Possible video card problem (no image on boot up)

[DenniSTi]

I was playing World of Warcraft last week after my PC had been running atleast 24 hours straight and in the middle of a game my PC completely shutdown like I had a power outage (but only my PC was affected). If I tried starting it again everything powers on except the monitor.

I've tried different monitors and there's no difference so I'm leaning towards the video card, even though the video card's fan is still powering on. I never noticed any artifacting or anything, but the card was overclocked and bought used from newegg. There are no beeps and everything powers on (fans, keyboard, mouse, etc) so I'm really hoping it's not the cpu or motherboard.

My system specs (that's been running fine for about 10 monthes) include:
p4 3.4 (overclocked slightly to 3.58 with an Artic Cooler fan) on an intel pci-e mobo
512mb of dual channel DDR2 RAM
gigabyte 6600GT Pci-e card overclocked with stock cooling (BOUGHT USED from newegg.com included everything and looked brand new)


I already bought a new ATI x800GTO card and some more RAM that should be arriving today or tomorrow, but I still wanted some other opinions as I just have a bad feeling in my gut that it might not be the video card. Anyhow, any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Inforcer]

Well an easy solution would be to get another video card and see what happens. It sounds like you are doing that, so when you get it installed, just see if you can see anything. If so, then your old card is probably the problem.

 

[DenniSTi]

Just what I was afraid of, the new video card isn't helping. Back to the drawing board...

 

[DenniSTi]

I bought a new motherboard and it still isn't booting up. Now my question is, even if the cpu is dead would the PC still boot with POST beeps? Any suggestions before I order a new p4?

 

[Tu13erhead]

Boot with nothing but your motherboard, CPU (with HSF, of course), one stick of RAM, and video card plugged in. If that doesn't work, try different sticks of RAM and different RAM slots. I have a feeling it's a RAM or maybe a PSU problem.

I highly doubt your CPU died unless you were OCing it like crazy. Running a PC for more than 24 hours isn't bad for it. Hell, I run mine for weeks at a time.

 

[DenniSTi]

I've tried this already with brand new RAM also on the old motherboard and the new one. So does that indicate a PSU problem or CPU? Everything does power up fine. I'll try and grab a new PSU today to see if that helps.

 

[DenniSTi]

Ok, I got a new 450watt PSU today, installed on the new motherboard, with new RAM and a new video card and it DOES POST with no image. It does one long beep then two quick ones and then a few seconds later it'll do it again and again. I checked the manual and Asus's website but there's no explanation for that particular series of beeps and unfortunately their customer service is closed for the holidays. I even removed the battery and switched the jumper to clear the cmos but it hasn't helped.

I'm 99% sure that I've hooked up everything correctly but I'll go back and try one more time and reseat the the CPU also. Anyone with a Asus P5LD2 board know what 1 long beep followed by 2 quick ones means? If I still get no where then my next step before I order a CPU on monday will be to try my old motherboard with the new PSU and see what POST I get.

 

[montag451]

http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml

 

[DenniSTi]

Thanks for trying, but that link doesn't appear to apply to my Asus board.

I've reseated the CPU one more time and still non change so I'll try the old motherboard with the new PSU and see if I get anywhere since I don't know what that beep sequence means.

 

[DenniSTi]

On an unrelated question, when I install my DDR2 RAM and secure the clips, should I still be able to pull out the RAM modules without undoing the clips? Both motherboards have slots that leave them loose, and no matter how hard I push down the RAM never stays secure. Now I'm not totally clueless and never had problem building two systems with DDR2 RAM, but I never remember them being this loose before.