What do you do when...

[dougal85]

You go to your computer to do a bit of coding... you push the power button, lights on, fans on, screen... stays black.

You wait a few minutes, you know... it might just be be slow today.... but no. You restart it. Lights on, fans on... screen black. Same problem again. and again... and again.

I'm personally considering changing career or killing my computer (but then its already dead).

but seriously, I've no idea how to fix it. Any suggestions? Although, I'm sure there are many things that could be broken and would cause this problem.

Only changes in hardware lately are USB hard disc (it arrived this morning actually) but i don't see how it could be related. I did try withought it plugged in anyway

[NogDog]

Assuming a separate monitor (as opposed to a notebook screen), is it safe to assume that you have checked that the monitor is (a) plugged in to the power source, (b) connected to the video output of the PC, (c) is turned on, and (d) its power-on indicator light (if any) turns on?

If yes to all of the above, you might want to connect the monitor to another computer to verify whether or not it is defective. If it works OK, then the next thing I would try would be to turn off and unplug the computer, open it, pull the video card, make sure it's not covered in dust, then re-seat it and reconnect the video cable (maybe you'll be lucky and it's a case of the card not being securely connected to the motherboard or a loose video cable).

If that doesn't help, then it's find another video cable and try that, in case it's a case of a bad cable.

If that doesn't help, you could try the video card in another PC that you know works.

At that point, if you've determined that the monitor, video card, and video cable are all working, then it's probably something wrong with PC itself, at which point you're out of my league.

[Stryker250]

check the screen cable...fiddle around with it. does the hardrive boot?

[bradgrafelman]

NogDog has some very good suggestions to verify that both the monitor and video card are working properly.. make sure you follow all of those steps.

Another thing to test would be the motherboard itself. If you pull out all of your RAM sticks and attempt to boot the computer, the motherboard should (if it's getting to the point of POSTing) produce a "beep code" - a series of beeps, similar to morse code, emitted from the PC speaker most likely integrated into the motherboard. Removing the CPU will also induce a beep code, though this can be a rather tricky process what with removing heatsinks/fans and the danger of bending/damanging one of the tiny pins on the CPU.

EDIT: Actually, a simpler way to test if the motherboard is working properly might be to see if it "sounds" normal. Most computers beep once when they are done POSTing and begin to load the operating system. Can you recall if your computer did this in the past? If so, does it do it now after you attempt to boot it (make sure to give it enough time - some BIOS do a memory test and junk like that, just depends on your settings/BIOS maker)?

[Bunkermaster]

turn the monitor on or open your eyes :evilgrin:

[bradgrafelman]

Heh... you may laugh at Bunker, but I've actually had that happen before. I work at an IT helpdesk (among many other hats we've been forced to wear), and I actually fielded a help request that involved educating the user to push the power button on the monitor.

"Oh really?! Well I've never had to do that before.. I had no idea..."

[dalecosp]

/me checks "excuse of the day" cards:

Sun Spots!!!

And Brad's right, the sucker should beep at you, unless there's no speaker available. If it usually does, and isn't, and won't without RAM inserted, it's dead CPU chip or dead motherboard. You might remove the CMOS battery, wait 30 seconds, and reinsert/try again, but dollars to donuts it's time for an "upgrade".

Stick it in another box and back the sucker up if you're sending it back to the dealer. I doubt that many shops back it up for you (we usually try to, but we're tiny and need customers that love us).

[bradgrafelman]

Just to throw this out there for kicks & giggles...

If it's a Dell Optiplex GX2__ (where __ is 70, 80, or ..?), check for bulging or leaking capacitors near the CPU core. :p

[dougal85]

lol, some good suggestions.

It's a home made desktop.

I've got two monitors - and i assume they are OK. Since chances of both dying at once are unlikely. Also, there is no beeps or anything from the computer as it starts up.

I used the same logic when testing the ram as i have 4 512mb sticks. so assuming they are not ALL dead, then they are all fine.

I think I've narrowed it down to the motherboard.

I tried the graphics card from my flatmate's computer and it didn't help.
(tried mine in his and it was fine).

Then i took everything out, processor, ram, graphics card and i turned it OK. I kinda think the motherboard would beep at me like mad. translating to something like 'WTF! I don't have any components'

There isn't really an easy way to test the mobo is there? I would have tried with my flatmate's stuff but I'm AMD, he's Intel. I don't think there is anything apart from a dead mobo that would cause no start-up beeps at all.

*edit*

I'm glad i paid attention to this thread a while ago and started backing up properly. I have all my university work and work work on my computer.
http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?t=10337919

[bradgrafelman]

Can you recall if there was ever a beep from the motherboard when the computer initially booted up?

