Video card or motherboard failure?

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Suddenly on reboot my monitor comes up blank, no input (DSP) (tried another monitor and another output on video card (DVI), same result), the system appears to boot (CPU fan changes speed, hard drives engage, and the drives connected on USB flash, so I am inclined to think video card, but I hate to order new and find out it was something else. The power supply light is green and the light on the ethernet connection is flashing, but I don’t get any beeps or anything else from the system to know what is going on. Any ideas on how to continue with diagnosis? Dell XPS 9100, Intel i7, ATI Radeon 5870, Win7 Thank you for any help you can offer. RB

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RB,

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode? If that works it is most likely a driver problem, have you done Windows Update recently and do you allow WU to install new drivers? (a bad practice BTW).

I can’t tell from just querying xps 9100 if the i7 has embedded graphics or not but if it does (you can check using your express service code at the Dell site) remove the Video Card and see if you can get video that way.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Not sure how to boot into safe mode when I don’t know where I am at or what is going on without video.

The only Windows Updates that I recently installed were related to NET Framework and I booted successfully after that, so I don’t think it’s a driver issue.

A prior system inventory shows that chipsets to be Northbridge: Intel x58 rev13 and Southbridge: Intel 82801JR (ICH10R) rev00 with graphics interface of PCI-Express, which I assume to mean no onboard graphics (that and the fact that there is no discernable output).

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RB,

Ok, so you get no video from the get go. The next thing I’d try is to open your case, remove the video card, reinsert the video card, try again. While you have the case open you might want to clean out any accumulated dust with a can of compressed air (insert a pencil in the fans to keep from spinning while doing this just to be safe). Make sure the card is firmly seated and be careful not to wiggle the card when reattaching the video cable.

A funny thing about this is I had a friend call me this morning wanting to borrow an extra monitor for the same problem. When he got home everything was working just fine…go figure!

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Usually tapping F8 as you switch on will get you into the advanced boot options to select Safe Mode.

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I take it that you never get any BIOS or EUFI boot messages? If you see those and can access the BIOS, that supports the idea that the problem is with Windows, or your video driver.

If you cannot see BIOS messages or access the BIOS, that points towards a hardware problem.

Just remember, a lot of configurations suppress BIOS boot messages as a way of saving a few seconds on the bootup time. Or to discourage casual users from nosing around in the BIOS and messing things up in there (note that this is very much a thing in the corporate world).

So don’t automatically assume that if there are no BIOS messages, there is no video output. Actually test your BIOS access ability. Try the F1/F2/F3/F10/Delete or whatever key activates the BIOS configuration on your system. And remember, the window of time you have to do this is extremely brief, never more than a few seconds.

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…The power supply light is green and the light on the ethernet connection is flashing, but I don’t get any beeps or anything else from the system to know what is going on…

Often blank screen after power-on is caused by tarnished contacts on the video card.

Pull the card and clean the contacts by rubbing them gently with a soft white pencil rubber/eraser then brush off any particles using a clean soft brush.

It would be a good idea to also clean the RAM contacts by the same means while you have the case open.

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Check your monitor too. I’ve had the exact same thing, (black screen monitor upon bootup) and it actually was the monitor.
Attach the monitor to a different computer or laptop to test it.

Boot down into BIOS/EUFI and see if you can enable the “onboard” graphics.
(Not your monitor if you can do this)
Remove the video card if you DO have onboard graphics, then replace and test.
REMOVE and RESEAT the video card, make certain the gold contacts are clean and intact…and try various PCIe slots.
Remove and INSPECT the graphics card very carefully for damage.
Inspect the cable connecting the monitor to the GPU very carefully, I’ve had broken pins on a number of occasions
that’ll “black screen” the monitor.

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You tried a different monitor. Did you try a different video cable?

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Definitely hardware, nothing from the gitgo, tried a different cable, what I need is to see if I can’t scrounge up another video card. I will try removing, cleaning, re-seating the current card in the meantime (although I am not likely to be home long enough to do that until later in the week). Thanks for all the help!

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Definitely hardware, nothing from the gitgo, tried a different cable, what I need is to see if I can’t scrounge up another video card. I will try removing, cleaning, re-seating the current card in the meantime (although I am not likely to be home long enough to do that until later in the week). Thanks for all the help!

From reading this thread I suspect the problem you are having is probably caused by your Power Supply Unit (PSU).

Your PSU might be supplying invalid voltages, so I suggest connecting a known-good PSU then try again.

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…. see if I can’t scrounge up another video card. …

Or move the suspect card to another PC and see if it works.

Coochin’s comment on the PSU possibly being responsible is another quite possible parameter.

edit: 2 x 6-pin PCI-E connectors and a 188W (15.7A on +12V rail) max. graphics power before any overclocking. 525W original PSU.

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The possibility of a PSU problem did occur to me, however, I have no spare to try out. As measuring output is somewhat complicated, I may first look for another video card and try that before tampering with the PSU (as to transferring the video card in question to another machine, as my wife’s computer is the only one operable at the moment I am loathe to risk fate and chance screwing up her machine as well). Is it possible to test outputs one at a time without disconnecting everything first or is that asking for trouble? I appreciate all of the help, it is good to have new ideas and a reality check.

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…. Is it possible to test outputs one at a time without disconnecting everything first ….

Test how? Looks to me that you are out of options except buy and replace one part at a time….expensive.

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I have now tried removing the video card, cleaning everything and re-seating to no effect, I am considering removing my wife’s video card and trying that as it looks like I could do it without risking her machine. As to testing the power supply, I mean using a VOM to look at the output of critical outputs, although I have no idea where to find information on the pinouts, which is obviously essential. I agree the alternative of buy and replace looks expensive and not exactly trivial to implement.

