help! - computer just stopped posting

[Atropos13]

Hi all,
So I was just working on my desktop a little while ago (writing this from my laptop), and my screen started to flash back and forth (dual monitor setup) and then my computer froze. I did a reset by holding the power button down and turning the system back on, I tried starting normally and right after it loaded my desktop the same thing happened. I powered down again and this time tried starting in safe mode and after it started loading windows files the screen went blank again, this time before even getting into windows. Once again I shut down by holding the power button and now when I try to turn on my system it won't even post! The power comes on and the case lights and fans start running but there is no HDD or DVD drive activity at all. I tried starting with the Vista DVD in the drive but that had no effect.

I opened it up and double checked all the connections and everything seems ok there.

Any suggestions on what the problem might be? A virus or hardware failure? And any suggestions on how to troubleshoot it?


Here are my basic system stats:
Gigabyte N650SLI-DS4L (nForce 650i/Socket 775)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 2.33 GHz
4 GB G.Skill DDR2 800(PC2-6400)
a single Evga/nVidia 8800GT video card
Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM 250 GB HDD
Windows Vista with all the latest updates

NOTHING HAS BEEN OC'D!


Thanks for any help!

 

[starfireone]

Sounds almost like you just lost a motherboard. I would try to
clear cmos first via battery pin cross via screwdriver. I would
also try replacing the video card too (see it you can borrow a friends)
and try to rule that out.

 

[Atropos13]

Thanks, that was what I was starting to wonder too. I will try that out.

Edit: would a bad video card cause my system not to post? I would think I would still at least get some HDD activity if that were the case. Hopefully I can find an old video card of mine around here to try out!

 

[lxskllr]

Try booting with a Linux live CD, and see if you get results that way.

Edit:
Sorry, I didn't read carefully enough. Try booting with 1 stick of ram, and try them all. I've had similar problems with bad ram.

 

[pcgeek11]

Would a bad video card cause my system not to post?

Yes. Init the video is one of the very first things in the POST.

I would think I would still at least get some HDD activity if that were the case.

No it will not except to maybe spin up. It has to complete the POST.

Hopefully I can find an old video card of mine around here to try out!

I think the MB died.

pcgeek11

 

[Atropos13]

Hey all. Thanks for your help and suggestions Looks like it was my video card. I just got a cheap one from best buy and installed it an everything came up fine. That was quite the scare since I hardly have anything backed up. Now to get a real video card replacement and an external HDD!

Edit: I just saw that my video card has a lifetime guarantee. shwing! Hopefully they won't be jerks about replacing it...

 

[pcgeek11]

Good that it wasn't the MB. :thumbsup: