Can't figure out what's wrong with PC...

D

drago010

n00b
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
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Hi all, I need some help figuring out what is wrong with my PC. The problem I have is when I turn on my computer all I get is "No Input Signal" on my monitor and my computer is running but my monitor is just blacked out.

Some background: Had a friend build me a PC a few years back and everything was fine until not too long ago when I started getting these random colored vertical lines on my screen. After a while, the monitor would just turn black and I couldn't do anything. I assumed the video card died so I bought a new one, but when I turn on computer, I still get "No Input Signal" on monitor and I can't do anything. I would ask the person who built for help but I don't really talk to him anymore so I wanted to see if I can get it fixed myself with help here.

Here is some of the basic hardware I have in PC:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3500+
Mobo: LanParty UT nf4 Ultra-D
GPU: ATI Radeon 5550 512mb DDR3
PSU: Enermax 460W EG465P-VE

I see some red lights on the motherboard when I turn on the computer, but no idea what it means (I assume something isn't working) and can't get to bios or do anything but turn computer on/off with nothing showing on the monitor but "No Input Signal"

Sorry for the long post and I don't know much about computers so I need all the help I can get. Thanks.
 
Hit up the stickied "Basic Troubleshooting Guide" for the "A Barebones bench test - Procedures to follow if your system does not POST" portion. Follow the steps there and report back.
 
try opening your computer and pushing down on the video card. + read the guide. :)
 
Ok, so I went through the Barebones bench test to the best of my ability (which is extremely limited with PC's) and trying different PSU's and taking the video card out/taking all ram out trying to get different errors. I still get the same 3 red led lights on the diagnostic leds. According to the mobo manual with 4 leds lit up it's system start-up, 3 lit: CPU detected, 2 lit: DRAM detected, 1 lit: VGA detected.

I don't have known working ram available to me so I couldn't try that option. Not sure what else to do. I know I didn't follow the bench test exactly but I did what I could.
 
Hmm, just tried putting my old card back in and was able to get to the bios. Tried putting my new ATI 5550 video card and back to getting "No Input Signal". Does this mean that my mobo can't support the new card or the psu can't handle it?
 
I think the likelihood of a DOA card is higher than either of the options you mentioned.
 
If the fan on the video card is working when installed but still nothing on monitor, does that mean the card is not DOA? Also, I assume DOA stands for dead on arrival? I haven't been able to find someone else with a PCI-E on their mobo so I will just have newegg send another card if I have to.
 
drago010 said:
If the fan on the video card is working when installed but still nothing on monitor, does that mean the card is not DOA? Also, I assume DOA stands for dead on arrival? I haven't been able to find someone else with a PCI-E on their mobo so I will just have newegg send another card if I have to.
Click to expand...

Perhaps DOA was a poor choice of words: Defective would have been a better choice.
 
Ok, thanks for the help. I think I will just try get a replacement card and hope that it works.
 
Nope, no adapter came with it. Just the video card and a cd. I guess its the VGA port, I just mentioned CRT as that is what it said on the actual video card.
 
The card could possibly be defective, but I also think trying out the DVI port with a DVI->VGA adapter is worth a shot. Do you know anybody with one?
 
I have tried contacting someone that I'm sure would have one, but have been unable to. I think I will just try to have it replaced since I am running out of time to send it back. Hopefully it fixes the problem. If not I will try the adapter and if it still doesn't work I will just save up for a budget pc since mine is pretty old anyways.

Thanks for trying to find solutions for me. I appreciate it.
 
Update on my situation: Got a new HD 5550 sent to me and I am still having the same problem, so now I have to look elsewhere. Could it be the PSU? I know the psu I have now is a 20pin while the mobo has 24pin. Would that not allow the psu to use all its power?
 
That might be the case. The extra pins provide extra power for pci-e ports. They are "optional" but suggested. If you have a weak power supply you might want to consider upgrading, and it sounds like it would be pretty old to not have a 24 pin connector.
 
Do those 20pin to 24pin adapters do anything as far as providing the extra power? I would like to try that before I look into a new psu, if it allows the psu to use more power. The computer is about 4-5yrs old now I think.
 
Ok, just tried putting the new video card in the second pci-e slot and the computer boots normally. So my old card can be put in the main pci-e slot and I can get computer to boot, but the new card only works in the second pci-e slot. Any ideas why I can't use the new card in the main pci-e slot?
 
drago010 said:
Ok, just tried putting the new video card in the second pci-e slot and the computer boots normally. So my old card can be put in the main pci-e slot and I can get computer to boot, but the new card only works in the second pci-e slot. Any ideas why I can't use the new card in the main pci-e slot?
Click to expand...

Incompatibility or just plain finickiness?
 
^ not sure what you mean. With new card in the main pci slot computer won't post (can't do anything). In the second slot it does boot up and things seem normal, but I would like to put the card in the main slot as I assume it is faster?
 
drago010 said:
^ not sure what you mean. With new card in the main pci slot computer won't post (can't do anything). In the second slot it does boot up and things seem normal, but I would like to put the card in the main slot as I assume it is faster?
Click to expand...

I mean that for some reason the new GPU prefers the second slot. Not out of the ordinary. really no difference between the two slots in performance.
 
if the board supports two video cards (sli or amd solution) then the slots should effectively be the same. in the past some implementations would use jumpers to split a 16 channel pci port into two 8 channel ports for sli. but really I doubt you will be able to stress it under any circumstances with a 5550.
 
Ok, I will just leave the card in the second slot then since it doesn't really make a difference. Thanks for all the help. Hopefully I won't have to post again about any other problems in the near future.
 
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