no video signal on new comp

I just received my new computer and it isn't working properly. I set it up and turned it on; the Windows startup screen showed up, and then nothing. The monitor says there is no display signal. Any thoughts on what to check?

On the one hand it's annoying that this is Saturday night so I can't call tech support. On the other hand, I don't really want to call because it is tech support.

ITEM DESCRIPTION QTY UNIT PRICE PRICE
=============== =================================== =====
CU-134-109 939 PIN OEM ATHLON 64 3000+CPU 1 752.00 752.00
HD-201-102 HITACHI 80GB SATA150 7200 RPM HD 1 -25.00 -25.00
RM-140-101 512MB PC3200 PC400 DDR 2 0.00 0.00
FA-104-101 CASE FAN 1 0.00 0.00
FA-106-129 COOLERMASTER AMD ATHLON 64 3700+FAN 1 0.00 0.00
CS-406-102 SILVER X-QPACK ALUM MINI 420 W 1 0.00 0.00
CD-128-101 BLACK AOPEN 16X DVD+-RW DRIVE 1 0.00 0.00
KB-110-107 BLACK LOGITECH OFFICE PRO KEYBOARD 1 -1.00 -1.00
MO-104-105 LOGITECH BLACK OPTICAL WHEEL MOUSE 1 2.00 2.00
MN-160-103 FUJIPLUS 19" LCD FP988D SIL/BLACK 1 335.00 335.00
SW-120-115 WINDOWS XP HOME SP2 COA 1 0.00 0.00
SW-120-113 WINDOWS XP HOME SP2 LICENSE 1 0.00 0.00
SW-120-114 WINDOWS XP HOME SP2 (CD & MANUAL) 1 0.00 0.00
SW-141-101 MICROSOFT WORKS 7.0 LICENCE 1 0.00 0.00
SW-141-102 MICROSOFT WORKS 7.0 MEDIA 1 0.00 0.00
SC-XXX-101 AC97 ONBOARD SOUND 1 0.00 0.00
BOX1 SYSTEM BOX AND FOAM 1 0.00 0.00
MB-151-104 BIOSTAR TFORCE6100 939 GFORCE6100 1 0.00 0.00
VC-135-222 CHAINTECH GF6600 SE6600 256MB PCI-E 1 0.00 0.00
BACK-ORDER SPEAKERS 1 0.00 0.00
=============== =================================== =====

Try booting in Safe Mode, or the XP equivalent (it's been a while). You might be able to get to the desktop and change the display settings.

I thought of booting into Safe Mode, but I don't know how. On every computer I've used before, it said at the bottom of the startup screen how to go to Safe Mode, but this one doesn't. Is there some standard way to do it?

Press F8 right after the BIOS sequence until you get the menu.

I bought a new computer once whereby the distributor had not set up the display and monitor on it - in fact, they hadn't installed the drivers. Although, in my case I at least got a picture.

Ah, that helps. When I start in Safe Mode it tells me setup isn't complete. How annoying; this means the company didn't bother to check that the computer worked before sending it out. I guess now I pop in the Windows CD to run setup.

update from last night: Gah, still no joy! Now Windows is installed, and I installed the drivers for the video card (I tried from the included CD, and several others I downloaded off the internet,) but the exact same problem is happening. Windows loading screen, then nothing.

At least Safe Mode works now. :P

ADDITION: I just tried it using the VGA cable again and now it works. I'm probably just going to use it like this and say screw it to the DVI.

In order of likelihood, your problem may be:

1) Trying to use a video mode not supported by your monitor (through DVI).
2) Some weird incompatability with you motherboard BIOS.
3) Defective DVI cable.
4) Defective DVI port on your GeForce.
5) Faulty monitor.
6) Improperly seated GeForce (it's easy to do on some motherboards).
7) Faulty GeForce.


Install the latest BIOS for your motherboard. Browse forum relevant to your motherboard and look for people with same problem.

Install nVidia drivers version 81.85 (from their main website).

Install the latest chipset drivers for your motherboard (not the ones off the CD). Confirm they have installed correctly by checking in Device Manager (shouldn't say 'Microsoft').

Rip everything apart and start from scratch with just your video card and keyboard plugged in. Install:-

1) Windows SP2 (do the SP2 upgrade as soon as possible after install, if your disc is not already SP2 integrated).
2) Motherboard/chipset drivers.
3) Video drivers.

If that works, start plugging things in one at a time, rebooting between times, until you have a full working system.


If you still have no joy, request a returns authorisation, bypassing Tech Support if possible (go straight to the customer services manager, or even director, to get that result).

or your desktop resolution could be set higher then your monitor will go... did you try that :)

Get to the menu that shows you safe mode, safe mode with networking, etc... And choose "Set VGA Mode" or something real similar. That will allow winders xp to start up normally in vga (640x480) mode. Then, while in vga mode you can set windows to use the native resolution of your lcd monitor. Which is most likely 1280x1024 or 1600x1200 (unless it's widescreen in which case it'll be 1920x1200 or ummmmm... 1736x1024 I think).

The fact that you get the first windows starting screen and then it goes signal loss means the cable is probably good... the monitor is most likely good... and the card is most likely good. It'll be a driver issue more than likely. Sometimes windows xp and the drivers don't recognize the dvi port as being a regular monitor for some reason. I had the same issue when I was hooking up my HTPC which had a geforce3ti500 in it via dvi to my mitsubishi 62" dlp television. I had to hook up a regular monitor and tweak the display settings to get it correctly displaying on the television without a monitor also hooked up.

It could be a possibility that the monitors refresh rates werent detected and its running way over sync. Boot into safe mode and go to display properties. Go to the settings tab and click the advanced button. Click on the monitor tab and change the refresh rate to 60 Hertz. Try reboot and see if it works.

I'll try kanati and leiden's suggestions because that's easy to check. If it comes down to vinylpusher's suggestion of reinstalling the motherboard drivers or returning the computer, I will probably (as I mentioned) just say screw it. I've been waiting a long time for this thing and have work to get done, plus dealing with shipping is hella difficult (I live alone in an apartment building without a doorman and I work full-time.)

package it all up... call em... and get an rma number...

let em know that you are sending it back to em, and that you'd like a BRAND NEW, WORKING setup... which, incidently, is what you paid em for IN GOOD FAITH AS A CONSUMER OF THEIR ADVERTISED PRODUCT...

... and make it plain to em, that if they cannot satisfy that request, to let you know know so that you can take your business elsewhere...


seriously... you can get this sorta frustration and aggravation a lot cheaper than what i'm sure you paid these people...

good luck

--Mike

I don't think he bought an integrated setup, he bought parts (unless I have that wrong?).

None of us here have never had some strange incompatability problem manifest as an annoying bug. I had a soundcard that would randomly generate loud white-noise partway through playing an mp3 (much to the disgust of my rather nice speakers at the time). Turned out to be a bug in my motherboard's chipset which only came to the fore with that particular brand of soundcard.

Even now, my PC will not let me load on the latest nVidia SATA/IDE drivers. It gets to the Windows loading screen and scrolls the little blue bars forevermore. Quite frustrating considering I'm no amateur when it comes to building, installing and maintaining PC's.

ooooops!!!!

never mind then...

:)

--Mike

he

i've got the same error on some new pc's
in 4 cases the power supply are to small
in 3 cases the specially cables from the videocard are defect
or the in the same connector as the IDE .
a free connector will work

sometimes ;)