Monitor not working - no signal. Red light on tower.

[Gemma Jones]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help.... my computer powers up but the monitor does not. It says that there is no signal then goes back onto standby. There is a red light on the front of the tower too. Help!

 

[alexoiu]

Have you bought it as a system? Is it still under warranty?

 

[Gemma Jones]

It's quite old so unfortunately no warranty left. I have opened it up and can see that the MSI chipset fan doesn't work, I don't know how long it hasn't been running for, could that have caused something to fail? I had wondered if it wad the video card as the keyboard lights come on as does the mouse. Any ideas?

 

[alexoiu]

What motherboard is installed?
Did it use to beep when starting?

 

[Gemma Jones]

It's an MSI N1996 (Argon) and yes it did beep when it started, it doesn't beep now. The green led light would come on and the red led light would flicker, now the red led light comes on just before the green light and they both stay on.

 

[alexoiu]

Try leaving only CPU and CPU fan installed, power cables connected and start the board. Check if the CPU fan is spinning and if any beeps.

 

[Gemma Jones]

Ok I've just tried doing that and the CPU fan is spinning but no beeps...

 

[alexoiu]

Then it's either a board or a CPU issue.
If it hasn't been used for a long time, try replacing the CMOS battery with a new one.

 

[Gemma Jones]

Is there any way for me to find out which myself? Or would I be better off replacing the board and starting from there?

 

[alexoiu]

Only by swapping parts, or, if not too expensive, try at a local shop.
Try also replacing the CMOS battery.
If old components, I'd say to upgrade the system and not replacing parts.

 

[Gemma Jones]

Ok thank you, it is used daily as I work from home. I think my best bet would be to take it to a repair shop to be on the safe side. Thanks for all your help!

 

[alexoiu]

You're welcome. Please post back the result.

 

[Gemma Jones]

Will do!

 

[Gemma Jones]

Ok I'm back, not wanting to be beaten and in desperate need of a functioning pc and not wanting to pay a sunday call out fee....
I have taken the cpu apart, cleaned it and put it back together. The fan runs fine as do all the other fans, the hard drive and everything else work and it all sounds as it normally would, don't know if that piece of information helps. But there is no beep.
Having done some googling I have read that the beep is from the video card, is this true? I have also read that you can connect the monitor to the motherboard if it has the right connectors but I've looked and can only see an old style printer conector and a 9-pin connector which I don't recognise.
Another thing is this, when I removed the video card from the motherboard and turned it back on the message on the monitor came up as 'check video card' however when the video card is connected the monitor says 'Monitor Status - VGA input: no input signal'
Does any of this narrow it down?

 

[alexoiu]

Unfortunately, no.
Beeps are not from video card but from the BIOS. When testing the system, if a core component is missing or malfunctioning, it provides a BEEP code that helps in troubleshooting. For beep codes it is necessary to have 3 working components: motherboard, processor and power supply.
And of course, an internal case speaker connected. I guess there is one connected, since you were getting the beeps when starting the PC.

 

[Gemma Jones]

I am officially stumped will leave it until tomorrow and get it looked at. Thanks again!