"How do I know if my Video Card is fried" or "I really need help from experts"

[ndee]

I know, it gets a little annoying, but how do I know if my video card is fried? I didn't overclock my Voodoo 3, but now when I power up, everything has power, but the computer just doesn't POST. No beeps, nothing, just power, and that's it, blank screen.

Thanx again for any information.

 

[claw]

What I usually do when this happens is to remove each component one at a time in the computer until it starts working (sometimes even the memory). I usually leave the video card for last since I need to see what's going on.

So try that and then if it starts working, the last thing you removed might be the source of the problem. Put back the other components to make sure that is the case. Lastly, if it's still working, put in the last component and if you're lucky, it might work again. If not, then you'll have to replace it.

 

[MCS]

See if you can borrow one from a friend or maybe you have a spare old one that you can try?

If its not that then it really is just a case of ruling out each other componant one by one.

 

[claw]

I personally don't think it's your video card. If it was, you would have a blank screen, but the computer would still beep, POST, and start normally.

 

[ndee]

As you may look at this Thread I started: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=315829, my computer just doesn't do anything. First I thought, it was the RAM, and it wasn't. Then I thought it would be the power supply, but my harddisk IS getting power, my CD-Burner too. The one LED from the CD-Burner I have (Plextor 12/10/32A) is ALWAYS on. So I really have NO clue what's going on with this PC. I didn't install anything or so, but you can read "my story" in the other thread. I have NO idea what the problem could be.......

Thanx for any help

 

[Oyeve]

Sounds like mabye your memory is bad. I have a system that when I pull the memory everything powers up but obviously no post. Strange thing is, it will not beep as computers usually do. The speaker is fine cuz when I whip out the vid card I get the beeps. Try reseating you mem or try another stick.

 

[Pakman]

I had a problem with my Voodoo3 last week and I had to get it RMAed... I had weird problems. I went to a lan party for new year eve and when I hooked up my system and fired it up, it wouldn't post. I got power to all the components, but my system wouldn't boot up. So, I thought it might be the condensation because it went from a cold place (outside) to a warm place inside. So I let it sit for awhile to let it warm up. I tried to boot again, but got nothing. I hit reset a few times and all of a sudden, it decided to boot up... so I was like... ok cool... When I got home in the morning... I had to go through all that again. The computer would not post. I had to sit there and make sure all the compenents were secure. Well, it finally decided to boot up after a few minutes of me fiddling with it. I leave my systems on 24/7 so I'm not 100% sure if it was the video card that was causing the problem of not being able to post... but after a few days later, my video card decide to die. I knew it was the video card because it was displaying everying all scrambled up... Even in DOS mode. I even tried the video card on my newer rig with the same results, so I ended up sending it back to 3DFX before they shut their doors for good. The best suggestion I can make is to try a different video card... try to borrow one or something... even a pci one if you can't find an agp.

 

[divinemartyr]

Claw,

That's incorrect. A computer will not even boot without some sort of Video card or on board video. Whenever a computer is "bread boarded" for lack of a better term, the cpu is plugged into the mobo, as well as a video card, and a minimal amount of memory.

Ndee

To find out if your video card is fried, put in the smallest amount of memory possible (i.e. only 1 chip), your cpu, and your video card. See if your bios comes up on your screen. If it does not, more than likely your video board is fried. If you are sure your cpu and memory are not defective (ram is almost never DEAD) then more than likely it's your vid card.

divinemartyr

 

[ndee]

OK, now here's an update. I took every card out, disconnected my harddrives, removed the RAM, and only let the video card in. It was not my voodoo 3, it was a normal S3 PCI card. No POST, just nothing, not even a beep or so. But on the CD-Burner, the light is on but not on my DVD-Rom. Also, the "Harddrive-Busy"-LED is always on. The PC-Speakers are working, cuz I can hear how they "initalize".

Now, I think it's the Mobo which is not working properly, but I don't have an exchange. Maybe I should take my computer to work and put another MoBo in my case. Could it be that the MoBo is fried? Or any other opinions? I really have NO clue what it could be. It's also not the Power Supply, cuz I took another Powersupply and tested it, same result, no beep, no POST.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Pakman]

Leave your RAM in... Remove the motherboard and remount it... Make sure you didn't accidently have an extra mounting screw thingy in there. I did that once and it was shorting out the motherboard which prevented it from booting. The strange part was, it would work sometimes... took me all day to figure out...That was back in early '97 when there was no Anandtech.

 

[BigDave]

See if you can get your hands on some extra memory and swap it out. I am guessing you have bad memory.

The exact same thing was happening with my system when I put some bad memory in it. I swapped it out for my old memory and it worked fine... I bet your RAM is just fried.

 

[ndee]

well, I DID exchange the Ram.... and the RAM IS working. So that's not the problem.

Could it be that the CPU died? Is this a possibility? How can I check if my CPU is dead?

Thanx for any Info

 

[CygnusX1]

Remove all cards except for the video card, remove the battery from the motherboard for a couple of minutes, replace it, and start up your computer. It should start. . .

Mark.

 

[ndee]

Did it.... same old, same old