Static screen when I turn on computer

[ChaoZ]

I have no idea what happened. I pressed enter key when it was loading after a crash and now I can't see anything. CCan't even get to bios.

I'm on windows 7. Recently installed an ssd drive. Computer is a Dell 530.

It appears the OS works since I got the music player working through random clicking. I just can't see anything. Is the video card dead?

 

[Bubbaleone]

Post your hardware specs. If you're connected via GPU; disconnect power, switch monitor cable to onboard VGA, then boot to see if you now get signal.

 

[ChaoZ]

I don't remember the full specs, but
Q6600
ATI HD 3850
SanDisk extreme 240gb

I'm trying to get my hands on a video card and vga cable as I don't have that either.

 

[Bubbaleone]

What I meant for you to do was connect the monitor's VGA cable to the VGA connector (#11 below) on the back panel. If the BIOS doesn't automatically switch between integrated and discrete graphics; you'll have to clear the CMOS in order to enable the integrated VGA. If the monitor works when connected to the integrated VGA port, then you'll know the HD 3850 is the likely problem. Here's the Owners Manual.

.

 

[ChaoZ]

I know. I only have a dvi cable right now. The one time I need an old cable I don't have...

 

[Bubbaleone]

Can you quick snag a DVI/VGA cable adapter somewhere, just to test with?

 

[ChaoZ]

Ok, I managed to switch to my onboard graphics and it works. So it's definitely my video card.

Can the refresh rate cause any of this? I remember messing between 60 and 75hz, but no problems while I was doing that though.

 

[Cerb]

If you can't even see it trying to POST, my guess is that the crash was caused by the video card committing suicide.

If you override the refresh rate, or other custom res settings, past what your monitor can support, your display will go blank after the Windows logo finishes its animation on boot. You would still be able to successfully see everything up to there, and would be able to use safe mode to recover from it.

 

[Ketchup]

If you can't even see it trying to POST, my guess is that the crash was caused by the video card committing suicide.

If you override the refresh rate, or other custom res settings, past what your monitor can support, your display will go blank after the Windows logo finishes its animation on boot. You would still be able to successfully see everything up to there, and would be able to use safe mode to recover from it.

This. Have you inspected the card yet? If it has a dedicated power cable, make sure it didn't come loose.

 

[Matt1970]

This. Have you inspected the card yet? If it has a dedicated power cable, make sure it didn't come loose.

That. And just for laughs try the card back in there before you toss it. Boards can do some strange things sometimes. There is a whole series of Dell Optiplex that will give memory beep errors. Pop out the memory, turn it on and back off, pop the memory back in and it can live a long life without errors. And it's not just a loose in socket thing because you can wiggle them back and forth all day long and it will still give an error untill you try and boot it once without the memory in it.

 

[ChaoZ]

That. And just for laughs try the card back in there before you toss it. Boards can do some strange things sometimes. There is a whole series of Dell Optiplex that will give memory beep errors. Pop out the memory, turn it on and back off, pop the memory back in and it can live a long life without errors. And it's not just a loose in socket thing because you can wiggle them back and forth all day long and it will still give an error untill you try and boot it once without the memory in it.

Nope, dead for sure.

 

[ChaoZ]

Got a new card, but had the same problem. It was the stupid DVI cable since it worked when I used a VGA adapter. Ah well, sort of wanted a new video card anyway.

 

[Cerb]

Well, that's a new one. I've never seen a digital video cable fail in any reliable/consistent manner like that.

 

[ChaoZ]

Nope, not DVI cable since I got a new one. One conclusion left is the monitor port is messed up. Gotta get a VGA to DVI adapter to make sure.