Computer HELP please! FIXED :-)

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:45 am

My main pc seems to boot up ok (I can hear it churning away etc) but nothing comes up on my screen. The screen flashes up with "NO INPUT SIGNAL" and just stays black! I've checked connections are all tight and they seem to be OK. It did this once last week - it wouldn't recover from standby mode but after moving the mouse around alot the screen came back - Now it won't even come on at all when I turned on this morning so I'm having to use wife's laptop.....
Anyone have any ideas please?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:43 am

Well - at least the screen is telling you it is connected to the mains - just not connected to the computer. So I would try another lead - but first to admit I know zilch about computers!!

Post by **beechford** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:14 am

you could try turning off at mains plug disconnect plug from wall socket ,wait at least 1 minute then replace and turn on power.just in passing worth a go ceeyas

Post by **captain_70s** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:43 pm

Sounds like a problem with one of 3 things.

1. The Monitor might be broken.
2. The cable conecting the monitor could be faulty.
3. The port in the back of the PC could be damaged.

I could be a software error though, refusing to send a signal to the monitor, although thats doubtful.

Also, don't forget to try the whole "turn on, turn off" thing, as an IT student I find it works on a huge ammount of problems!

Post by **ani** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:00 pm

I agree it sounds like the monitor or cable/connections - best thing to do if you can - borrow another one with cable just to test before you spend any money.

Post by **nigelr2000** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:15 pm

The screen normally comes up with cable disconnected if there is a cable fault. Do you get the 2 beeps after turning it on ? this means it has passed the post (power on self test) so it may be a faulty video card.If not could be faulty memory, motherboard proccessor or almost anything. Do you get the bios screen, the one with lots of writing saying detecting drives testing memory etc. If you do the monitor is OK and it is probably a windows fault. Which version of windows are you running ? I earn my living fixing PC's so if you still have no luck PM me and i will give you a phone number to ring so we can work through it together as its difficult to diagnose the problem this way.

Post by **ani** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:21 pm

Grab Nigel's offer quick

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:02 pm

Thanks all for the help. I'll try and work through the questions although at the moment it is working again albeit after a lot of flashing and scrambled screen images....
1 - If I take the cable out the back of the pc the mintor says "cable disconnected"
2 - Yes the pc beeps as I turn it on.
3 - No display of anything - not bios screen - nothing at all.
4 - Win XP
As I said, all that was this morning. Just now I came home and turned it on and got normal function, at first. Then the screen started flashing and all the display was jumbled up. Then it stopped flashing and is working OK now! So it looks like an intermittant fasult with something ???
Now I know why I hate computers

Post by **alainmoran** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:41 pm

Assuming you have a separate video card (the socket will be perpendicular to the wide direction of the box) then I would whip the top off the box, unscrew the video card (undo the cable first) ... scream at it (no this isnt technically useful, but I find that it helps) ... then put it back, take it out, put it back in (repeat until bored) ... reconnect the cable and fire it up ... if everything looks fine then switch it off and bolt it all back together again.

I'd jump at nigel's offer if I were you ;)

Post by **MarkyB** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:38 pm

If you have a laptop you could test the screen on that.
Might well be worth trying what Alain suggests if it is a separate card.
The symptoms sound like the graphics chip is on it's way out.
Even if you don't have a graphics card fitted now there will be a slot to fit one so all is not lost.

Post by **PSL184** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:19 am

Its now going wrong in a big way!!! I haven't pm'd Nigel as I don't like to intrude and having a suitable time to call can be difficult, but I may have to unless I can sort it. Now it won't turn on at all. Power is all there and it gets to the point where it would normally beep (post) but it doesn't. So I guess the whole lot is scrap now

I've tried unplugging everything but no luck. Maybe the 2 issues are related and the first one gives you experts a clue to the second?
Thanks.....

Post by **MarkyB** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:33 am

Hard to tell from here.
If it has a separate graphics card take that out and connect to the on-board VGA port.
Lack of a beep is a bad sign though

Post by **PSL184** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:02 pm

Not got a separate graphics card sadly - I'm wondering if it is memory related?

Post by **pfgiz** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:53 pm

PSL184 wrote:Not got a separate graphics card sadly - I'm wondering if it is memory related?

Memory would be my first point of call now the machine has completely died.... Try removing the memory and running the connections over a blank sheet of A4 paper, like you would 1200 grade over your body work between coats. You'll be surprised by the colour it turns. Then refit the memory and try again.

If you have more than one memory board try only using one, you may be able to isolate the broken one by a process of elimination.

On another thought, does your inbuilt graphics card use ‘Shared Memory’? This is when the graphics card uses conventional system memory instead of its own, you can usually tell if this is the case as your available memory goes up and down depending on how much you’ve “allocated” for graphics. If so then the faults with your graphics card could be related to a deeper issue with your memory, and would be fixed by sorting the memory out…

Good luck.

Post by **nigelr2000** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:15 pm

Sounds very much like either memory or motherboard, have a look at the capacitors, if the tops look "bulgy" its time for a new motherboard. Another trick I have tried that works sometimes is to lift the CPU out the socket and reseat it (put it back in) its located under the big fan. Whilst you have the fan off check the socket for a number as that is what you need to know when buying a replacement.

Post by **ani** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:37 pm

How old is your PC?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:49 pm

Could it be the power supply packing up ?? I had that on an older PC - since dumped!!

Post by **PSL184** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:51 pm

The pc is about 4 years old. I'll check the memory as described and report back. Power supply appears OK on the face of it but will check it out if I get no where with the mem - I'll be back later

Ps - shared memory I think as it seems to get slower the more windows I have open !!

Post by **PSL184** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:15 pm

Well removing cleaning and trying all combinations of mem in and out makes no difference. So, I lifted the cpu and refitted it. Turned on and it went past the beeps and the screen came on showing the bios screen and then promptly went off again and refuses to do anything anymore.....?

Post by **ani** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:26 pm

I really think a pm to Nigel would be a good idea - it would save you a lot of time in the end. I know you can get into the bios by pressing F8 or F12 (can't remember which one) when the pc first bleeps - this way you should be able to run some diagnostics. Let Nigel talk you through it - hopefully together you might crack it within a short time. Here's hoping

Morris Minor Owners Club

Computer HELP please! FIXED :-)

Computer HELP please! FIXED :-)

computer problems