Can Graphic card block POST?

[desktop_user]

Hello,

My PC was built at home couple years ago. It has been working fine since then. I recently moved, and I guess the box wasn't handled properly.

After I connected the PC at my new place, there was no POST beep sound and the display was off. I turned it off and opened up the PC.

1) Did a visual inspection to see if anything looked wrong.
2) Turned ON and found that CPU fan wasn't working. Immediately turned it back off. The CPU cable was off of board. So I plugged that back in. Did a more thorough inspection this time to see everything was tight. Turned it back ON, the fan started working, but no POST.
3) So then I followed the usual POST step by step inspection also pointed on this website.
4) At one point, I had my hard drives and ROM disconnected and Video Card was mounted, but I did not plugged the power supply to it. After turning it ON, there was a huge beep sound, long and continuous, probably it was from graphics card that it needs additional power.
5) I then removed the Video Card completely, and turned it back ON, this time there was a POST which appeared to me as 1 long and 2 short - which according to my motherboard manual is video card problems, remind you there wasn't any video card on the system at that time, so probably the POST was complaining about it. http://download.gigabyte.ru/manual/mb_manual_ga-x58a-ud3r_v2.0_e.pdf - page 127
6) Putting the graphics card back in, there was no POST beep sound again, but I noticed one thing, my graphics card fan was ON, running full speed, then slows down, there is a mild click sound coming from somewhere, and then the fan speeds up again, and repeats this fast slow cycle. It was probably getting a click approx 17s.

Since it beeped without the graphics card, looks like system sound is OK, so I feel, this has something to do with my graphics card. Any comments? thoughts?

It is a Sapphire Radeon HD 5870
Thanks

 

[Sunius]

It might be possible the card got damaged. Do you have another PC to try it in?

 

[desktop_user]

It might be possible the card got damaged. Do you have another PC to try it in?

Unfortunately no.

I again spend some time today. Completely opened up the PC, dismantled everything, removed motherboard from chassis, etc..

1) Motherborad had CPU, heat sink and fan mounted. Plugged in fan.
2) Installed motherboard on chassis.
3) Plugged in the 24-pin and 8-pin Power Supply connectors.
4) Plugged in 2 GB RAM (and not 6)
5) Plugged-in front panel connectors.

Turned on and there was a POST beep just like last time, 1 long and 2 short - missing video card.

Put the video card back on and no POST. I am trying to get my Video Card RMA'd but am just wondering if my suspection is correct. Will appreciate if someone can respond and confirm.

Thanks.