# [SOLVED] PC starts up but no display !!!



## Firebirdz (May 5, 2012)

Hello guys, i really hope you can help me as i am at the ultimate point of desperation:banghead:.

My dad had this desktop computer he used once a week, after a while it stopped working. 

The fans would startup, you could hear the dvd drive turn, the HD spin, yet i would not get anything displayed on my screen. I have done almost everything i could have thought of to try and fix this computer, WHAT COULD BE WRONG? 

Here's what i have done up till now: 


Changed the CMOS battery
Took the parts out of the case and made a little test set-up out of the case (on cardboard) you can see the link underneath for test results.
Changed the PSU, RAM, PSU, Motherboard, Screen
*This is the original setup:*
Geil 2GB x2 GW22GB6400UDC
Antec 500 Watt Model EA-500D
Asus Commando P965
ATI R4350
(HD642JJ Harddisk) (Antec Sonata 3 Case) (DVD drive)
E6600 + OCZ Vindicator PASSIVE cooling
LCD screen

*New items bought or Extra test items:*
MSI P41T-C31
Sweex 600WATT PS060
Ati radeon X600
Ati radeon X2600XT
Transcend 1gb DDR2667
E8400 Intel C2D + Boxed
CRT screen

Testing was almost all the time done without Keyboard, Mouse, DVD or HD connected. (So just the screen connected and needed CPU, PSU wires). One thing however that i found weird, was that, as last desperate test i ran the setup without FAN, and the CPU's did not even get warm ?

Here you will find a Excel file with all the possible setups i have done and what the outcome was http://www.filedump.net/dumped/pctesting1336249171.zip


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## sodamhall (May 4, 2012)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

Have you checked the jumpers? Do you get a single beep when you press the power button on the pc unit?


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## Firebirdz (May 5, 2012)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

Which jumpers, on the motherboard ? they should be fine yes, will check it out in detail asap. 

The thing is i get 0 beeps when i put it in the case (should have built in buzzer or speaker in antec sonata 3. And on the cardboard i get no beeps as nothing is connected to SPKR and i dont have a spare buzzer / spkr.

The LED display of the asus commando keeps saying 'CPU INIT', even when i start withuout a CPU in the MOBO.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

I'm confused about listing two GPU's under "New items bought or Extra test items:"
I also have serious doubts about the quality of that PSU. 
I would suggest a bench test-
Remove EVERYTHING from the case.
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 or 8 pin power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## Firebirdz (May 5, 2012)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

HELP 

So today i was really happy as it finally booted, OUT of the case.
It seemed that for every testrun (out of the case) i did, i forgot the separate 4 or 8 pin power connection. And thus when pluggin this in, it would finally boot and ask for a boot drive (cd dvd hd) on my screen.

But when today i put all the hardware back into the case it would boot up the first time, but after a few restarts it did EXACTLY the same as before. What happens: i see the screen lightning up a little for a few times on and off (a black image is send to the screen, but nothing on it). I see the PLED going into stage 1 2 3 untill they are all full lighted, but after a while PLED 3 goes out and PLED 2 starts flickering (PLED1 still on ) ?

So is my case faulty ? *** is that even possible ?! Is my case shortcircuiting something ?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

Sounds like the Mobo shorting to the case.
Did you use one standoff, no more - no less, for each Mobo mounting hole?


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## Firebirdz (May 5, 2012)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

Hi guys i would like to thank all of you for helping me, especially Tyree !

The problem is resolved !

My conclusion: I guess that my house isn't grounded properly for 100 %, and neither was my casing, it seemed that the Antec Sonata III case has some grounding issues (generally known on the internet) I took the front panel of my case and cleaned everything, also replaced some of the mobo standoffs. This did the trick


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: PC starts up but no display !!!*

Glad you got it sorted out and you're welcome for any help we suggested.


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