No display -- monitor, hard drive, video card are working.

[tireshark]

This is an older PC (2001-ish), motherboard is ECS k7s5A with an AMD SiS735 chipset. Has 512MB DDR memory installed. PC stopped working recently, but it was a solid workhorse for what i do... trying to save it.

When i turn it on, everything (fan, hard drive) sounds like it powers up, but NOTHING appears on the monitor. My monitor has a led that is green when in normal use, but it stays orange. There is NO beeping from the pc. I tested the video card and hard drive in another pc separately, and they work.

Any ideas of where the problem lies?

Here is a link to a page that reviews the motherboard in case it helps:

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/…

 

[masterjaw]

I've had that same problem with my old PC before. All peripherals are working except that it doesn't start up the bios. Have you tried testing the cpu and mobo in an another system?

 

[tireshark]

Hey masterjaw,

No i havent tested them in another system. Upon advice, i reseated the CPU and replaced the CMOS battery with a spare, but still no display. Also tried the video card in each of the 5 pci slots to no avail.

When you say 'test the cpu and mobo in another system', do you mean both together or separately? If together, then wouldn't i essentially just be changing the power supply, as i have tested the hard drive, monitor, and video card previously? If separately, then i guess i cant do it because of the three PC's i have, none of the CPU sizes match on the mobos.

Thanks for your responses!

 

[masterjaw]

Separately.

Try to test the cpu in an another system. If it works, then kick that mobo's butt out of the system.

I haven't been tried to do this in my old system because I upgraded the system outright.

 

[Herr_Koos]

This is an older PC (2001-ish), motherboard is ECS k7s5A with an AMD SiS735 chipset. Has 512MB DDR memory installed. PC stopped working recently, but it was a solid workhorse for what i do... trying to save it.

When i turn it on, everything (fan, hard drive) sounds like it powers up, but NOTHING appears on the monitor. My monitor has a led that is green when in normal use, but it stays orange. There is NO beeping from the pc. I tested the video card and hard drive in another pc separately, and they work.

Any ideas of where the problem lies?

Here is a link to a page that reviews the motherboard in case it helps:

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/…

I've had similar problems caused by a faulty CPU, so that would be one possibility. Also don't discount the memory. Try swapping with some other RAM sticks if you can find them.

 

[geof2001]

You did check the monitor itself on another system? Replaced the video cable itself between the computer and monitor?

 

[jsc]

Most likely culprit - in order: PSU, motherboard, and CPU. Try a different power supply first.

 

[tireshark]

Everyone thanks for the responses.

herr - tried another stick of ram, same result
geoff - yep monitor and cable work

jsc - well, tried a diff power supply and same result. also, i removed EVERY card (including the ram) and got NO beeps when i powered it up. so, with the exception of myself testing something wrong (or a bad little speaker... i guess...), looks like i am down to mobo or cpu, unless someone has another idea.

I have no way of testing the cpu or mobo as the boards in my other pc's have different physical chip sizes. If i were to take the motherboard and chip to a repair shop, would they be able to test them out quickly for free (or a small fee)? or would they look at me like i'm crazy? haha

i'm happy the old thing has lasted this long... but it was more than sufficient for what it was being used for. afraid if i have to pay $50 for a used board or something i will go 'well heck if im paying $50, i might as well pay $100 and get a complete used system that is better.... AND THEN go 'well heck if im payin $100 for a used system, i might as well pay $250 and get a brand new one'... you know that game, right? heh

thanks again!

 

[masterjaw]

Might as well kick that old system's butt out of the picture and get a fresh new one.