no signal on cold boot {signal appears only after several restarts}

[gimpshrimp]

hello everyone:

i've been using my computer for years without any problems. Last week I backed up/formatted the HDD,
reinstalled windows/drivers/programs, removed dust from components, cables {using an air compressed
can}, oiled ballbearing fans, applied a new dose of thermal paste on the cpu, etc. Everything works perfect,
except when I turn it on:

I get no signal on my monitor on cold boot. (windows still logs on as there is HDD activity and windows welcome
sound can be heard.) The first days all I had to do is wait 10 seconds for POST to finish (without signal) hit
restart and then I would get signal upon restart.

But now it's getting worse day by day, as I have to restart computer several times in order to get signal on
monitor. I have restored BIOS settings to default and still there is no way to get signal on cold boot.

Once I get signal PC can run prime95, furmark, etc for like hours without any problems.

Do you thing this is a hardware issue, or could a miss-configured CPU settings application cause this?

this are my computer specs:
asus p6t / core i7 920 / 6 giga ram / nvidia 560 Ti / sata 2 hdd / 750 watt PSU / windows 7 64 bit pro

thanks!

 

[ur6beersaway]

"Last week I backed up/formatted the HDD" Then "reinstalled windows/drivers/programs"

Meaning you reinstalled the backup on the formatted HDD? OR fresh installs of windows & drivers?

I would think something got corrupted if I an reading the post right.

 

[gimpshrimp]

hello ur6beersaway,

thanks for the quick reply. By that I mean a fresh install of windows/drivers! It's basically the very same computer
I've been using for the last 3 years without any problems, it's exactly the same setup I always had :<

 

[ur6beersaway]

Try resetting the CMOS jumper or pop out the battery.

Flash a NEW bios upgrade~http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=P6T&p=1&os=8

 

[gimpshrimp]

Hello ur6beersaway,

I have flashed the BIOS to the newest version. I have noticed that every time I reset the CMOS jumper or
pop out the battery, the computer boots normally, and there is signal on my monitor, but signal appears
ONLY on the very next boot following these procedure. Which means that once windows loads, the next
time I restart/power cycle/sleep-wake cycle I do, there will be no signal on my monitor.

I keep using BIOS settings on default, and I have even uninstalled two ASUS windows utilities that may alter
the BIOS settings and give wrong overclocking/underclocking values to the system, but that didn't help either.

Thanks bro!

 

[badboyrog]

nothing to do with the version of the bios for an old hardwares like your pc

try to reseating the gpu on the mobo

 

[gimpshrimp]

^^ Once windows loads, I can run Prime95, Furmark and the latest games without problems. Wouldn't a
badly seated GPU cause problems when I run these? Anyway, I will try to re-seat CPU+GPU+RAM and will
get back to you!

Thanks badboyrog

 

[ur6beersaway]

Assuming the GPU is fine and not the problem. The power supply might not be providing the proper power to the card (and/or other things) on start up. How old is the PSU?

 

[gimpshrimp]

Why can't I see the long message I posted yesterday?

Can other users see my previous post? (The one starting with: "I reseated the GPU, but before closing the computer...").

How can I mark this thread as "SOLVED"?

Why is this message board so complicated and slow?

 

[badboyrog]

i am very happy for you ... you did a great job!

 

[ur6beersaway]

Some thermal pastes do conduct electricity, many do not. The CPU does not use every pin during a "session" but during specific tasks, depending on a lot of things. Glad it was simple!

The site had one of it's lock-ups yesterday & nobody could post.

 

[gimpshrimp]

^^ Ok thanks a lot guys! How can we mark this thread as "SOLVED"? (So that other users can get a
possible solution if they are dealing with similar problems with their computers!)

 

[OlausE]

What was the solution that you found? I have the exact same problem as you describe and cannot see the post starting with "I reseated the GPU, but before closing the computer..."!

 

[gimpshrimp]

What was the solution that you found? I have the exact same problem as you describe and cannot see the post starting with "I reseated the GPU, but before closing the computer..."!

Hello OlausE,

I just got an email alert about your message. I found the post that you are looking for! Here it goes:

=============================================================================
"I reseated the GPU, but before closing the computer case I thought I should examine the CPU, the
heatsink and the contact pins. When I removed the CPU, there was a tiny little something between
the pins, and I removed it with a soft bristled toothbrush that was previously cleaned with alcohol. Then
when I checked the CPU's metallic connectors, there was a tiny drop of thermal paste right on top of
one of the 1366 connectors! I wiped it off using a cotton swab and alcohol. Is it possible that a small
drop of thermal paste between the CPU contact surface could cause the computer to:

Load windows normally but give no signal upon boot and only work perfectly fine (even run prime95)
after several restarts?

As I said before I've been using this computer for years and it has always worked perfectly fine, the
problems started when I decided to do the usual maintenance I do to it once a year. (Clean+apply a
new dose of thermal paste on the CPU, remove dust from all components, oil the fans, Backup &
Format). I think this was the reason why a BIOS message appeared right after the "maintenance"
saying: "New CPU found!". (I was like... wtf).

So far I have restarted/put PC to sleep+wake/turned on+off several times, run prime 95, and it works
perfectly fine. But I thought that a tiny drop of thermal paste in CPU contact pins would cause computer
not to boot. Mine would boot, POST, work fine and even run prime95 (but only after several restarts,
which was my main problem here and the reason why I made this thread)."
=============================================================================