At this point, I would definitely suspect a bad motherboard (though still not 100% sure).

[dougal85]

Yeah, I remember the beep... Oh... how i miss that beep. :o

Also, when i turned the computer on the fan (on something, GPU, CPU or PSU - not sure) revved up and was really loud for about 3 seconds and then it went quiet, now it stays loud. :(

[bradgrafelman]

If it beeped previously, and you cannot induce a beep code when removing key components (especially CPU), then my bet is a bad motherboard.

I suppose it could be a bad power supply as well, but if the PS is powering other devices and the motherboard is responding to the power button (meaning it's probably receiving the POWER_OK signal) then I would lean towards the mobo being bad rather than the PS. It would be nice if you had another PS to test, though...

[dalecosp]

We keep a PS tester around for such possibilities.

If the mobo will "turn on" and "turn off" by soft power button (four second off response), could also be a fried CPU chip; 'specially AMDs will get blazing hot.

Only way we know to test, tho, is stick another chip in there.....

[bradgrafelman]

Well there's always the old trick of shorting out the pins and checking for fans running, blah blah, but I assumed that if the other drives were spinning up as well as fans, there's a decent chance it's the mobo.

Again though, without more troubleshooting (probably requiring tools dougal doesn't have) none of this is 100% fact, just a good hunch.

Besidies.. worst case scenario, you upgrade both PS and mobo to solve the problem! :p

[Bunkermaster]

if you have a second PC you could also plug the monitor to it and check that it's not just the tube that's dead.

[dougal85]

if you have a second PC you could also plug the monitor to it and check that it's not just the tube that's dead.

I ruled out the monitors being broken because I have two exactly the same so I though the chances of them both dying at exactly the same time would be very slim.

Two samsung SynchMaster 930BF (http://prohardver.hu/html/monitor/930bf_vg920/picz/bf930/side3.jpg). I love my monitors :P

Well there's always the old trick of shorting out the pins and checking for fans running, blah blah, but I assumed that if the other drives were spinning up as well as fans, there's a decent chance it's the mobo.

Sounds a bit scary to me. My guess is the power supply is OK, everything seems to spring to life. CPU and GPU fans. Hard disc, DVD drive, DVD-RW drive, external USB hard disc

So I think I might go for the mobo replacement... However, on Friday I am going on holiday. So I'm doing I'll wait till i come back. I'll make do with my old slooooooooooooooooooow computer until then.

So on a more fun note, Anybody else Ski? I'm going to the French Alps for a weeks skiing holiday. Can't wait!! :)

(Maybe the computer fairies will have fixed my machine by the time I'm back.)

[pohopo]

A bad PS is quite common, I always buy a nice powerful one (I like antec). Though I am thinking of going Dell next time as computers are soooo cheap now.

[bradgrafelman]

And with sites like gotapex.com that compile the latest deals/coupons.. it's rather easy to buy a cheap name brand like Dell.

[HalfaBee]

Unplug your ipod. :D

My better half rang up one day complaining the computer wouldn't start, just a black screen.
So the first thing I suggested was removing all unneeded USB devices.
My daughter had left her ipod plugged in and it wouldn't boot up.

[Weedpacket]

I like it: HDD boot, CD boot, network boot, or iPod boot.

[dougal85]

lol, thats quite funny.

I refuse to by an IPOD, I've got quite a good PSU too... cant remember the name but it cost me enough and its 480W i think, maybe 500W

[dalecosp]

I'm not sold on DELL, particularly. Last one we had on the bench had been on the receiving end of the wrath of God (2 or 3 lightning bolts on the nearby power grid) and when we went to replace the motherboard and PS, both of them were so proprietary that nothing aftermarket would work. And the parts were 2x or more expensive as an aftermarket "rough equivalent". Of course, the fact that we got the exact board meant we didn't have to "bounce" the box, but usually I'd rather bill for $85 in parts and 2-3 hours labor as opposed to $220 in parts and one hour.

But, that's boring; you've probably already seen/read stuff like that.

[dalecosp]

I like it: HDD boot, CD boot, network boot, or iPod boot.Ipod must be old enough that it doesn't run on Intel :D

[madwormer2]

Hmm.

I always make sure that the RAM is seated properly in the motherboard. Even if it seems to be seated correctly, the motherboard might be a bit picky about just HOW it's plugged in. This has been the solution for me on more than one occasion on my less-than-one-month-old MSI-K9N Neo mobo. (I did a alot of out of the case testing on my mates parts).

[dougal85]

Right well I'm back from holiday - had a great time, thanks for asking ;)

I've went for the mobo being dead, so i ordered a new one. it should be here in two days. Time to wait and see i guess.... I was so close to upgrading and buying something new and fancy buy i managed to resist the urge. just.