Boot but no video...

[Ballatician]

AT Comp Help Experts,

So whenever my computer would go into sleep mode I would come back and move the USB mouse as usual to wake it up. A few times in the last couple days this did not work and there was no light on the mouse indicating power. Even trying different USB slots did nothing. I would have restart and then everything was normal.

Today a similar thing starts happening but this time even after power returned to the mouse, the computer was on as usual, my monitor read "no signal"

This is my setup:

My specs are: Intel C2D E6750, Stock HSF
Abit IP35-E
Crucial 2x1gb RAM, 1.8v
xfx8400 gs (dont hate) connected via DVI
thermaltake 430w power supply
1 sata hd
1 sata dvd burner

All this is sitting in a cooler master 690 case.

Now, the first thing I tried was switching the DVI cable for VGA in case the lcd had reset to the default VGA setting. This did nothing.

I opened up my case and checked each connection including the seating of the video card and ram, all looks solid.

I'm gonna find another monitor to test it out with but I really doubt its the lcd since it turns on fine, displaying the acer logo.

Anyone have experience with this and have any ideas on how I can fix the problem?

Thanks in advance, I have to get this done quickly as a lot of my work for next week is on here and my application deadlines are coming up!

 

[robisbell]

well, there's hints of either motherboard failure or psu failure, will need to get out a multimeter and test the PSU 1st.

 

[Ballatician]

I'm pretty confident that it isn't the psu but I can check it out. If it had failed, wouldn't everything else stop running? Moreover, I know the pci-e slot gets power from the 4-pin molex so I switched those around and no difference. Any other ideas?

 

[Ballatician]

Is it possible the way vista goes into sleep has something to do with it?

I'm running out of ideas.

 

[Ballatician]

So I have the mobo completely outside of the box with only the cpu, 1 stick of ram and video card installed. I'm currently putting the ram in a slot, clearing CMOS, turning on the computer and checking for video signal through the DVI cable and then the VGA cable. I then repeat this for the next slot. So far nothing.

Now I'll try with another piece of RAM.

I'm fairly confident it is not the psu, how can I discern if it is a video card or mobo problem? I think I have an old card somewhere, hopefully it isn't AGP so I'll try that after this.

 

[robisbell]

okay, without testing, enlighten me as to how you're 100% sure it's not a faulty PSU? this is something I would like to learn since it would help me having to test PSU's, and just look at them and magically assume they are 100% working.

 

[Ballatician]

Originally posted by: robisbell
okay, without testing, enlighten me as to how you're 100% sure it's not a faulty PSU? this is something I would like to learn since it would help me having to test PSU's, and just look at them and magically assume they are 100% working.

First of all, I said fairly confident which does not mean 100%. Obviously I did something more than just look at it and that was to put into my friends really old computer and test it out, it worked. I will test it with a multimeter when I have a chance so thanks for your wise-guy remarks.

Meanwhile, I took the pci GPU out of there and am gonna see how that works.

 

[JustaGeek]

This particular 430W Thermaltake PSU might be a problem - I would get another PSU for your setup.

Also, try to follow this thread with similar issues, and enable +5VSB on the MB with the jumper, or in the BIOS, if applicable:

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2207143&enterthread=y

Good luck!

 

[Lemodular]

dont let it sleep.

 

[Ballatician]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
This particular 430W Thermaltake PSU might be a problem - I would get another PSU for your setup.

Also, try to follow this thread with similar issues, and enable +5VSB on the MB with the jumper, or in the BIOS, if applicable:

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2207143&enterthread=y

Good luck!

Thanks for bringing that thread to my attention. I actually just tried with a brand new Corsair HX 520W PSU (which is pretty sweet btw) and still no luck. I'm now gonna try replacing the graphics card in an effort to pinpoint the problem.

 

[JustaGeek]

Try the Device Manager and disabling keyboards/mice/NIC etc. too.

Let me know how/if it works.

You might also want to update your BIOS, if you haven't done so.

 

[Ballatician]

Well at this point I'm just trying to get video back. Once that happens, I'll be sure to give it a try.