Technology, Support, and News Forum

[imintheloserssquare Profile WebsiteYIM]

my desktop which seems to have an endless list of trouble since the day i got it 3 years ago is having another problem. the computer boots up and i get no screen my monitor just goes into sleep mode so is it the graphics card or the monitor or what because i secured all connections and even tried plugging it in via VGA cable instead of the DVI cable and still nothing..so what is the stupid problem this time because i gotta tell you ive put over 2 grand into this POS computer and im so sick of spending money on it. i think ill fix it this one last time and then sell it and good riddance i hate windows i hate pcs and i love my mac ive had it for 2 years now and 0 problems.

[ar1stotle Profile ICQYIM]

Well, right now your problem is with the hardware, not Windows
However, no video output... Yea, it really could be a number of things. Are there no error codes of any type? Does your motherboard have a place to plug in a speaker for error output? When you turn it on, does the hard-drive activity light act like it's actually booting up or stuck on something?

[mnemonicj Profile]

[sarcasm]Yeah, cause people never have issues with Apple computers, but I am sure if they did Apple would never deny the issue.[/sarcasm]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/12/20-inch-imac-shipping-with-janky-lcds/
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/05/apple-concedes-to-imac-freezing-bug-promises-fix/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/apple-apologizes-for-imac-delays-keeps-mum-on-doa-display-iss/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/core-i7-imacs-showing-up-doa-including-ours/

Does sound like it could be a video card issue. I would try borrowing a video card from a friend and testing it out on your PC.

[imintheloserssquare Profile WebsiteYIM]

right im not trying to start an apple vs windows debate. im just trying to figure out whats wrong with my computer so it can be fixed and i can get on with my life. i never said it was windows either its just the machine im having trouble with. i guess im just used to calling it my "windows computer"
im looking for help not a war.

if its a video card issue its a video card issue that i can deal with i just dont have a video card i can use sadly. i also noticed when i turn the computer no lights come on the keyboard anymore like they used to and when i press like num lock nothing happens which is unusual. dunno if that helps or not. oh and the lights in the case turn on at the red light in the front comes on so it looks like its turning on and booting up but to be honest i really cant tell. also the system was at my moms house for the last 6 months while i was in scotland.

[yeshuas]

You say your monitor goes into sleep mode, can you hear the harddrive activity and does anything come up on it while it is booting up, e.g a splash screen with system config or anything like that, if not and all you get is a black screen, and if no harddrive activity then;

It could be a number of things unfortunately; it could be the power supply, the motherboard, the CPU or all of the above.

Normally it isn't possible for a person that doesn't build systems for a living to have spare parts to exchange, or testing equipment to eliminate hardware issues, and sadly that is what has to be done sometimes.

If I had to make a guess on your system, I would choose the Motherboard and or CPU in that order, and with the price of a new system vs trying to replace either or both of those parts, well it doesn't make sense most times.

[imintheloserssquare Profile WebsiteYIM]

all the fans start up and the cd drives lights blink and the lights come on like its booting up just no screen. it doesnt say a cable error on the monitor either it just goes into sleep mode when i turn it on.
you can hear the hard drives make a noise everything else seems to work i just wonder if some tiny cable or something is loose or disconnected and i cant see it.
say is there someone you can call about these types of things???
i just dont get how one computer can break down so much its on its 2nd power supply and motherboard. well imma take it into the shop at some point and this will be the last time i ever do anything for it if it breaks again it gets thrown into a field and i smash into little pieces like they did in office space.

[yeshuas]

If you have all the activity going on that you say, especially if there is Harddrive activity, then it sounds more like the video card has gone kapoot, or maybe needs to be reseated. Have you tried very carefully removing the video card or cards and then reseating it, but you must be careful as there is most likely a plastic retainer that has to be moved to release the video card

[imintheloserssquare Profile WebsiteYIM]

well its been fixed i guess a bunch of stuff came loose on the motherboard that i couldnt see so yea i feel a little stupid but hey im not an expert yet so sometimes i miss things.