help needed ! ==> no video signal

[beowulf]

My friend and me built the same systems about 14 months ago, ASUS A8N-
SLI mobos, AMD X2 dual core 64 bit cpus, GeForce 7900 PCI-e graphics
cards, etc. Well, his system will not boot, no video, can't see
anything appear on the monitor thus no BIOS setup available, etc. So,
he brings me his box that I looked at today. I am wondering if his CPU
or mobo or both are dead, how I can figure that out?

Stripped his system down to the bare basics-- mobo with cpu, power,
video card; no drives nothing else hooked up. Turning on power shows
the cpu fan turning, but LCD monitor just keeps showing "No Signal",
in spite of my trying: alternative PCI-e slot on mobo, alternative
identifical graphics card brand new (I had an extra because I had SLI
set up on my system before), then I went to Best Buy and bought a PCI
GeForce video card and tried that in a PCI slot (not PCI-e) and still
no video signal to the monitor. Monitor is a Mag Innovision 17" LCD,
an extra one I have and I know it works as of just yesterday on
another computer being built. I even tried a different power unit
thinking maybe his power unit was bad. Disconnected and reconnected
the two power connectors to the mobo. Nothing. Just the fan spinning
around the cpu cooling fan (which I might mention has about 1/4 inch
of dust on it, making we wonder if he fried his CPU from dust impeding
cooling, especially since earlier he complained of spontaneous reboots
and such-- a sign I have seen before when a cpu overheats!)

What is most likely the issue here? The CPU? mobo? both? I have built
perhaps 20 systems in my life and I have never seen a system so bad
that I could not get a signal to the monitor to enter the BIOS. This
puzzles me. Any help or ideas greatly appreciated.

 

[Skybuck Flying]

1. Do the graphics cards have two dvi connectors ?

Try each dvi connector.

(I have two graphics cards, I have 4 dvi connectors ! Took me a while before
I found the correct one)

2. Is the SLI bridge connected properly ?

Try switching it around.

(I think I connected the sli bridge wrongly which caused non of the dvi
connectors to work, finally after changing the sli bridge 180 degrees I
finally found a working dvi connector )

(Also in my bios I can change which graphics card is the primary card, which
would probably change the dvi connector I would have to use... ofcourse one
first has to get a video signal to be able to change it )

3. Are the extra power cables connected to the graphics cards ?

Check it.

(Not having extra power might still make the cards work however, sli might
fail or their performance might be bad... not sure if it could completely
fail without extra power... )

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[beowulf]

1. Do the graphics cards have two dvi connectors ?
Try each dvi connector.

Yup, tried that. Also took out PCI-e and just tried a spanking new PCI
card from Best Buy, plain old PCI video card (white slot), nothing. I
have successfully built about 20 PC in my life, I mention that to say
that I am pretty careful about checking cables, snug fits of cards in
slots, etc.

2. Is the SLI bridge connected properly ?

No SLI, just one PCI-e card, so no SLI bridge connector used.

3. Are the extra power cables connected to the graphics cards ?
Check it.

Yup.

 

[beowulf]

Yup, tried that. Also took out PCI-e and just tried a spanking new PCI
card from Best Buy, plain old PCI video card (white slot), nothing. I
have successfully built about 20 PC in my life, I mention that to say
that I am pretty careful about checking cables, snug fits of cards in
slots, etc.


No SLI, just one PCI-e card, so no SLI bridge connector used.


Yup.

I also just took out the mobo and power, did a Frankenstein setup--
mobo on cardboard, power unit hooked up to mobo, only card in mobo is
the graphics card. Nada, nothing except cooling fan spinning over the
CPU. Both power cables attached to mobo, power cable attached to PCI-e
card. Tried both DVI out on back of graphics card for output to LCD
monitor. No video signal reaching monitor.

Does a bad CPU interfere with video signal from a graphics card to the
monitor? I mean, is the CPU, RAM, etc. needed for basic video signal
output and booting into the BIOS? I am guessing the CPU is needed for
even a basic BIOS boot (setup in BIOS), but I have never thought about
what minimal functionality is needed for that.

