Monitor - No signal

Raych · Jul 31, 2005, 07:17 PM

Hi all,
I'm trying to build my own computer without my husband's help so I can learn stuff along the way. My first obstacle is that the monitor has no signal. The computer I am upgrading is my brother's old one and I played cards on it just last week before he gave it to me. When I brought it home and started it up (no modifications yet) there was 'no signal'.
It is not the monitor or the cables as I have tried them on another computer. I swapped the graphics card to another computer and that works fine too. Is there something else that could be loose? This is the stupidist problem to have, but I'm sure I'll learn some good jargon with your answers.

bicestertown.co.uk · Oct 12, 2005, 01:59 AM

you see...first i thought that my AGP card is not working. I have bought a PCI one to try it. Same result. I have removed aeverything except the proc and the rams.(mem's where tested before and they are fine - same with the processor). I have sent an email to MSI asking about that speaker connector 3 days ago. No reply so far...

StuMegu · Oct 12, 2005, 03:20 AM

Hate to say it but it sounds like your mobo is dead

could be the other components of course, the only way to know is test in other equipment!

bicestertown.co.uk · Oct 12, 2005, 09:04 AM

i see....
one more question.
How do you define the word "dead" when is about mobos?
You see, this one still has the lights on...the pci cards get the signal(at least the fan is spining on the graphic card...the modem card has the lights on...i thought that dead is...umhh...you know... dead?!
(anyway, thank you very much for your help, Stu, you are a real gentleman)

NeedKarma · Oct 12, 2005, 09:11 AM

Just to chime in quickly: a "dead" motherboard could be the result of a failure in the chipset(s) that are onboard. The power light would come on but the basic i/o functions would be dead.

StuMegu · Oct 12, 2005, 09:26 AM

Thanks Need,

It really could be anything on the mobo that has failed (I don't know enough about electronics to speculate) and the fact that this is the only "old" piece of equipment doesn't help. However it could also be the CPU is faulty, if the supplier is handy I would maybe ask them to check it out.

When I say dead, I just mean anything that can't be fixed with software, or jumpers etc.

Like I said, only real way to know for sure is to test in other equipment.

slrkman · Oct 14, 2005, 02:40 AM

Hi,

I am also facing the same situation. My Computer is Acer 400MHz with 196 memory and has a CDWriter and a internal modem on PSI.
It worked well for more than 2,3 years without any problem and for 2,3 weeks I was out of my home and couldnt switch on that. After that time I switched on it and these was no signal on monitor. It doesnt say that 'no signal' on monitor.

I can hear the familiar sound of the CPU and fan is working inside fine. Then I removed the memory and reattached it. Then once System boot up. But when I was working there was a message saying an error and System restarted. ( I have Win98 Second edition )

Now the Initial Screen comes. ( The Screen with brand name ACER, and there is 'Press Ctrl+Alt+Esc to enter setup' message. When I Try to enter setup with these keys, it doesnt go to setup. The screen with the brand name remains as long as I keep the power on)

Now sometimes I can boot the machine. But after some time the error comes or a blue screen comes and it restarts. Sometimes there is no signal on monitor. sometimes, the screen with the brand name comes and remains forever.

I am a software person, without much of (any) knowledge of hardware.

Please help.

StuMegu · Oct 14, 2005, 10:50 AM

I would suspect the RAM in this case, but as stated before, it can be any of the components, CPU, Motherboard or RAM.

Consider looking for an upgrade to the bios for the motherboard and running a memory testing program such as the one offered by microsoft:

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Good Luck.

bicestertown.co.uk · Oct 16, 2005, 05:42 PM

slrkman, try to change the battery. Should fix it.

slrkman · Oct 18, 2005, 01:44 AM

Thanks a lot StuMegu and bicestertown.co.uk,

I dont know where the battery is. I can check for RAM by removing them and attaching them in another computer. Is there any way to check all those components like CPU and motherboard. (If you know a web site containing those details)

Thanks againg for your kind reply.

slrkman

StuMegu · Oct 18, 2005, 11:05 AM

I'm still looking for a good CPU and Motherboard tester, I've tried some but nothing has really struck me as good. You can get hardware testers that plug in to the PCI slot and perform tests! Maybe this is the best way to go for someone testing regularly but no good for one off's.

The only other way I know is to find another motherboard or cpu that matches the faulty set and swap till you drop!

does anyone else have any good mobo/cpu testing programs?



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