HELP!! Computer NO POST, NO VIDEO SIGNAL!

[TERMIN]

my computer was working fine yesterday, and today i turn it on and i hear only the hard drive spin up for a second, then it stops

there is no video signal to my monitor either, it's all black
I Can't even see the bios screen!! this sux

i have an

a7v133
800mhz t-bird no o/c
geforce 2 mx
512 crucial SDRAM cas 2
30 gig maxtor hard drive

ok, i tried the hard drive on other computer and it works fine

here is what happens after i press power
-the fans spin up
- hard drive spins up for a second then stops, no activity after that
- no video signal
- no beeps
- no post

please help me
this sux, it was working fine just yesterday

 

[DaiShan]

did you go into the computer at all since the last time it was working? also can we please get the model number and total wattage of the psu you are using? is that RAM in 1 dimm or 2? have you checked the tech support checklist?

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

*don't mind me... just throwing ideas out of my inexperienced head*

would the small circular battery on the motherboard itself cause something like this if it were dead?

nik

 

[DaiShan]

c'est possible mon ami but I'm not sure as it has never happened to me! I know that that is what keeps the computers time setting, and the bios settings. but if there is one thing I have learned from these crazy things we call computers it is sweat the little things lol

 

[TERMIN]

ok i checked the video card and it works fine in my other computer

when i turn on the computer with only the video card, i still get no signal

how do i clear the cmos on the a7v133
there is no jumper, but there are two solder points
how and what should i use to short them??

 

[DaiShan]

check the manual, it is in there

 

[iamwiz82]

Do these:

clear the CMOS

Check the RAM seating

Check the CPU seating

Check that the IDE cables are connected properly(We have Dell machines at work that refuse to boot if they are set in the BIOS to Auto and not connected to anything)

If those dont work, try this:

Its much easier to troubleshoot hardware related problems, i think, because there can only be so many things wrong. Start with just the video card, no HDD, no CD ROM, etc. If it boots, you know it's one of your addons. Add them one at a time until you find the one which is the culprit.

 

[TERMIN]

should i still get a video signal if i start without the processor (only video card plugged in, nothing else)?

 

[DaiShan]

(leave the cpu in the board)

 

[Skibby9]

Couple of ideas for you--- do you see/smell anything burnt? Can you swap out your power supply?
Also, have you added any expansion cards recently?

I wish you luck in fixing your pc.

 

[Jonathan93]

<< should i still get a video signal if i start without the processor (only video card plugged in, nothing else)? >>



Nope... You need RAM in it too... With RAM, CPU, and video card all plugged in, you should get a video signal.

 

[TERMIN]

ok, i checked the cpu....nothing burnt or anything, it looks fine

i haven't added any expansion cards
the computer just wouldn't do anything all of a sudden (the day before it was working fine)

do i have to reapply thermal paste again now that i have removed the heatsink?
(I think it was thermal tape that was on there, it's all smudged up around the core now, i'm thinking i have to reapply, but not sure)

how do i clean off the old excess thermal paste?? what do i use?

thanks for all your help you guys....
i hope i solve this problem soon

 

[stockjock]

Try a different PSU. I'm thinking your PSU went bad. Just my .02.

 

[TERMIN]

PSU is fine
all the fans spin up
the light on the motherboard and video card turns on

 

[DaiShan]

just because the fans power on doesn't necessarily mean the psu can supply enough power to all of the peripherals



<< Nope... You need RAM in it too... With RAM, CPU, and video card all plugged in, you should get a video signal. >>

actually you would still get a video signal without the RAM you would just get endless beeping (beep codes)

also you don't get any beeps at all when you power on the system? is the system speaker hooked up? and are you sure the monitor is plugged into the wall and the computer (sorry for that question, but you have to cover all the bases )

yeah it would be a good idea to wipe off the old thermal paste (only if it is dried, or non-existent) and reapply to the core only. Also have you tried clearing the cmos?

 

[TERMIN]

yeah theyr'e plugged in...

it was just working fine the other day (about more than a year since I built it)

ok, hard drive just started making clicking noise of death right when i put it into the old computer to backup files....damn....this really sucks
maxtor should be sending a replacement soon

i still don't see why i don't get any video signal though
i'll try to take everything apart and start over

what would i use to clean the thermal paste off though? do i need special solution??
i don't want to use alcohol and have the cpu blow up right when i start up the computer...
do i just use a cloth and water??

 

[wjsulliv]

I just want to make sure I understand this...

You do not get any post when you press the power button with only the following plugged in:
CPU
RAM
Hard Drive
Video Card
Drives (CD-Rom or what ever)

Your hard drive could be a problem, but you should be able to get the bios screen and the posting screen without a hard drive. Then when it looks for a hard drive you should get an error. I.e. you should atleast get video signal.

Check all the connections from the power supply to the motherboard. (I had a roomate who bought a gateway system and when it arrived it wouldn't post... He took everything out and still nothing... Then just for kicks he unplugged and replugged the motherboard power connection, and bang, everything was back up and running...)

Excess thermal paste should just be wiped off carefully with what ever you want... (klenex, your finger, etc.)

You can always reset the CMOS by removing the battery from the board (I think). Unplug the power supply from the motherboard, then remove the motherboard battery... Which may need to be replaced.

 

[TERMIN]

ok, finally got it to post by taking all the components out and putting only the video card, ram, and cpu in

i put everything in and it is working properly now
i don't know what the problem was in the first place

thanks for all your help everyone!!!

 

[DaiShan]

glad to hear it.

 

[wjsulliv]

Just to recap...

You got it to post by removing everything except the RAM, CPU, and Video Card.

Sounds like something wasn't connected or seated properly. My buddy had a similar problem after moving his computer accross the room. Turns out he had caused one of the PCI cards to become partially unseated (not all the way in, nor all the way out) during the move. The machine didn't post or anything, because the card was shorting the system. It also happens when one of the IDE or floppy drive cables isn't completely connected as strongly as it could be.

Glad to hear you got it working.