No video, no audio

Ad Kersten · Post by **Ad Kersten** » 5 Sep 2002 1:19 pm

My old computer (Pentium 75 MHz, Windows 95) worked for years without any problem. I unplugged the power cable during my holiday but when I returned and started it up again I got no video (not even a lonely cursor blinking) and no sound.

I can hear the hard disk drive work for some time but that's it. I tried my rescue diskette and another monitor but no effect noticable. I also removed the cover and the dust and checked all the cable and print connections and again: no effect. I did not start in the set-up mode because I expect a blank screen as well and I am afraid I'll screw it up.
WHAT CAN I DO?

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Zumsteel S12U

Yo, Man! homepage

[This message was edited by Ad Kersten on 05 September 2002 at 02:33 PM.]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 5 Sep 2002 2:27 pm

Try reseating your video card.

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 6 Sep 2002 6:08 am

Ad,

Jim is right here. Open up the cover again and remove the video card and take a close look at it. Does it look like any resistors have burned on it? I have had many video cards burn up on me. If it looks ok, then put it back in and try rebooting again. Also, while you have the cover open, try blowing out all that dust. Dust on the contacts will also cause issues.

IMHO, it may be time to think about a new machine. My guess is that a Pentium I, 75MHz machine has lasted you a long time. Maybe treat yourself to a new machine!

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Ad Kersten · Post by **Ad Kersten** » 6 Sep 2002 9:37 am

Thanks guys,

I did not check for anything burned on the boards but I did all the rest. I check it again.
I do have a new computer, this is my old one that I use for playing midi files mainly.

Ad

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Zumsteel S12U

Yo, Man! homepage

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 6 Sep 2002 10:25 pm

I've also seen this type of issue fixed by clearing the NVRAM on systems also. This is sometimes done by removing the backup battery on the MB while there is no power attached to the computer. Also, sometimes you have to reset a jumper. It depends on the particular computer.

Or...it could be that just the opposite is true. Since it was unplugged for a month, and given the age of the computer, it's possible that everything in the NVRAM was lost if the backup battery was old/weak enough not to hold it while it was unplugged.

Computers...they bee'z a strange machine at times!!!

Lem

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 10 Sep 2002 5:26 am

Personally, I would say that the battery went dead on you.

For $2.00 or $3.00, it worth a try.

Of course, you will need to (on the older machines) do the pre-post set-up again. This is in order to tell the machine what drives,etc,etc, that it has. These older machines do not have "Plug N Play" options.

Hey, for a few bucks, It's worth a try.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 10 Sep 2002 8:09 am

Yup! get another old used video card (these old machines only had 1 or 2 mb of video RAM) and install a new battery. If that don't fix it, junk it! Computers this old (7-8 years?) can be had now for $50, so I'd get one that works instead of investing more than that in this one. At some time, probably soon, the hard drive will die, as well. Some of the old BIOS motherboards won't even recognize a hard drive over 8 1/2 megs, and installing one of today's big hard drives is pointless.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 10 Sep 2002 9:32 am

I'm sure you meant to say 8 1/2 gigs (GB), not megs (MB).

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 10 Sep 2002 12:33 pm

You're right, Jim!

I stand corrected.
(I always get my megs, gigs, bits, bytes, and nibbles mixed up!)

As a matter of fact, the first real PC I had (a 286-16Mhz) had a 20 meg hard drive. Got that one about 1988, and it only cost $2,700. Later, I put in a 40 meg hard drive, and added one more meg of RAM (which gave me a total of 2 megs of RAM)...that cost about $400, and then I was really a hot dog!

Times sure have changed. Today, you can get a computer, a monitor, and a printer...all for $400.[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 10 September 2002 at 01:38 PM.]

Ad Kersten · Post by **Ad Kersten** » 15 Sep 2002 11:57 am

Thanks guys,
I looked all over the MB, videoboard and power board, but can't find the battery (how does it look like?).I tried all kinds of things but it just won't work. I think I will buy a second hand PC, they can't be expensive. Thanks for the help given.
Ad

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Zumsteel S12U

Yo, Man! homepage

[This message was edited by Ad Kersten on 15 September 2002 at 12:58 PM.]