Problem - Nothing comes on screen when turning on

Hi guys,

My motherboard is a Asus P4S333/C.

Theres a serious problem with this computer i have. When i switch it on, i can hear the fans running, dvd drives work (ejecting works), everything seems fine. But nothing comes on the screen. I know for certain it's not the monitor or monitor cable because it works fine on my other computer.

When i turn it on, the hard drive light (yellow) and power light (green) both go on and about 15seconds later the harddrive goes off and it just stays like that. I've taken the CMOS battery out overnight and put it back in in the morning but nothing still comes on screen. I've also tried taking out all the pci cards, changed the ram, even changed the harddrive but still same problem. I don't hear any beeps to indicate any error when switching on the computer. Is it a CPU problem?

Can anyone help? How can i tell if it's a motherboard or CPU problem? Thanks in advance...

Regards,
Brandon.

What kind of video card do you have?

its an AGP 4x card.

I've already tried replacing it with another AGP card but still the same problem. I've also tried using an old PCI graphic card as well but it still doesnt work.

I've often found people when people bring me computers to fix that they have recently upgraded your'll turn on the power, everything starts and then a couple of seconds later it all goes quiet; with nothing having appeared on the screen. If this is your problem the solution below should do the trick, it tends to be an Asus/Gigabyte issue, it's not something I've seen with other boards.

Try unplugging all your drives, except your main hard drive; disconnect any USB ports that plug into the motherboard and take out all unrequired PCI cards and try to see if it boots, if it does plug everything in and it should work fine.

i've just tried taking everything out except for the agp card and hardrive. still same problem

Does the BIOS recognize the HD, CPU and RAM?

With all that you´ve done can only be the cpu...try removing the cpu and putting it again and also clearing cmos

I don't know if the bios recognizes the HD,CPU or RAM. I mean nothing comes on the screen, how can i tell?

Removing the cpu... hmmmm are you sure? I don't think it's come loose or anything because those things are clamped down so tight.

Well...it´s quite simple.First you remove the cooler (watch it´s connection to the mobo - you can also clean the cooler while you´re in it) and then unbreak the handspike (is that the name? ) of the cpu socket:


Then very carefully you just remove the cpu and put it there again (watch out the pins...you should not need to press or use strenght to put the cpu in the socket!All pentiums have a little arrow in one of the corners that indicates the corner with no pin.)To do it easily just take it out for a moment without going far with it just maintainig it a bit above the socket just as you removed it and then put it there again)....break the handspike again and put the cleaned cooler again (don´t forget to connect it again to the mobo) and start the computer when you´re done.
This is made because most of the mobo´s don´t recognize the cpu as the same (even if it is) after beeing taken from the socket...causing to change automaticly the settings and asking you to go to the bios setup to adjust the settings for the new cpu.
If even this doesn´t work try clearing the CMOS (see manual to learn how to do it)

I know how to remove the CPU... thanks anyways.

I've already cleared the cmos. (read first post).

You removed the battery...but all mobo´s have a clear CMOS

ohh ok.. i'll give that a try. but isn't removing the battery the same thing as clearing cmos?

More or less...taking the battery should work,but when you take the battery the information should be lost...when you clear cmos you´re reseting the bios.
I still advise you to take the cpu and put it again....(if that doesn´t work...)

First, As you said that everything spins up, i doubt there is a problem with the motherboard although it still could be a possibility.

When you turn on the computer does it beep? This can help resolve your problems.

PC is on but monitor shows no display and a sequence of beeps emits from the PC

- Check fitting of CPU, RAM, Video card, sound card etc. If necessary, remove and refit these components
- Check the motherboard manual and perform a BIOS reset procedure
This may indicate a faulty motherboard

PC is on but monitor shows no display and one beep emits from the PC

- Check that the monitor's signal cable is connected correctly to both the PC and Monitor
- This may indicate a faulty video card

hey nebulous.thanks for the ideas buddy.

i hear absolutely no beeps when it boots up