about 4 yeas ago. Been working sweet until the other day, there was no signal on the monitor!!

- Have opened up the computer and the fan on the video card (AGP) is still spins happily when pc is on.
- Have swapped with another functioning video card (PCI) and still no luck!
- Have tried using a different monitor and still nothing!
- Have used the original AGP video card in another PC and it works fine!

What on earth could it be!? :cry:

There are possibilities of a motherboard issue, power supply issue, graphics card issue. When it comes to troubleshooting, basic technics are used, if you have a monitor connected to a graphics card, the problem may arise in this area of troubleshooting. Your graphics card may be failing, or there is no driver for your card installed, BIOS may not be set up to recognize the monitor as the primary device, or there is a power issue between the motherboard and graphics card. A power supply may be failing, or the motherboard may be defective. The remedy to troubleshooting is to review and focus on one thing at a time.

Member Avatar for vitocorleone666

yes i turn on computer and monitor no signal dectected..i have no idea what the video card mention in previous answers to this question so i have not tried to switch it also i have removed battery..if battery is dead and replace it with a new one will it help solve problem...thanks vito

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