Question PC cut out during use, monitor and hardware lost signal.

[DylanPcProblem]

Hello, long time lurker but finally had my own issue and hope to get some advice. I’ll explain the problem first then give some other details.

I was gaming for about 30 minutes yesterday when my screen went black. Monitor no signal, light on the mouse and keyboard went out. Monitor itself works fine - it will hook up to other computers as normal. But will not give signal on my PC. The mouse I can get a light on if I shimmy it in the USB slot a bunch but that’s not how it was before this.

The CPU and VC fans etc run fine, the PC physically appears to boot but no signals externally.

Another peculiar symptom is now I can turn the computer on with its normal button, but the same button won’t turn it off - even if held down - and I need to use the PSU switch. Again this is new problem that didn’t exist before yesterday.

I have tried reassembling the PC, re-cabling parts to PSU, testing monitor and HDMI cable (both fine on other devices), booting with 1 stick of ram (tried all combo of sticks on all sockets), confirmed it’s not a monitor/kb+m issue. I tried to reset the cmos because this seemed a likely culprit but this did not work - however I can’t guarantee having done this correctly as I never had before, I will likely try this again. I also tried to replace its battery with an old one I had lying around but no luck there either.

Not being the most expert builder, I fear I tinkered too much yesterday and want to get proper advice today before proceeding again, lest I mess up my parts.

My suspicions: internal hardware issue, probably either motherboard or CMOS, but could also be dust damage somewhere - I found a little bit inside when I opened up, nothing too extreme. But I don’t know what I don’t know and the particular symptoms seem enough that someone may have come across them before and know what this relates to.



I built this PC maybe 5 years ago and did an upgrade about 10 months ago, with a new PSU, mobo and video card but leaving the old ram and CPU.

PSU: Gigabyte 750w
Mobo: asus a320m-k
VC: Nvidia rtx 3070
CPU: AMD 5700g (I believe)
Ram: 16gb 2 sticks
First 3 pieces are “new”, latter 3 are old.

Can provide pictures of interior on request

Thank you for your time

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Hey there,

I'm presuming you've tried this option? :

https://imgur.com/MKifyg1

View: https://imgur.com/MKifyg1


And chosen to set the power button to shutdown?


Now, if you have a crash, that option may not work. And all you can do then is shut it down manually.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

Thanks for the reply. I haven’t messed with any power options, but I’m also not too worried about the power button - I can turn the PC off at the PSU. I mentioned the new power switch issue as a curious symptom that might ring a bell for somebody with experience.

The real problem is that I get no hardware signals and can’t get a monitor display, so I can’t do any fixes that require me to actually have the PC on. If the screen was actually coming on I wouldn’t be worried.

 

[Bob.B]

Thanks for the reply. I haven’t messed with any power options, but I’m also not too worried about the power button - I can turn the PC off at the PSU. I mentioned the new power switch issue as a curious symptom that might ring a bell for somebody with experience.

The real problem is that I get no hardware signals and can’t get a monitor display, so I can’t do any fixes that require me to actually have the PC on. If the screen was actually coming on I wouldn’t be worried.

Remove the gpu and connect to the igp.....test.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

Remove the gpu and connect to the igp.....test.

Sorry, I didn’t mention it in the original post but in my rebuild troubleshooting I tried this - removed GPU, hooked the monitor up to the ig slot and no dice, it doesn’t help and monitor still gives no signal. This is part of why I suspect mobo or cmos problems and not graphics card problems. There’s only the one hdmi slot on the mobo so that could be separately faulty, or the integrated graphics could be, I’d never tried them before, but seems unlikely.

 

[Ralston18]

This:

"I was gaming for about 30 minutes yesterday when my screen went black."

Look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or informational events just before or at the time screen went black.

There may be other errors etc, being captured as well.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll definitely try this if I get my output signals working again. This wouldn’t work if I tried to hook up the monitor to a laptop and check its events there, right?

But if I wasn’t clear, I can’t look there now. my major problem is it’s still black today and I can’t get the monitor etc to return any signal or use the pc. I presume any possible identification of issue or fixing of that issue will have to be at the hardware level right now. And I don’t have a spare tower (only a laptop) or anything I could use to swap parts in and out of to try this troubleshooting at the windows level. BIOS screen, safe mode etc are all not reachable options at this time.

If I plug in the monitor hdmi it will flash a green light for a moment as if it’s functioning but then just give NO SIGNAL.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Thanks for the reply. I haven’t messed with any power options, but I’m also not too worried about the power button - I can turn the PC off at the PSU. I mentioned the new power switch issue as a curious symptom that might ring a bell for somebody with experience.

The real problem is that I get no hardware signals and can’t get a monitor display, so I can’t do any fixes that require me to actually have the PC on. If the screen was actually coming on I wouldn’t be worried.

So these are crashes. Test the ram with memtest86+ and run it for 4 passes. If there are any errors your ram could be faulty.

I have tried reassembling the PC

How exactly did you do that? Did you short out two pins? Were you presented with a different screen than normal? If not the CMOS clear did not work.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

How exactly did you do that? Did you short out two pins? Were you presented with a different screen than normal? If not the CMOS clear did not work.

I’m not being presented with any screen ever, to be clear. Fans and pc lights come on but that’s it. Not getting to video card screen or BIOS etc.

