Question PC not starting, black screen on "startup", details in post

[CobaltSword]

First, I'd like to cover the specs to get that over with (Oh, and I'd like to say that I'm a complete amateur, so please do have patience).

I'll indicate things I don't really understand with (?).

-PSU: Cooler Master 600W | EU 230V | RS-600-ACAB-B1 | I bought it used 2-3 years ago, I don't know its real "age".
-Motherboard: ASUS Rampage II Gene
-CPU: Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz | 4 cores, 8 threads | VID Voltage Range (?) 0.800V-1.375V | cooling: fan
-RAM (?): 6GB total | 3 "bars" of ram in a set. (3x2) | 1066MHz
-Storage: 1 SSD 250gb Kingston | 1 HDD 1TB
-OS: Running Windows 10 Pro x64

If I left out anything crucial to figuring out what my problem is, feel free to ask, and sorry I didn't know at first.

So the problem itself...
I don't know how much of this is relevant, but I'll jot down all I know and You can make out what's important.
I was playing a game as usual, but my friends called me and asked me to download and install another game (unrelated, I was reluctant to do so because it was SoulWorker ), so I did. The game would however not launch, so I believed a system restart would fix the problem. 5 minutes prior to this I was playing Tekken 7 like nothing happened. Then, as my PC shuts down and restarts, I notice something odd: All the fans are running, every light is lit as usual, but I get no signal on my monitor.

Fast forward to the following day, I tried another GPU to see whether or not it was the video card's fault. It turned out to be, because the second GPU is what I'm using to write this very post. This GPU is quite old though, and it had a little heating issue years back, so however much I'd like to use it and not mind this whole incident, I can't, because this damn thing won't even run minesweeper (I am overexaggerating, of course). A friend suggested I plug a beeper into the motherboard to see (hear) what it has to say, but it wouldn't talk to me. Our relationship is getting rough, I know. So, the beeper indicates no problems. Right, so I read a forum post where someone said their GPU's fans would stop spinning so as to prevent any damage that a short-circuit would cause. My fans seem to spin good as ever, and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with it (to an amateur like myself), until there's just nothing on-screen.

I know that this is very vague and that there isn't much information to work with, but I was hoping somebody up here would be able to make sense of this. Plus, I was just baffled that my PC wouldn't start again, and it was working just fine a couple seconds prior to restarting it.

That... should be it! If I missed anything, be sure to let me know. I'm new to using forums, and, to, err... hardware... things. Yeah.

Thank You in advance for answering, and have a good day.

 

[PC Tailor]

Welcome to the forums Cobalt!

What two GPUs have you used to perform the test (i.e. what is the one that isn't working, and whats the old replacement you're trying)?

 

[CobaltSword]

Hi Tailor!

Oh.. I forgot the most important thing, huh? Well, let me fix that!

-GPU 1: AMD Radeon HD 7850 IceQ X 2 GB | 860MHz
-GPU 2: Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 3gb (?)

I bought GPU 1 because GPU 2 started having issues. Even as I write this, I see thousands or horizontal red lines across the screen, but at least my system works so I can reply here. Anyway, GPU 2 is only here until I can fix GPU 1 and / or determine that it can't be fixed and buy a whole new system altogether.

P.S.: I was looking for GPU 2 online, but did not find any version that looked like mine. Mine has 3 fans on it. I did buy it used from a 3rd party, though.

 

[PC Tailor]

Even as I write this, I see thousands or horizontal red lines across the screen

So is this with the second GPU that works but your NVIDIA doesn't give a signal at all? It could easily be the GPU has failed.

When you installed the GPU did you clear all previous drivers in safe mode using DDU?

 

[CobaltSword]

Actually, I posted about this on Reddit as well, I will have to update You with some things. I'm currently using the second GPU, and I've erased every trace of graphical drivers with DDU as a user suggested there. And the Nvidia card (The Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 that I am using right now) does give a signal, it's what makes my computer work as of the moment. The first GPU that died (HD 7850) 1-2 day(s) ago does not give any signal at all, though people suggested that I should reset the CMOS and see what happens from there. That's what I'll do tonight. If that doesn't work, I suppose the GPU just can't be helped, and I have to move on.

Here comes my third GPU into play! Always have a trump card, folks! I bought a (not very) used Gigabyte Radeon RX 560 4gb OC REV 1.0 about 2-3 years ago. I was hoping that it would work with my motherboard (ASUS Rampage II Gene, not an ASUS Maximus Gene II that I listed incorrectly in the initial post! I fixed it now). The slot for the motherboard and the graphics card did match, but the same thing would happen to me when I tried that, as what's happening with the HD7850 right now: I would get a black screen with nothing. I'm assuming the motherboard is breaking down, and the graphics card slots are half-dead too. If I can't fix the HD7850 somehow, I will just buy new PC part, or a whole new system altogether. If that can be avoided however, I would like to do so. Have You got any tips? Is there a way to save the HD7850? (Oh, and I'd given up on the GTX 580, but if that can be fixed, then that would work as well. I just don't know how, as even right now it's giving these red lines all over the screen, despite me having removed every graphical driver. But it's not unexpected, this card did almost die years back.)

 

[PC Tailor]

I should reset the CMOS and see what happens from there.

There's no harm, but if it's a GPU that has been working normally till now, then stops suddenly, unless it was after an OC or BIOS changes, the CMOS likely won't make a difference. It's an old GPU so it might have just reached its time.

However the fact that you in effect have 3 GPUs (are the newer ones all new?) that are all having issues, is more suspicious, before jumping to motherboard, I would actually first jump to PSU after eliminating the GPU as a source (which some more testing can be done) - the Cooler Masters are quite inherently poorer quality (maybe exluding the top Master Watt MiJ) and if your PSU isn't supplying adequate power to your, you can very easily experience graphical issues, including visual abnormalities, to no signal at all.

How long have you had your PSU and can you try a different PSU to test?

 

[CobaltSword]

I've had the PSU since at least 3 years ago, but probably way more than that. I don't really remember. What I remember is that I needed it so the GTX 580 could run fine. I don't currently have another PSU I could use, sadly. I could ask a friend to lend me one, but that would happen only next week.

 

[PC Tailor]

I've had the PSU since at least 3 years ago, but probably way more than that. I don't really remember. What I remember is that I needed it so the GTX 580 could run fine. I don't currently have another PSU I could use, sadly. I could ask a friend to lend me one, but that would happen only next week.

This may be worth doing if we eradicate the GPU itself being the cause. You've already completely cleared drivers and tried a different GPU in your case, can you try your GPUs in another tower? (I understand not everyone has spare PCs lying around, but I promise that simply swapping components is usually the best and most effective way of identifying faulty hardware).

It's quite common for a faulty PSU to cause this kind of issue - then if that doesn't work, then we can potentially consider other areas.

 

[CobaltSword]

The soonest I'd be able to test the GPUs would probably be next week, but I'll try and arrange something for tomorrow. For now, I'll let this rest for the day. I'll come back with updates tomorrow. Thanks for helping

EDIT to avoid doubleposting

I was able to test the GPU in another system! However, it did not turn up any results. At this point, I basically gave up on this GPU, and started looking for parts to build a new system. I don't know whether or not I need to mark this post as "closed", or how to do it, but if I need to, I will. I consider the case closed. Thanks a lot for helping, though!