# Computer won't boot. No beeps, no display



## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Hi guys,

So I'm in the middle of watching the end of the 4th season of The Wire on my PS3, when I get a media server error, and the playback stops. I originally assumed that the computer (the one serving the media over the network) had done an automatic Windows restart or something, and would eventually come back on. Well, that never happened. I went to the machine to check it out, and all of the inside lights were on, including the keyboard and mouse, the fans and HDDs were spinning, but there was no display to the monitor. Restarting by pressing the power key on the case didn't work. I was still getting no display. No POST or BIOS.

At first I thought it was a video card issue, but if that was the case, the operating system would still be running, and the media server would still be up. So I then tested the ram. There are two 1 GB sticks being used, so I tried each one individually. Still nothing.

Now I'm thinking (mostly because I've been Googling the issue, and these seems to be the likely culprits) that it's either the power supply, or the motherboard. I tried turning the system on with no ram to see if it would beep, and nothing happened. Still no display either. The only difference is everything goes on, waits a few seconds, then shuts off. It will keep doing this until I press the power button again.

So I'm not completely stuck, not yet anyway, but I could definitely use some more experienced insight before I go any further. I've been having trouble finding another power supply to test, so I'm considering sending it in to Corsair, since it's still under warranty. I'd just like to know if there is anything else I can do to diagnose the problem.

Here are the specs to my system. It was built from scratch.

Video card - EVGA 512-P2-N757-TR GeForce 8600 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16

RAM - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX

Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core

Power supply - CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Madcatz (Apr 15, 2008)

I would still try a video card, I havn't seen a computer yet that will run without one or a bad one in it.

It could be the power supply or the motherboard, but I would deffinately try a known working vga card. Once you have a good working video card in there, then you can test for other problems if still no display.


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## HD_Monkey (Apr 16, 2008)

Read this thread:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/f15/how-to-bench-test-your-system-262998.html

You have a quality psu, however, it is not out of the question that it has failed. Bench testing will help to pinpoint the problem component.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks for the help guys. I would have replied sooner, but I wasn't home, and I haven't had a chance to try again.

Ok, so here's what happened..

I haven't had the time to do a full bench test yet, so I just went through and redid all of the connections to make sure there wasn't anything lose. I closed everything, and tried the power button. The computer started to boot up normally, and I was able to log into Windows as though nothing happened. This was the case for about 5 minutes, and the machine shut right off like it did the first time. Then I was back to square one with no display and everything running.

The one thing I did notice was the 6 lights on the motherboard called Phase LEDs. When I'm experiencing the problem, they'll stay lit. When the computer successfully boot, they weren't lit.

Does any of this pinpoint the issue? I'm going to find the time for a bench test sometime this weekend, but obviously won't have to if the cause has become more clear.

Thanks


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## HD_Monkey (Apr 16, 2008)

Try resetting cmos.
1. Turn off and unplug power cable
2. Touch fingers to case to dischare static electricity
3. Locate cmos jumper (Should be labeled as cmos_reset or similar)
4. Move jumper from pins 1-2 to pins 2-3 for 15 seconds and then back to 1-2
5. Start pc and go into bios and load defaults

Also, while you are in bios check systems temps. and post. If this does not work, next step should be bench test. Possible bad psu, overheating, or vid. card. Bench test will help avoid needless replacement of good components.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Resetting cmos didn't work. Just a quick question before I pull everything out, should I be hearing beeps from the mother board? I've tried turning it on with no ram, with no video card, with no power connected to the video card, and I still haven't heard any beeps. Does this signal a motherboard problem, or does it not matter?


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

When the pc was working properly, did you get beeps?
Most cases don't come with diagnostic or "case" speakers anymore.
Some motherboards have one on them, but not many. Yours 
doesn't have one on the board.

edit - yes, if you normally get beeps, and don't when the
ram is removed, that goes towards a malfunctioning 
motherboard.

If you don't have a case speaker, see if you can dig
up one of these.
http://www.bestbyte.net/merchant/me...Code=BB&Product_Code=CACP01SP1&Category_Code=


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Honestly, I couldn't tell you if it beeped or not when working. Never really paid attention. I only bring the beeping up because it's something I read while reading other posts that described similar problems.


