My computer starts up, but the monitor remains completely black. The display cable is connected to the graphics card rather than the motherboard, and I've checked that the cables are plugged in. There is also a red diagnostic light on the motherboard. I reseated the RAM, but the problem hasn't changed. What should I check next?
2 Answers
Check which motherboard diagnostic light is red—CPU, DRAM, VGA, or BOOT. The label beside the LED will point to the likely problem. Since the monitor is connected to the graphics card, make sure the card is fully seated, its power cables are connected, and the monitor is set to the correct input.
Try a basic hardware reset: shut the PC down, switch off the power supply, unplug it, and hold the power button for a few seconds. Then reconnect everything and test with one RAM stick at a time. Also verify that the graphics card and the main motherboard power connectors are firmly installed. The exact motherboard model and the label next to the red light would help narrow it down.
I reseated the memory, but the monitor still stays black. I’ll check the diagnostic LED label and the graphics-card power connection next.
The display cable is connected to the graphics card, and I already reseated the RAM, but the red light is still on.