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Yes, quite possible, that is how I do it. Just poke the test lead into each wire junction along the connectors. But it won’t be under much load so a fail is a fail, but a pass is meaningless.

https://community.newegg.com/eggxpert/computer_hardware/f/135081/t/98567.aspx

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I found this guide to testing, but I am still unclear as to what the pin outs on the two power connectors going to the video card are and how to determine if they are providing the correct output.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/power-supply-test-multimeter.htm

BTW, thanks again for thinking about this and offering advice.

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Okay, wife’s video card worked, but here’s the rub – her card is VGA and derives all of its power through the PCI connection, whereas mine is a Radeon 5870 with two additional power connections. Can I conclude that it is the video card or am I still left wondering about the power supply?

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Could still be either. With working PC (wife’s card), test the PSU. First run HWMonitor. Then do the VOM. Again this is not under as much load as yours, but a fail is a fail.

You can then put your PSU under load using OCCT (PSU test) and retest if it doesn’t fail. Warning: This puts your PSU under a lot of load even with your wife’s under 75W (6.25A) GPU. A blown PSU can take other things with it and it is a factory OEM.
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/44-occt-4-4-1-available

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I have never dealt with a power supply before, so please excuse the naive question, but is the harness I see coming out of the unit hardwired on the inside or is there a plug that can be disconnected with the harness left in place?

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… the harness I see coming out of the unit hardwired on the inside or is there a plug that can be disconnected with the harness left in place?

To test you leave the harness in place with PC on and slide the probe down along each wire into the connector on the MB. Ground to black wire.

Voltages should be within +/- 5%, except -12V is allowed +/- 10%. outside of that is a fail.

Been looking for an image of how to test in place and came across this article on how to:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/301799-psu-test-dc-output-voltage.html

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Thank you, that is a much better guide that the one that I found (http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/power-supply-test-multimeter.htm). I am still unclear on the relationship of the harness and the power supply. If I buy a power supply, does it come with the harness or is that a separate deal? Some photos show a harness, some not. Also, is it better to buy a refurbished OEM supply that was specifically used that that computer or should you go with a specific brand or set of attributes (besides rating)?

I am beginning to think it is the power supply as I installed another somewhat high-end card and got so far as to boot into Win and install drivers, however, after reboot only a black screen from the first – no BIOS screen, no nothing. Fiddling with connections and wires got me nowhere (hope the card is okay). Also, suddenly the system is not seeing the USB keyboard.

To answer a previous question, it is an old machine. I believe that I purchased it in 2009 as a high-end unit that would last a few years. I still feel like it has the power to do what I want if I can just solve this problem. If not, I got 6-7 years out of it, although I would prefer not to start over now, both from the point of view of the time and effort of rebuilding a system as well as from a financial perspective.

Thanks again for spending the time and effort to think about the problem and reply.
RB

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You have a pretty hefty video card. The fact that your video card is really complex (i.e. potentially prone to more problems) (and hers is probably really basic), and the fact that her video card works in your computer, tells me that it is your video card.

Since you know that your wife’s video card works in your computer, you could buy a card identical to hers and use it in your computer. And since you have already successfully moved her card to your computer, you know how to do that with no problem.

Is your computer still under warranty? If so, Dell might replace the video card. Tell them your computer tech told you it was bad.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I wrote a message using advanced that has not posted because a moderator has to approve!??! When I do a quick reply the message goes right up, what gives? Should I rewrite the message awaiting approval?

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Down the rabbit hole – an update. Black screen solved by moving from Display Port to HDMI – WTF??! Seems to be working for the moment. Does this latest observation implicate the monitor? Or does it confirm some other notion, e.g., the PSU? I am quite confused…

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Down the rabbit hole – an update. Black screen solved by moving from Display Port to HDMI – WTF??! Seems to be working for the moment. Does this latest observation implicate the monitor? Or does it confirm some other notion, e.g., the PSU? I am quite confused…

Have read through this thread with interest as I have just had exactly the same problem. After working pefectly since changing monitor a few months ago, yesterday I suddenly had a blank screen from power on when using the Display Port cable which was solved by changing to an HDMI cable. I’m not sure if it’s relevant but I have an AOC Q3277PQU monitor and an MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G graphics card. Did you work out what caused your problem?

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RB,

To me this would seem to implicate the display driver settings, e.g. HDMI is set as primary or Monitor 1 while Display port set to secondary or Monitor2. Do you have software from the Manufacturer of the display card that lets you change these settings? Do you have a second monitor that you can hookup and there by confirm that this might be the problem. This could also have been caused by registry corruption which may or may not be fixed by resetting which monitor is the primary (HDMI/Display Port) and then rebooting. With two monitors connected you can see which one shows the boot process.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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@rbcarter
You may not need a new power supply, but to address your question about the wiring “harness” which distributes power (to disk drives, DVD drives, fans, etc.), when you view these two examples of power supplies note the various views on the left of each page. Some power supplies have detachable wiring, some do not.

Here is an example of a computer power supply which has the wiring attached inside the power supply housing…
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Continuous-Warranty-Supply-100-W1-0500-KR/dp/B00H33SFJU/ref=lp_1161760_1_1/179-4462097-9435135?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456702831&sr=1-1

This is an example of a modular power supply designed to use detachable wiring…
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-RM850-Modular-Supply-Certified/dp/B00EB7UIXM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1456703318&sr=8-7&keywords=modular+power+supply

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