No beep, no display on startup

Craig R · 3 Mar 2008 at 18:48

Hope someone can help me figure out the problem here...

The other day my computer randomly refused to boot. All the fans start up ok, but I get no display on startup, no beep on startup. My computer had been running absolutely fine until this, no random crashes, no signs of overheating (CPU was always below 40 degrees, graphics card always below 60).

So I turned the power back off, tried again, same happened. Left the power off for 5 mins, tried one last time, and hey presto it booted properly. It then worked the next few times I shutdown and powered up ok.

Then today I tried again and again I'm back to no boot no display. Have tried countless times and the same effect every time.

Have tried disconnecting everything except the CPU and the motherboard, then the CPU, motherboard and Graphics card. Still no beep and no display, however all the fans seem to be starting up ok.

Any ideas what to try next? Is it likely that I have a faulty CPU? Or perhaps a faulty PSU?

AMD 64X2 5600+
Corsair 2GB DDR2 PC5300 RAM
Asrock AM2NF3-VSTA DDR2 Motherboard
Antic 700 PSU
Nvidia 8800GT 500mb Graphic card

Craig R · 4 Mar 2008 at 09:19

Nobody have any suggestions as to what part is likely to have the fault?

Bonjour · 4 Mar 2008 at 09:27

9/10 a non-beep startup is a CPU issue.

If anything else was at fault, be it memory, GPU etc. then you would get a series of error beeps.

If the CPU's at fault, there's no 'brain' in the system and hence it has no idea what to do.

Craig R · 4 Mar 2008 at 09:30

Thanks for the reply.

Only bought it a couple of months ago too! Can I return it to Overclockers or does it have to be sent to AMD for a replacement? Anyone know how long it generally takes before the replacement gets sent out?

Bonjour · 4 Mar 2008 at 09:34

Have you tried re-seating everything?

You could also try with a single memory stick, and try with the memory in a different slot.

The motherboard is another possibility.

Craig R · 4 Mar 2008 at 09:39

Yeah I tried taking the processor out last night and sticking it back in, didn't help any. Also tried completely taking out everything else then reconnecting them back up, again, still no effect.

I'll try the memory in different slots tonight.

If the motheboard was at fault would the green power light for it still come on, and all the fans etc. still start up?

Bonjour · 4 Mar 2008 at 09:45

It would depend on what the issue was with the motherboard, but it is possible that the green light would still illuminate even if there was an issue.

More than likely, though, there's something up with the CPU.

Shrapnel · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:50

Bonjour said:
9/10 a non-beep startup is a CPU issue.

If anything else was at fault, be it memory, GPU etc. then you would get a series of error beeps.

If the CPU's at fault, there's no 'brain' in the system and hence it has no idea what to do.

Not entirely true Bonjour, but close enough. Some don't beep when there is a memory fault now :-(

(just to make matters worse during diagnosis).

Tried running the whole thing outside of the case to check for 'dodgy earths'?

Bonjour · 4 Mar 2008 at 13:02

Shrapnel said:
Not entirely true Bonjour, but close enough. Some don't beep when there is a memory fault now (just to make matters worse during diagnosis).

..

Ugh. That would make this already tricky problem even worse to diagnose.

What a pain!

Craig R · 4 Mar 2008 at 16:23

Will be able to check it with a friend's PSU on Thursday so at least I'll be able to narrow it down a bit. I'll try it outside the case too and see if that has any effect.

Craig R · 4 Mar 2008 at 20:38

Tried using 1 stick of memory in different slots = no effect

Tried putting it all together outside the case = no effect

iraiguana · 4 Mar 2008 at 22:03

have you tried to see if it would beep without the cpu?

If it does then probably thats the problem. RMA.

If it still doesnt beep i would be leaning towards mobo problem.

Craig R · 4 Mar 2008 at 22:45

iraiguana said:
have you tried to see if it would beep without the cpu?

If it does then probably thats the problem. RMA.

If it still doesnt beep i would be leaning towards mobo problem.

Yeah tried it, no beep.

neocon · 5 Mar 2008 at 13:57

i had a similar problem to this

was playing cod4 and had a screen freeze, then i rebooted with no signal to the monitor

I have rma'd my 8800gt to bfg to see if that was the problem, and still waiting for them to send a new card. been without my pc for 2 weeks now ARGHHHHHHHHHh

Craig R · 5 Mar 2008 at 14:19

neocon said:
i had a similar problem to this

was playing cod4 and had a screen freeze, then i rebooted with no signal to the monitor

I have rma'd my 8800gt to bfg to see if that was the problem, and still waiting for them to send a new card. been without my pc for 2 weeks now ARGHHHHHHHHHh

2 weeks...bummer.

Thankfully I also have a Macbook Pro laptop to keep me sane.
No Cod4 though.

Craig R · 5 Mar 2008 at 18:32

Just tested it with a different PSU, had no effect, still no beep and no display. Also tested my graphics card in a mates machine - it works fine, no problems.

So it is either the motherboard or the CPU. Any other ideas as to how I can check which it will be before I send one of them back?

edit - just noticed I listed my old motherboard above, I actually have the ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe

neocon · 5 Mar 2008 at 21:08

have you taken the battery out from your motherboard

Craig R · 5 Mar 2008 at 21:26

neocon said:
have you taken the battery out from your motherboard

Yeah already tried that, didn't have any effect.