 

[beowulf]

I also just took out the mobo and power, did a Frankenstein setup--
mobo on cardboard, power unit hooked up to mobo, only card in mobo is
the graphics card. Nada, nothing except cooling fan spinning over the
CPU. Both power cables attached to mobo, power cable attached to PCI-e
card. Tried both DVI out on back of graphics card for output to LCD
monitor. No video signal reaching monitor.

....

My guess is the mobo is bad, because i took out
the mobo and put it on cardboard (Frankenstein setup), took out
power unit, hooked it all up bare on the table top with just mobo,
cpu, video card, power. No video signal to monitor (which worked
yesterday on another PC so monitor is good). I tried my other 7900
geforce card on your mobo and still nothing. I went to Best Buy,
bought a geforce 5700 pci card and tried that in the system, nothing.
I opened up my system and tried my cpu in my friend's system and still
nothing. I tried my power unit on his mobo, nothing. Logic tells me
it just has to be the mobo. And it can't be shorting out since I took
it out and put it on cardboard. I really can not think of ANY other
components that would be the cause, it has been whittled down to the
bare essentials I would think?

 

[Skybuck Flying]

Well there you have it folks another motherboard dies because of possibly
overheat issue's.

One final cause could be failed bios chip, but don't count on it.

My bet: the motherboard is DEAD.

(Followup set to asus as well to let those folks know another asus
motherboard dead... not by me... see post history.)

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[John]

Please...**** off, you doint belong here...

Well there you have it folks another motherboard dies because of possibly
overheat issue's.

One final cause could be failed bios chip, but don't count on it.

My bet: the motherboard is DEAD.

(Followup set to asus as well to let those folks know another asus
motherboard dead... not by me... see post history.)

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[Skybuck Flying]

Dat mag je niet zeggen van Tiscali.

You're not allowed to say that according to Tiscali.

They should disable your internet like they did to me.

HAH !

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[Skybuck Flying]

Abuse sent.



Bye,
Skybuck.

Please...**** off, you doint belong here...

 

[Linux Geek]

Abuse sent.



Bye,
Skybuck.

You stupid ****-stick. **** off, you don't belong here.


--

__________________________________________________________________
Linux Geek

Saying that XP is the most stable MS OS is like saying that
asparagus is the most articulate vegetable. (Dave Barry)

 

[Bob M]

My friend and me built the same systems about 14 months ago, ASUS A8N-
SLI mobos, AMD X2 dual core 64 bit cpus, GeForce 7900 PCI-e graphics
cards, etc. Well, his system will not boot, no video, can't see
anything appear on the monitor thus no BIOS setup available, etc. So,
he brings me his box that I looked at today. I am wondering if his CPU
or mobo or both are dead, how I can figure that out?

Stripped his system down to the bare basics-- mobo with cpu, power,
video card; no drives nothing else hooked up. Turning on power shows
the cpu fan turning, but LCD monitor just keeps showing "No Signal",
in spite of my trying: alternative PCI-e slot on mobo, alternative
identifical graphics card brand new (I had an extra because I had SLI
set up on my system before), then I went to Best Buy and bought a PCI
GeForce video card and tried that in a PCI slot (not PCI-e) and still
no video signal to the monitor. Monitor is a Mag Innovision 17" LCD,
an extra one I have and I know it works as of just yesterday on
another computer being built. I even tried a different power unit
thinking maybe his power unit was bad. Disconnected and reconnected
the two power connectors to the mobo. Nothing. Just the fan spinning
around the cpu cooling fan (which I might mention has about 1/4 inch
of dust on it, making we wonder if he fried his CPU from dust impeding
cooling, especially since earlier he complained of spontaneous reboots
and such-- a sign I have seen before when a cpu overheats!)

What is most likely the issue here? The CPU? mobo? both? I have built
perhaps 20 systems in my life and I have never seen a system so bad
that I could not get a signal to the monitor to enter the BIOS. This
puzzles me. Any help or ideas greatly appreciated.

My bet is on a bad motherboard.

Bob

 

[John]

I did follow you the last period, and you were crossposting everywhere, and
somehow everybody hates you.

 

[Skybuck Flying]

People generally hate smart-asses because it makes them look stupid.

I can't help that.

Bye,
Skybuck

 

[Skybuck Flying]

Neither does your post !

Linux geek. Pehehehe.

Bye,
Skybuck.