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Then you probably don't have a speaker. Look on the front panel header and see if anything is connected to the spkr pins, that's 
where the wires from a case speaker will be connected, if your
case has a diagnostic speaker. If so, successful post is a single 
short beep, anything else indicates a problem.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

might want to run memtest86+ afterwards to make sure the ram wasn't cooked.

GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 manual:
Memory 4 x *1.8V* DDR2 DIMM sockets supporting up to 8 GB of system memory

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
Timing	4-4-4-12 Voltage: *1.9V - 2.0V*

in Bios... 
PC Health Status section
DDR18V ???

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.) section
DDR2 OverVoltage Control: raise to 0.1 or 0.2

(when voltage goes down the current goes up. more current creates more heat in the chips-shortens life span and causes errors.)


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Ok, so the case definitely doesn't have a speaker.

Haven't had a chance to bench build yet (I've been really busy the past few weeks) but I did get a chance to test the video card in another computer. The same thing happened. The monitor turned on, but couldn't get a signal. I then tried using the computer's onboard video input, and got an error saying there was a graphics card installed, and to use that. So it's recognizing it, but can't get video from it. Could this be the problem? I can try to get a cheap card off craigslist or something to test it in my machine.

And about the memory.. didn't know that was an issue, and it could very well be what's causing the problem. I can't get into Bios to change it or run the memtest86 yet. But if that is what's causing everything, would it just be the ram that's fried, or the motherboard too?

Thanks!


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Just tried booting with the video card not installed, and with one stick of RAM. It does boot successfully, and load Windows. The computer was connected to the network, and I was able to see it and use its files. However, like it did previously, it only ran for about 5 minutes before shutting down again. I swapped the sticks of memory, and tried booting again, and it worked. I didn't leave it on long enough to shut down again. So should I now wait until I can get a working video card to change the bios settings and run memtest86?


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

> in Bios...
> PC Health Status section
> DDR18V ???
> 
> ...


Sorry, I'm the one used to extrapolating a course of action from minimal information. What I should say is...
go into BIOS PC Health Status section and verify the DDR18V voltage is in the 1.9V - 2.0V range if it isn't then you will need to switch to manual settings and bump up the DDR2 OverVoltage Control by 0.1V save reboot and check DDR18V again--repeat if necessary--to get it into that range..



> Haven't had a chance to bench build yet (I've been really busy the past few weeks) but I did get a chance to test the video card in another computer. The same thing happened. *The monitor turned on, but couldn't get a signal. I then tried using the computer's onboard video input, and got an error saying there was a graphics card installed, and to use that. So it's recognizing it, but can't get video from it.* Could this be the problem? I can try to get a cheap card off craigslist or something to test it in my machine.


When a mobo has onboard video there will be a setting in bios to choose which video adapter to use first ie: pci, agp, vga(onboard). So you must set this bios setting to pci(e) for it to use your card as the default video. Else the above happens.
If possible, check the video card again in the other pc with the bios set to pcie first.



> The one thing I did notice was the 6 lights on the motherboard called Phase LEDs. *When I'm experiencing the problem, they'll stay lit. When the computer successfully boot, they weren't lit*





> Just tried booting with the video card not installed, and with one stick of RAM. It does *boot successfully, and load Windows. The computer was connected to the network, and I was able to see it and use its files. However, like it did previously, it only ran for about 5 minutes before shutting down again*. I swapped the sticks of memory, and tried booting again, and it worked. I didn't leave it on long enough to shut down again. So should I now wait until I can get a working video card to change the bios settings and run memtest86?




Based on the above info I would suggest there is a DMI Pool Data problem in one or two areas.

First, let's try disconnecting the hard drive(s) and any other drives and usb devices (except keyboard). leave only the drive that you will be using to boot memtest. memtest is vga text application so it doesn't use the grahpics mode and shouldn't be a problem. let memtest run for awhile...if it crashes then probable problem is in bios--follow the mobo manuals' instruction for resetting bios and load optimal settings, then rerun memtest.

if was okay then will need to diagnose HDD/windows as likely cause, (need to do this followup anyway even if bios was a problem).

what windows version (and service packs) on the HDD?


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

On the working computer, I set the bios to use the graphics card, and I still got no signal from the monitor.

