NO video from card OR board... Help.

[demonofthefall85]

I have a strange problem. My moms video is acting up on her computer and I cant seem to fix it for her. Basically, I have to keep turning the comp on and off in order for it to display video. Sometimes it displays on the first push but most times it takes several tries. Sometimes, I cant even get it to come on at all. Its the same for the video card as well as the integrated video on the mother board...

When it finally does display, it works perfectly until I restart or turn it off. I have tried everything I could think of: I removed and re inserted the video card, changed the power supply, tried several monitors, installed video drivers etc etc... Im just at a lost here.

Could it be the motherboard? What else could I try?

Specs for this machine:
AMD Sempron 3100+ / 1.8 GHz
512mb ram
NVIDIA GeForce 6100 chipset
Motherboard: http://www.impactcomputers.com/mbem105554k8.html

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[festerovic]

you did not mention changing the cable, maybe try it if you haven't. Also, check in the BIOS of the motherboard to see if it has a setting for Primary display, something that lets you select Onboard, PCIe, or auto.

You already tested all the logical stuff, don't know what else to suggest.

 

[demonofthefall85]

Which cable? Checked the BIOS and found nothing for display. I even checked the emachines site to see if there was a new version of bios but no luck.

 

[puttsy]

Clear the CMOS and see if that solves the problem. Otherwise, it could be that the power switch itself has gone bad. If you can, where the power switch connects to the board, remove the power switch and connect the reset switch and now, try pushing the reset button to turn the machine on. If the machine now works, it's the switch and go on using the reset button. IF the reset button is small/pin hole, take the front panel off of the case and move the actual switch/wires up to the slot the power switch is in. Obviously, remove the power switch and either put it in the reset switches spot or simply get rid of it and realize the reset switch isn't necessary at all.

 

[demonofthefall85]

Thank you, I'll try to clear the CMOS. Unfortunately, there is no reset switch on this computer.

 

[festerovic]

Which cable? Checked the BIOS and found nothing for display. I even checked the emachines site to see if there was a new version of bios but no luck.

The VGA cable.

Also, good choice of profile names. I love that song.

 

[festerovic]

Thank you, I'll try to clear the CMOS. Unfortunately, there is no reset switch on this computer.

You can connect a flat bladed screwdriver to the two pins on the mobo for Power On/off.

But since the computer turns on every time, just not the video, I doubt its the switch as previously mentioned. The PSU, RAM, and mobo are all suspect. Depending on the age of the machine, the battery could be at fault.

I would begin by removing all components other than the board, the PSU, the video card, and the RAM, and see how consistent that is.

 

[demonofthefall85]

Thanks, man. I have tried a few cables so its not the problem. I wish it was that easy haha...I reset the CMOS and still nothing. I dont consider myself a great computer repair guy but I'd like to think im no slouch. This is definitely a head scratcher. I assume its the motherboard going out but I dont understand why it runs perfectly with no other signs of failure when it does come on.

 

[festerovic]

I have had the same problem before. It does not abide by logic. At some point you will have to weigh the issues impact on you and the cost of new parts. Not saying the parts are broken, maybe just a little incompatible, or a setting is not right. But when you change out every part and it still doesn't work, what I end up doing most of the time is to start over with different parts.

 

[natx808]

the symptoms you are describing sound awfully familliar to bad capacitors

try inspecting the capacitors on the motherboard and note if any seem bloated or are leaking electrolite, might look kind of rusty or some yellow-ish residue on the top of the capacitors.