# [SOLVED] Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?



## bwz (Nov 30, 2010)

Hello !

Happy to be a new member  Thanks.

Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

Could explain what you want to do in some detail? 
You can power on the hardware as in a bench test but that won't reveal much.
Fans will spin-optical drives will open/close-lights will come on.


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## bwz (Nov 30, 2010)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

Tyree

Thx,

I'm trying to ressurrect a throw-away PC for the first time and want to determine if it's gona be worth my while.
When I powered on the computer I heard no beeps. I disconnected the power & opened the case to look what's inside etc.
It has no hard drive. Visually the capacitors showed no signs of electrolyte oozing out and bulging and disfigurement.
It has two fans - one of them connected over the heatsink on the CPU. There are no expansion cards - it has integrated audio and graphics.
I powered it on again - the two fans spun nicely, CD drive opened/closed, lights came on.
I disconnected the power and removed the ram, powered it on again, and then heard repetitive 5 second long beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeps.

It's an MS-6714 VER 1 854GVM mainboard.
I found a manual at [url]http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=searchresult&keywords=ms-6714[/URL]


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

With NO RAM installed, the consistent beep is a good sign.
Connecting a monitor would help. If it boots to the Bios it is probably OK.


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## bwz (Nov 30, 2010)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

Tyree

Thx,

I had to first go learn some computer terms and definitions for my first ever computer fixing attempt.
Yay, this is exiting!

I saw that you were right - *without a monitor* a bench test wont reveal much other than whether or not
- I get power
- fan(s) spin
- optical drive(s) open/close
- lights come on
- I hear beep(s).

And after reading a bit on the internet, I realized that *without a monitor*, and without the aid of diagnostic tools, resolving computer hardware issues & problems would remain a trial and error process.

I learned that *without a monitor*, with a speaker connected to the mainboard (so I can hear mainboard beeps), the mainboard's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) produces a normal short beep when nothing is wrong, and an error beep or pattern of beeps when something isn't right to give a crude indication of what has gone wrong during the POST (Power On Self Test) - in my case a repetitive 5 second long beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep whenever I have removed the RAM, and then powered on the computer, and no beep whenever I have installed the RAM and then powered on the computer.
According to you this was a good sign. Yay! 

I learned that a hard drive is not required to order for the computer to POST (Power On Self Test), so it made sense to me to first verify that the existing hardware is good before considering getting a hard drive.

So as a " bush 'mechanic' " *without a monitor* and without diagnostic tools, I reached the following conclusion :
1. The capacitors appear fine - no signs of electrolyte oozing out and of bulging and disfigurement.
2. The following essential mainboard components are in place and well connected and seated:
- PSU (Power Supply Unit)
- CPU (Central Processing Unit) and heatsink and fans,
- a stick of RAM (Random Access Memory).
3. The mainboard has integrated graphics.
4. It powers on and the fans spin nicely and lights come on.
5. The RAM stick shows no physical signs of damage (such as physical damage on the contacts on the module, and chips that have become detached from where they're supposed to be firmly soldered - if someone dropped the module, or if someone pushed down on a chip rather than the module card).
6. The RAM slot shows no physical signs of damage [such as damaged or missing (vaporized) contacts, and black carbon deposits, and places where the plastic in the slot was melted].

So to me the beeping error message from my MS-6714 mainboard indicates that at least the power supply, motherboard, CPU and memory card have some functionality left.
So it looks to me like it may be worth my while to take the time now to disconnect my working computer's monitor and connect it to this thrown-away MS-6714 computer to see if the display card still have some functionality left.

Do you agree? Am I thinking right so far?
Is there anything else I could check to reveal more before disconnecting the monitor from my working PC to connect it to the MS-6714?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

Hook the monitor up and see if you can enter the Bios setup pages.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

Ditto^
You're at a stand still without a monitor to observe what's going on.


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## bwz (Nov 30, 2010)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

Tyree

I hooked up a monitor, yay, there was life on the screen up to the following point :

" Verifying DMI Pool Data ............
Boot from CD : Failure ...
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER "

So having my question answered, I end this thread here then.

Thanks for your and help !


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## bwz (Nov 30, 2010)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

wrench97

Thx for your input, I hooked the monitor up and entered the Bios setup pages.Yay ! 

Thanks for the link http://www.techsupportforum.com/f210/power-supply-information-and-selection-192217.html  on Power Supply and Selection.

Lank cool helpful info there ;-)


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## bwz (Nov 30, 2010)

*Re: Can a computer's hardware be tested without a monitor?*

*:4-ufo:20 days later since starting this thread :*

So with the monitor connected, I entered the BIOS up to the following point (ref. # 8 above) :
" Verifying DMI Pool Data ............
Boot from CD : Failure ...
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER "

I could not go further because I had no hard drive installed and no OS (operating system).

So I wondered, "*How can I figure out if the mouse port functions if I cannot access an OS?*",
so I posted the question.
*:magic:* To see the solution, click on the button in the quote below to go to that thread - EXCELLENT easy solution! :4-clap:


bwz said:


> How can I figure out if the mouse port functions if I cannot access an operating system ?


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