I was using my PC yesterday and decided to take off the side panel. The system froze and wouldn't respond to mouse or keyboard inputs. I had to force a shutdown using the power button. Now, when I try to boot it up, I get no display output—only the fans spin, and there's no POST happening. I don't think it's a problem with the display connection since the keyboard doesn't light up either. Here's what I've already tried: reseating the RAM sticks, booting without RAM, connecting the display directly to the motherboard, removing the CMOS battery and power cycling, and leaving it unplugged overnight before trying again. I'm starting to suspect it might be a motherboard issue, so I'm looking for any further advice or ideas.
1 Answer
Try stripping down your setup to just the essentials. Remove the graphics card and use the onboard HDMI port—most motherboards have one. Keep one stick of RAM in, and maybe reseat the CPU while you’re at it. If it posts or you can access BIOS, start adding other components back one at a time. Also, take a good look at your video card and motherboard for any potential physical damage, especially around the PCIe socket.
Yeah, I think you might be onto something with the video card. If the motherboard is as old as you say, it could be time for an upgrade!