I tried to run memtest, but I can't get any output to the monitor. When the video card is in, everything turns on, but nothing happens. Also, with the card in, the phase LEDs stay lit. I tried taking the car out again, and the lights went off. This is what happened before, and I'm assuming it's booting into Windows because that's what it did the other time.

I'm still trying to track down a cheap video card to test, but until then I'm kind of stuck.

The HDD has Windows XP SP3 installed.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

don't want it to boot to windows, that's why i said disconnect the hdd. use a win98 floppy, or an install cd, or the memtest boot--anything except that windows hdd.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

I didn't mean that it boot into windows that time, I meant that it actually boot into something (memtest boot, live cd, whatever) I just said Windows because that's what it did before. My mistake.

But yeah, I removed both of the hard drives I had, and just left the cd/dvd drive installed with the memtest disc. But it's not getting me anywhere yet because I can't get any video output. With the video card installed, it just locks up. Without it, it proceeds boot, but I can't see what's it's doing.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

reset cmos.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

I tried that, and nothing happened. I'm not exactly sure if I did it correctly, so I'm going to try it again. I'm not at the computer right now, but when I reset it, I'll let you know how it goes.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

okay. if not sure how to...pull the plug remove the battery press the start button for 20 seconds and then leave it for 30 minutes before you put it back together.

if still stalls (phase lights on) then retire the video card it's history.

just a thought, if you don't mind posting your general location someone may have suggestions for places to shop for new parts.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm in the process of resetting the cmos... the battery is out and I'm waiting now.

I just examined the video card (because why would I have done that when all of this first started???) and it looks like somethings wrong. There are these little 6.3v cylinder things (sounds really stupid, but I don't know what they're called) and it looks like 3 of them are broken. I've attached two images. The first is the broken portion, and the other is the other side of the card, without the broken cylinders.



















I just tried starting it up again after resetting the cmos... and it just stalled again.

My uncle works in an IT department and he's bringing me some older video cards to use. Hopefully it's just this and nothing else.

Oh, and I live in the Philadelphia area.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

well that's the end of that card. those cylinders are capacitors and the casings have ruptured. no doubt some other components on the card have failed as well if the caps ended up in that condition.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Hm.. Well, good to know for sure I guess. I was kind of hoping it'd be the power supply, since that's still under warranty (The warranty for the card ended a few months ago. Go figure.)

I'm going to get a spare card tomorrow, and hopefully that'll let me run memtest and check some other diagnostic info so I can make sure nothing else is wrong.

Either way, I really appreciate all of the assistance. Definitely helped a lot. Thanks!!


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

good news/bad news

was looking at the pics and don't see any damage to other components, just to the caps lids--overheated and safety burst.
so for the heck of it was looking for replacement caps and found this is very common problem with evga video cards.

so if you have a friend that does electronics hobbying (soldering) it's possible to replace those caps (better yet, replace all of them) and put the card back into service.

Capacitor 6.3v 1500uf 105c High Temp
for a few cents more...
Capacitor 10V 1500uf 105c High Temp

think hbfelectronics.com is in your area they probably have them too.


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## Madcatz (Apr 15, 2008)

That is definately a bad video card. Capacitors that look like that (the end bluged out) or in your case, bulged out and broken is whats causing the problem. Hopefully the older video cards your uncle is bringing use the same slot as your computer has (AGP, or PCI-Express) but looking at the 4 pin molex power connector, I'm guessing its an AGP slot.

Replace the video card.


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

I got a spare video card. It uses the same slot as the defective one. With the working card in, I was able to run memtest. I ran it separately for both sticks, and both tests were passed.

I'm not planning on using the card permanently, but before I make any other purchases, is there anything else I can do to verify that the other components of the computer are working? The obvious would be to boot it up like I normally would, but what about voltages or any other bios tests? So far, the video card is done, and the memory is good, so I just want to double check everything else.


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## HD_Monkey (Apr 16, 2008)

You should be ok. From the look of those capacitors there is no doubt the video card was the problem. I see no reason to troubleshoot further at this point. Enjoy your pc!


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## jd342 (Jul 21, 2009)

Sounds good! Thanks a lot for all of the help guys!!


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