So I removed the battery for a few minutes and I tried to short the nearest pins with a small flathead screwdriver. There was some kind of click or an LED resetting so it seemed like it did something, but it was 6pins and not 2 and it gave no benefit afterwards - I don’t know for sure if that was correct or where the reset tab on my mobo is, I was just trying to ape a video as best as I could, but my mobo didn’t match the one in the video. I’ve never cleared a CMOS before so I agree it probably didn’t work.

Testing the ram is a good idea, it’s one of my original PC parts and could be the problem. But is there some way for me to test the ram without a different pc tower? I understand having a spare tower would make this easier but I don’t and I’d like to avoid going into a shop if I can. I’ll look into memtest now.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

So I removed the battery for a few minutes and I tried to short the nearest pins with a small flathead screwdriver. There was some kind of click or an LED resetting so it seemed like it did something, but it was 6pins and not 2 and it gave no benefit afterwards - I don’t know for sure if that was correct or where the reset tab on my mobo is, I was just trying to ape a video as best as I could, but my mobo didn’t match the one in the video. I’ve never cleared a CMOS before so I agree it probably didn’t work.

So, the 2 pins are marked 'CLRTC'. They will be on the edge of the mobo typically in the middle Here's how: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1040820/ - We can then rule that out.

Testing the ram is a good idea, it’s one of my original PC parts and could be the problem. But is there some way for me to test the ram without a different pc tower? I understand having a spare tower would make this easier but I don’t and I’d like to avoid going into a shop if I can. I’ll look into memtest now.

Hopefully the CMOS clear will at least get you posting, and then you can use a thumb drive bootable with memtest86+ and go from there.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

So, the 2 pins are marked 'CLRTC'. They will be on the edge of the mobo typically in the middle Here's how: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1040820/ - We can then rule that out.

Hopefully the CMOS clear will at least get you posting, and then you can use a thumb drive bootable with memtest86+ and go from there.

Thank you brother, I’ll try this now and report back soon

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Let us know how it goes!

 

[DylanPcProblem]

So, the 2 pins are marked 'CLRTC'. They will be on the edge of the mobo typically in the middle Here's how: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1040820/ - We can then rule that out.

Hopefully the CMOS clear will at least get you posting, and then you can use a thumb drive bootable with memtest86+ and go from there.

So I used the ASUS general guide you sent as well as this Reddit thread specific to my Mobo https://www.reddit.com/r/LinusTechTips/s/uXjG3RqRbV to try identify and jump the pins. Similar to that poster I found it hard to tell which was meant to be which, it’s an unusual Mobo setup even for asus, but I went with the pins on the right half of that phd6000 pin set circled in the thread’s image.

I used 2 screwdrivers for 10 secs.
Re plugged the PSU, tried 2-3 times to boot holding DEL. No dice, monitor still no signal.

I don’t know what this means, or if I did something wrong, but I assume it still doesn’t rule out my ram or mobo being the issue.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Yes, those pins marked CLRTC are the ones. You tried the battery method too, didn't you? 'Mercury Cell short circuit.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

Yes, those pins marked CLRTC are the ones. You tried the battery method too, didn't you? 'Mercury Cell short circuit.

https://imgur.com/a/asus

View: https://imgur.com/a/asus-a320m-k-motherboard-clrtc-assumption-sPDcBoi

Here are the pins I tried (link to image should work). The CLRTC signage is kind of offset between two so its a little unclear.

I'll try the battery method now and keep posted.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

Tried the battery method. Don't really know what I'm doing but used the two screwdrivers to touch the two metal parts of the battery holder for a minute.

Replugged, rebooted PC, both holding del and not, still no luck no signal. Also tried a 2nd battery, which is old, but worked fine last I checked. Welcoming any other advice or methods but I may not be giving them a try until the morning, it's late here now.

If all else totally fails, I imagine replacing mobo and RAM, maybe PSU should cover all the bases and work?

 

[Bob.B]

Tried the battery method. Don't really know what I'm doing but used the two screwdrivers to touch the two metal parts of the battery holder for a minute.

Replugged, rebooted PC, both holding del and not, still no luck no signal. Also tried a 2nd battery, which is old, but worked fine last I checked. Welcoming any other advice or methods but I may not be giving them a try until the morning, it's late here now.

If all else totally fails, I imagine replacing mobo and RAM, maybe PSU should cover all the bases and work?

Make it smaller.

Unplug all usb devices....test.

Unplug all disk....test.


REMOVE the gpu and connect to the igp....test.

Use just one stick of ram in the proper slot....test.
If no help try a different stick in the slot...test.

Remove the bios bat and set it aside.
Go to the store and buy a new bat.
Install the new bat...test.

 

[DylanPcProblem]

Following up after I've resolved in case anyone finds this in future.

I took a holiday after my last post and was busy with work after that so I took about a month to get around to taking another look at it.

Long story short, it was FUBAR - the motherboard, and subsequently the RAM and CPU, were fried. It seems that, when I replaced the mobo in 2023, I might have screwed in the mobo too tight using the wrong kind of screw in one corner. This created tension and/or possibly static that left the board vulnerable to failing. It held up for 10 months then gave out suddenly. So I had to replace the guts of the PC at some expense. Gfx Card, PSU, fans and drives were all fine.