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monitor will not light up when computer booted

J

j.shaftoe

n00b
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
30
I'm running a Velocity Micro desktop running an Intel quad core processor (don't remember which flavor) with a nVidia 8800GTX video card and an NEC 24 in. monitor. This combo has been working together for more than 3 years wo/problems.

When I power up the computer the monitor will not light up. I know the monitor is on b/c I can turn it off/on and get a brief message onscreen that it is not receiving a signal from the computer. I know the computer is working b/c after turning on the power and waiting a minute I hear the brief music Windows Vista plays when the opening screen appears.
The problem is the display remains dark.

One other piece of info: the computer usually gives one beep on startup before it starts loading the system. When I boot up now the computer gives 3 rapid beeps on startup. I'm not sure what that might mean but I have been looking thru forums and got the impression this may mean the video component has not passed its initial system test.

How do I diagnose this? I assume it is either tihe video cable or the video card. How do I figure out which it might be? Or is something else going on?
Any help will be appreciated.
 
Check out your mobo for diag. LEDs. I don't know why you are hearing logon music. It sounds as if you are not posting. If you have an option on your mobo to switch BIOS, do that, maybe your BIOS is corrupt. You've got to start somewhere, switch out video cards, switch out monitors, something to get a little further than you are now.
 
2 things you can try is swapping the gfx card or swapping the memory.. those are typically the 2 things that cause the problem.. and as of late a lot of 8800GTX's have been dying so that could be the reason.. other way of testing the video cable is to try a different cable or try a vga cable if your using a dvi cable and see if that works instead..
 
A few things to try. . .

Hook up to a different monitor to rule out display problem

Memory: Might not even need to replace. . I had similar issue when upgrading my system. The memory wasn't seated all the way. Finally powered down, unplugged power, took out memory and reseated it. Booted up and wala, done!

Maybe try the above two and then move on the the video card? They cost nothing!
 
Well start with getting another monitor and using that with this rig, and plug another computer into that monitor, to make sure it isn't the monitor's fault.
Then would switch the graphics card to something else, to try the inboard graphics if you have it.
Also check if you can access the BIOS on your computer.
 
Just wanted to follow up and let viewers know what the outcome was. Since opinions varied as to whether I had a monitor, mother board or video card problem I took the computer to Micro Center and they reported that the memory module of the video card had failed. So I replaced it with the EGVA GTX 460 and I'm cruisin' again. Whew.
Thanks to all who offered help.
 
whenever you hear beeps like that check our motheroboards manual, it will tell you what the number of beeps mean.
 
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