PC start up problem

Beaumaris

I was using my desktop PC yesterday when the screen suddenly went distorted and froze. I had to switch it off, but now I cant get it to start again. The computer switches on but the monitor says there is no signal, and the lights on the keyboard are not coming on. I tried the unplugging it ahd holding the on button thing but it didnt work, neither did disconnecting and reconnecting the monitor lead. Does anyone have any ideas what is causing this? Thanks

grumbler

I am no expert, but IMO it can be anything: motherboard, BIOS, graphics card, memory. Last two are possibly the only faults that you can eliminate or confirm yourself, without getting an expert involved.

Does your PC have a graphics card or a motherboard with integrated graphics or both?
How much memory and how many memory modules?

Beaumaris

How could i check the memory and graphics card? It has a separate nvidia graphics card. Memory is 1 TB hard drive and about 3.6 GB RAM. I don't know about the memory modules, and i cant find the paperwork or instructions that came with it, although I don't think there was much anyway.

grumpycrab

Beaumaris wrote: »

The computer switches on but the monitor says there is no signal, and the lights on the keyboard are not coming on.

Any beeps? When you say no lights on the keyboard what do you normally see? Can you try a different monitor/TV?

Fightsback

Also consider a possible PSU failure.

grumbler

Beaumaris wrote: »

How could i check the memory and graphics card? It has a separate nvidia graphics card. Memory is 1 TB hard drive and about 3.6 GB RAM. I don't know about the memory modules, and i cant find the paperwork or instructions that came with it, although I don't think there was much anyway.

Well, if there is no integrated graphics, the only way to check the graphics card is by trying some other one or checking yours in another PC.

Memory modules can easily be seen if you remove the side panel. If there are two you can try removing them in turn. I am not sure that 2Gb is sufficient for windows, but it surely is sufficient for BIOS.


That said, 3.6GB figure confuses me. Normally it's in multiples of 1GB=1024Mb

pendragon_arther

grumbler wrote: »

Well, if there is no integrated graphics, the only way to check the graphics card is by trying some other one or checking yours in another PC.

Memory modules can easily be seen if you remove the side panel. If there are two you can try removing them in turn. I am not sure that 2Gb is sufficient for windows, but it surely is sufficient for BIOS.


That said, 3.6GB figure confuses me. Normally it's in multiples of 1GB=1024Mb

It's 4gb, but some is allocated to graphics I think.

OP, it sounds like PSU and you can get a tester kit to confirm.

Strider590

If it was the PSU the PC wouldn't turn on, the PSU would go into safe mode until disconnected from the mains.

This sounds like GFX card failure, but if it's an onboard GFX card (?), then your effectively looking at a new PC.

What was the PC used for? I mean specifically, what software?

I literally toasted my last GFX card my playing Arma2 Dayz mod, it ran newer stuff with no issue, but that just killed it.

Le_Kirk

The first point to make is that the monitor has at least detected there is no signal, so we can assume that the monitor has a separate power source. Second point is, as asked above "are there any beeps when first turning on" as this can determine if it is memory problem or something else. If no beeps at all, i.e. POST test is not being carried out, this would point to the PSU failure.

Cycrow

First thing to check is if there is a pc speaker plugged into the motherboard. Its usually around the front panel connectors, you could look in the motherboard manual for its location (or check it online)

Also check if the motherboard has any status lights on (some have LED's giving the POST status)

if theres no speaker plugged in, you wont hear any beeps. The beeps will tell you what is wrong.
If there is a speaker and its making no beeps, this would indicate a motherboard problem (assuming the speaker actually works of course)

Are the fans spinning ?

At a guess, it sounds like your GPU has overheating, but realistically, it could be anything

GunJack

separate nvidia gfx card - ok, so plug the monitor into the onboard gfx port and try it.....don't think there's many mobos which don't have onboard gfx, even if you are using a discreet card