Troubleshooting - Will not post

[laurenlex]

Hi, my computer shut off and won't turn back on. It was running fine, then nothing.

So, I tried another power supply, and same thing. Ordered a new motherboard, nada.

Here is what is happening.

Turn the computer on, the CPU fan runs and runs, but there is no beep. I tried the hard drive in a spare Dell, and I could access data from it.

I think it could be the video card, but don't have a spare to test. When the monitor is plugged in, it is completely blank when hooked up to the computer. When I unplug the monitor from the computer, it then gives the "no devices connected" message.

Is a video card necessary for the computer to Post?

Thanks for the help, I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have access to spare parts.

 

[Roguestar]

What error codes are you getting when it turns on? The beeps should correspond to something in your motherboard manual. At a guess, given what you tried in other places and replaced, I'd think it was the graphics card. There should be a "VGA error" beep code listed in your BIOS which would correspond.

 

[laurenlex]

No beeps whatsoever. The CPU fan just spins. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Jiggz]

Can you try the video card into the Dell system? Test the new mobo and the new PSU off the case, on top of the box with a video card and a stick of ram. Make sure the CPU and HSF are mounted and connected. Connect the monitor and fire it up. You should at least see the system boot. Since there is no hdd connected you should see the system POST. If it does not post still, then you know it's either the CPU or the video card. That's why you need to test the video card into the Dell system. Then you know it's the CPU that is at fault.

 

[laurenlex]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.