Gateway Desktop No Video Problem

PorterComp

PorterComp

Member
Reaction score
9
Location
Mississippi
:confused:Ok, time for some help from other pros! Any suggestions are welcome.

Gateway PT5694 desktop (just out of a years warranty). Problem: no video
Got this computer in from one of my remote offices. They said they came in one morning, pushed the power button, nothing happened.

I get it to my office to check it out and discover no video, no beep codes, but do have fan power and power LED is lit on the bezel. Also the keyboard does flash when booting. Video in integrated.

I unplugged all periphs, and all internal components (drives, periph cards, usb connections, etc) The only thing on the motherboard was the Processor and memory. I still get the same symptom, I can see fans running, so Power supply should be a problem…but I test anyway, all is good (tested with Ultra PS tester). So then it’s down to motherboard, CPU or memory…Tried memory in different slots, one on one off, etc…still same symptom. So I decide, ‘motherboard’..so I order motherboard, install and still same symptom. Back to drawing board. I retested everything, started over from scratch. Still same symptom. When I have everything plugged in, it all seems to be booting normally (based on sounds and visual of fans moving), I just can’t see it boot…nor does it change the light on the monitor like many do.
So I’m here thinking, try new memory? CPU? Try video card. I don’t have spares. This is my regular job’s equipment, thus I’m not using my personal company stock to test with. I may have to purchase memory and/or video card to see if this problem is only video. But I wanted to get all your ideas first before I spend any more money on this.
 
If everything seems to be booting normally like you say and you have no video, to me the first thing to try would be a different video card...
 
yeah, that's what I thought too, thus the new motherboard as it's integrated video, but the same no video problem is still there???
 
nor does it change the light on the monitor like many do
Click to expand...

So have you tested the monitor and its connection lead?

Surely a POST card and a spare simple PCI graphics card combined would be cheaper than a new motherboard? And they would be more useful in the future to a PC repair company.
 
If the RAM is bad you could get no video or post.

I have had 2 PC's with similar symptoms this week - One had a bad RAM stick, the other just needed a yank, reset and replace.
 
First try the monitor on another computer, and another monitor on this computer. Make sure the computer is the issue.

Steal a video card from another computer and try it here.

Could be bad RAM, especially if the card is AGP. Re-seat the RAM and try one at a time.

I have seen power supplies pass a tester, and still not work right. I would try another power supply.

Make sure that the USB ports are not damaged. I have seen shorting USB ports cause this issue.

Good luck in finding the issue.
 
The monitor is not the issue, it's my test monitor and does work on another machine. The RAM I have seated and reseated, tried one at a time, diff slots etc..etc..

I guess we'll have to go buy a PCI card to try as I don't have any to steal/borrow from here.

USB should be ok, but I did unplug all the USB cables that go to the motherboard to remove that from the equation.

Studiot...what is a "POST card"? I've been doing this over 10 years and never heard that term??

I guess it could be the power supply still, I'll try another today.hmmm

I thought RAM too, but need more to try...will look for that today as well.

Thanks for all your input, I'll update when I am able to test more.
 
Ok, tried another PS and still same issue. Tried memory out of the machine completely, can't find any memory like it in house, nor a video card to match. I guess I will have to get a video card from elsewhere to try.

BTW, forgot to mention, no beep codes at POST, do get flash on keyboard. But nothing else. Only get fans turning and drive sounds. grrr

Reading about the POST card now. Thanks
 
I'm thinking ram on this one, I've seen that exact symptom on dozens of computers where the ram is bad/incompatible or not seated properly. If I'm following this correctly you've pulled and retried the RAM in different sockets and combinations but have not tried a known good stick. The first thing I would do is try to get some ram that you know works and preferably a brand/speed/CL timing combination that is on gateway's approved list for that computer. You might have a cooked CPU too but ram is cheaper, easier to test and a more probable cause than the CPU so I'd start with that.
 
I didn't see where you tried a different CPU? (There are more bad CPUs out there than I would have thought).

Also, are you turning the computer on with the power switch or by shorting out the power switch leads with a screwdriver?
 
I don't have another CPU to try. I did try shorting the leads instead of using the power switch. Still same problem. Did more research on this particular motherboard. There's alot of moaning and complaining about this particular one all over the web about it giving the same symptoms as mine. No post or post beeps, no video, fan run, etc...They all attributed the problem to the motherboard, but none said they replaced it and it worked...I'm sending the new motherboard back to supplier and will see when I get the new one in if it does the trick and will post status. If that doesn't work, then it's down to replacing RAM, adding a video card or replacing CPU.
 
Maybe you could call other shops or put an ad on craigslist for a spare CPU for cheap? You probably have some spare parts lying around you could trade for it even.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

GTP
Building a new system...
Replies
10
Views
544
Kitten Kong
Kitten Kong
YeOldeStonecat
Gaming rig...help with client computer with vid card issues.
2
Replies
25
Views
766
Rosco
Rosco
Appletax
How to deal with RGB fans in gaming PC?
Replies
8
Views
634
Appletax
Appletax
lan101
Lenevo T590 cooked?
Replies
15
Views
960
britechguy
britechguy
Billed1954
HP Pavilion All-in-One - 24-k0024 BIOS and CMOS Issues
Replies
8
Views
889
Billed1954
Billed1954
Back
Top