Okay, so I'm quite good with computer hardware and build/fix computers all the time, but I've encountered something I can't seem to solve. I have a computer which would completely boot up (can tell via the windows chimes upon startup), but the monitor would not recieve a signal. The monitor works, and I put 3 different video cards into the system, all of which did the same thing. After realizing that all 3 of these video cards didn't work in the system, I assumed the motherboard was the issue. So I swapped the motherboard out with one that I know works, only to find that the video cards STILL don't work in it! The onboard video on the replacement motherboard DOES work though. What could possibly be making this computer work completely fine, yet reject 3 different video cards with 2 different motherboards? Thanks in advance!
Just shooting ideas out here: 1. Integrated video was disabled, right? 2. Are those video cards are known to work?
The first motherboard didn't even have onboard video. The second one does, and it works just fine. No video card works in either though, I tried THREE tested working video cards in each one. The monitor is tested working, too. When I boot up using the onboard video, the device manager doesn't detect the video cards, either.
About the second mobo, w/ the integrated graphics; you say that the device manager doesn't detect the video cards, have you tried checking out some 3rd party hardware info software (Everest was one of them, I think) - maybe those can probe deeper? And what about the BIOS settings - maybe the PCI ex slot is disabled or something - some freak factory settings?
I suppose it's possible, I'll have to check it out tomorrow. I wouldn't think it to be the case though. It's just really odd to me that 2different motherboards don't work with 3 different video cards. While running through a video card, the computer doesn't even show anything when the computer first posts, there's just no video signal period. It's really odd, especially considering the computer still boots up just fine on both boards, just without video signal. Doesn't a computer NEED video output to even boot up? All the symptoms point to a busted monitor or possibly a broken monitor cable, but I've replaced both and even used it on another system with no problems. If it's not the motherboard, and it's not the video card, and it's not the monitor, and the computer fully boots up (just without video signal), then what on earth could it possibly even be? Thanks for the recommendations... I'll suppose I'll investigate more tomorrow.
Well after extensive testing I seem to have figured it out. Apparently BOTH the original motherboard and the video card have serious issues and need to be replaced. Thanks for your recommendations.
