Member Avatar for lookinforhelp

Basically for a while, my video cable has had a DVI adapator to connect my screen to my nvidia graphics card in my computer tower. I was on the train 2 days ago, and my suitcase flew off the luggage rack and the front of the tower cracked. Obviously when I got up to where I was staying I plugged in the screen, and the tower and the screen isn't recieving a signal anymore. I opened up the comp, checked everything even took out the graphics card and checked it, nothing is loose/broken. The cable was acting up before I left, I have sent off for a new adapter AND cable, I am just wondering could it be something else? Like something damaged at the front of the tower? Thanks!

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Dani AI

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A no-video condition after a physical shock can come from several places: the monitor/cable/adapter, the GPU (seating or power), the power supply, memory, a short from damaged front-panel wiring, or motherboard/PCIe solder/trace damage. A short, ordered checklist helps isolate the cause without replacing parts unnecessarily.

  1. Verify monitor and cable. Confirm the monitor and adapter work by attaching them to a known-good PC or laptop. Use a different cable/port if available. Note: passive adapters will not convert DisplayPort/HDMI to DVI—an active adapter is required for signal conversion.
  2. Exercise different ports. Try every output on the card (DVI/HDMI/DP) and the motherboard video outputs if the CPU/mobo support integrated graphics.
  3. Minimal POST test. With mains unplugged, reduce to CPU, one RAM stick, and graphics (only if no onboard video). Power on and watch for fans, HDD spin, POST LEDs or beep codes; swap RAM sticks/slots.
  4. Front-panel isolation. Disconnect the front-panel header (power/reset/USB/audio) and use the PSU switch or a momentary short on the power pins to start the system—this rules out a short caused by the damaged front bezel.
  5. PSU and power connectors. Verify all GPU PCIe power plugs are present and test or swap the PSU if possible.
  6. Visual inspection (power off). Look for cracked solder joints, burned components, or damaged PCIe slot contacts; do not probe live circuits.

As suggested, secure the system drive early: remove it and attach via a SATA-to-USB adapter or docking bay to copy important files before further work. Always unplug mains and ground oneself before touching internals.

If these steps still give no video, the fault is most likely a failed GPU, a damaged PCIe slot, or motherboard trace/solder failure from flex—professional diagnostics or part replacement will be required.

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Member Avatar for rubberman

A fall like that can easily flex the circuit board(s), causing a break in a circuit trace. You need to take this to a competent hardware diagnostic center. It may be fixable, but it may not be. In any case, take the system drive out, plug it into a docking bay, and see if it can be read by another computer that is functional. If it can be, then fix/replace the system, and use the old drive as a backup for your data.

Member Avatar for lookinforhelp

I opened it up as I said and I can't seen anything broken at all, it wasnt a big fall and the only part broken is the front of the chassis, the inside is fine :s

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