System issue: no video

[LA_MERC_goose]

I'm working on my dad's system and I have no video. I put in a new PCI video card - still no video. Upon turning on the power the monitor's power light turns from yellow to green but only for a moment and then back to yellow - this is with the onboard video. When I use the card I just installed I get nothing.

System:
eMachine T6216 (I told him not to get this POS before he bought it)
Windows XP, service pack and updates unknown
512 mg RAM
160 gig hard disk
On board video, nVidia GeForce 6100
MSI, MS-7207 motherboard.

Hard disk seems to be ok, as I can access it's content from my system with no problem. By the process of elimination I'm going with either CPU or motherboard is dead. Gurus, ideas?

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

Test the power supply too. I know...it turns on...but eMachine PS's were notoriously bad. Like REALLY bad. If it's not sending enough juice ot the mobo, nothing will really seem like it's working.

Do you get the POST beep or any HDD activity?

[LA_MERC_goose]

No post beep is audible. His fans are loud so I can't tell if the HD is spinning up or not.

Switching PS now.

[LA_MERC_goose]

Power Supply didn't fix it. Same outcome - still now beeps either.

[Rollout]

Goose, I just had the same problem while trying to build my new system. The fix for me was a new DVI cable. Perhaps this will help you, I thought it was a video card or low voltage, but a new power supply and a different video card didn't fix the problem. A quality DVI cable from BestBuy worked; however there were complaints on Newegg regarding the crappy DVI cable that came with my new BenQ LCD, so I don't know if it will apply to you. Hope this works, I had the same black screen at startup as you describe, hope this helps!!!

[LA_MERC_goose]

Well, I've used 2 different CRT monitors that work great with their current systems but neither works with this eMachine POS. No LCDs here - I'm poor. =D

[Chi_Townz]

try to hook the HD up to a known good system. If it boots from that, at least you know its not the HD.

[LA_MERC_goose]

Well, usually when I'm building a system, I can hook everything up but the hard drive and when it boots up I get the cursor flash on screen - but I don't get that. I've pulled the HD out and examined the file system from my system and everything seems to be ok. I've done a virus scan and ran ad-aware and spybot search and destroy and nothing was found in the three scans.

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Well I'm jumping in kinda late but if you cant even get the computer to boot into bios, then its got to be either the mobo or P/S. You dont have to have the hard drive conected to get that far. Basic components you need to get at least to the Bios screen are the MOBO, Graphics card, P/S, and keyboard. Remove all other devices from the mother board. USB's, hard drives, CD's, 3.5 floppy's. If it wont even give you a display after that, and you have allreay swaped P/S, and Graphics cards...Oh, also try a diffrent keyboard "you never know?" Then the only thing left is the motherboard.

[LA_MERC_T4rg3T]

Change the battery on the motherboard.

If that doesn't work, pull everything off of it but the power. It could be ram or the mobo battery.

[LA_MERC_goose]

The bios battery could keep it from botting? I learned something new today. I'll try that first, then go from there.

Oh, BTW, thanx guys for the ideas.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

Also, try disconnecting the power, hitting the power button, reconnecting the power and power on...just for giggles

[LA_MERC_goose]

Did that too, LT. Then I laughed and said to myself, "WTH do you think you're doing, goofball?"

[LA_MERC_FragFood]

I'm working on my dad's system and I have no video. I put in a new PCI video card - still no video. Upon turning on the power the monitor's power light turns from yellow to green but only for a moment and then back to yellow - this is with the onboard video. When I use the card I just installed I get nothing.

System:
eMachine T6216 (I told him not to get this POS before he bought it)
Windows XP, service pack and updates unknown
512 mg RAM
160 gig hard disk
On board video, nVidia GeForce 6100
MSI, MS-7207 motherboard.

Hard disk seems to be ok, as I can access it's content from my system with no problem. By the process of elimination I'm going with either CPU or motherboard is dead. Gurus, ideas?

Hold down the [Delete] key while turning the power on. On many BIOS this will reset them to default. Also, make sure that if, while resetting the BIOS prior, you didn't accidentally leave the BIOS Clear jumper on. That'll make it do exactly what you're describing. Next, move the PCI graphics card one slot in either direction on the motherboard. You may have an IRQ issue. As to why you're getting hte Ye;;ow/Green/Yellow blink on the monitor when using the built in video but not with the sPCI card, it's because the BIOS isn't initializing the PCI card - it hasn't been told to do so in the settings.

Jack

[LA_MERC_goose]

Ok, I finally got to WalMart today and replaced the BIOS battery - no good.

I tried the Delete button trick too, still no luck

Any other ideas?

[LA_MERC_YellowDog]

Alan, how many sticks of ram does it have? Im still under the impression you cant get the Mobo to post?

[LA_MERC_goose]

It has 2 - 256 meg sticks. I get no beeps, no sounds and of course since this POS company is so damn cheap there are no debug LEDs anywhere. I've tired removing each stick at a time & moving them between the four different bays and still nothing.

[LA_MERC_T4rg3T]

I'm assuming that you reset the bios to defaults? Remove mobo battery and power from board for 10 minutes.

If you don't get any error beeps for not having any ram on the board, then it sounds like the board might have died because it can't be loading the bios at all.

[Chi_Townz]

Dell Outlet (http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/topics/global.aspx/arb/online/en/InventorySearch?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh)


Dude, just go buy another one..

[LA_MERC_goose]

Well, it ain't mine to replace - thank Gawd - I'm tired of buying "throw away" computers.

I think it's the board - as mentioned previously - since I get no response from the board that it's been initialized.

"HEY POP! Your system's a POS and needed to be shot when you took it out of the box. Now take your butt over to PC Solutions on Second Loop Rd and have the man build you a system that doesn't suck!"

[Chi_Townz]

Now yer talkin Goosey

[Ab1dab1]

Don't you just love how techy people are always expected to work on other people's pc problems in their spare time?

I wish that worked for doctors and lawyers.

Abi

[LA_MERC_FragFood]

;203438']Don't you just love how techy people are always expected to work on other people's pc problems in their spare time?

I wish that worked for doctors and lawyers.

Abi

Yeah, but when it's family, that's different. I'll give a quick look to most machines, but in depth work requires either money or relationship by blood somewhere along the line.