My PC gets power, but no video signal. What's up?

[Texan Penguin]

The machine itself gets power, but I get absolutely no video signal.

CPU Fan: Operational
System Fan: Operational
HDD: Operational
CD Drive: Works fine.
GPU: Gets power, but I am not getting anything from it. I tried VGA, DVI and HDMI- nothing. Tried another monitor, DVI and VGA aren't giving me anything. Tried my onboard DVI and VGA, nothing.

I'm stumped. Spent eight hours in two days trying to fix it and I give the hell up for right now.

Well, is it possible that my CPU is misaligned, though? I put the little triangle facing the big triangle like the manual said.

[h00z0r]

did you just build the computer or is this a new problem?

[Deleted]

Is the GPU properly seated in the PCIe slot?

[Texan Penguin]

Just built it. And it's in as tight as possible.

[Opticalsnake]

Your mobo may be needed to be updated with the most current bios to work with the cpu. Have you possibly tried using another cpu to see if that is the problem? I had this problem when I had a AMD system back in the day and updating the bios after installing a older CPU seemed to be the issue. What models of your ram, mobo and cpu are you currently using?

[Daerio]

Did you take your video card out to test the onboard VGA, and still got nothing?

IF everything is slotted correctly, that indicates a DOA part, or maybe a bad slot. RAM, CPU. Or something else bad on the system board itself. Try swapping your RAM around, 1 stick at a time, etc. Dropping a new CPU in probably isn't in the cards.

Also, are you really concerned the CPU is seated incorrectly? What kind of slot does it have? All the ones I'm familiar with only fit in one way, unless you apply force.

Applying force is not recommended.

[Skytip]

Check if RAM is seated properly.

[Apoc11]

Would be great to know what components you're using.

MOBO:
CPU:
RAM:
GPU:
PSU:

[Eroginous]

The machine itself gets power, but I get absolutely no video signal.

CPU Fan: Operational
System Fan: Operational
HDD: Operational
CD Drive: Works fine.
GPU: Gets power, but I am not getting anything from it. I tried VGA, DVI and HDMI- nothing. Tried another monitor, DVI and VGA aren't giving me anything. Tried my onboard DVI and VGA, nothing.

I'm stumped. Spent eight hours in two days trying to fix it and I give the hell up for right now.

Well, is it possible that my CPU is misaligned, though? I put the little triangle facing the big triangle like the manual said.

Make sure the 6/8 pin power connectors are plugged in all the way. If your PSU has multiple 6/8 pin cables, try each of them out to see if a different cable works.

Check the BIOS/UEFI to make sure your GPU is enabled. Hook up your monitor to the onboard video to test this. Boot into windows if possible and install your graphics card drivers before you swap back to GPU. If you still don't get a signal, try another GPU if you have one laying around.

If you still don't get a signal, RMA the card.

[Apoc11]

Make sure the 6/8 pin power connectors are plugged in all the way. If your PSU has multiple 6/8 pin cables, try each of them out to see if a different cable works.

Check the BIOS/UEFI to make sure your GPU is enabled. Hook up your monitor to the onboard video to test this. Boot into windows if possible and install your graphics card drivers before you swap back to GPU. If you still don't get a signal, try another GPU if you have one laying around.

If you still don't get a signal, RMA the card.

I fail to see how RMA-ing the card will work when the OP stated even onboard video fails.

[pillsj]

Unplug the power to your graphics card, and use the motherboard (on-board) DVI connection. Update your BIOS, then try using your graphics card again.

This worked for me

[Eroginous]

I fail to see how RMA-ing the card will work when the OP stated even onboard video fails.

Not all CPUs support on board video. If the he is unable to get into the BIOS, he's swapped out RAM, reseated everything, it's possible that his board is powering up and posting just fine, but the video card outputs don't work. It can happen. It would be more helpful if OP gave us some specific hardware.

[Texan Penguin]

I have a GTX 750 Ti, Haswell 4460, 8GB RAM, a Seagate 7200 RAM 2 TB hard drive, a Biostar B85MG mobo, and an Asus VH something monitor..

[Opticalsnake]

Can you hear the computer do anything? Such as the hard drive spinning up, Fans changing speed. Etc. What kind of lights are lighting up on your mobo and are they flashing? How much Watts is your power supply? Most video cards these days need at the very least around 550ish.

[Vanaline]

Is your CPU power plugged in? Not just your motherboard main power but the plug specifically for the CPU.

I had this exact problem on my first build (everything in the PC powered on fine, including the fans spinning on the GPU but no form of video worked, both my Nvidia card and the on-board) and that was the problem, dumb as it was. I thought the CPU power came in with the big motherboard plug and didn't think to check that.

I remember how crushed I was, haha, like "oh my god I have to RMA a bunch of shit and I'll have no PC, LIFE IS OVER" until someone pointed it out.

[Opticalsnake]

That also reminds me. My first build i didn't use the special screws (the ones that pull the board away from the case) and it was grounding itself to the case and it wouldn't do a thing until i used them.

[Texan Penguin]

Sorry, been at work, limited capacity to answer.

-I did plug in the 4-pin for the CPU, will double check it though.
-I put my mobo on the standoffs- realized this quickly, averted a disaster I think.

I'm going to give it a few days- going to have somebody look at it... I'd rather replace my mobo than my GPU... I also won't be buying Biostar again if it's a broken motherboard.

[Fascinate]

It could be any combination of things. As said above first thing you gotta do is make sure all the cables are secured properly and things like ram are fully seated (you gotta press pretty firmly).

[Aori]

Not sure if you have a spare PSU but just because everything spins and lights up doesn't mean the PSU isn't bad. However take out the RAM, GPU, unplug the optical and HDD as well as the front panel, hook the display into the onboard video. Boot the unit, if nothing posts you've narrowed down to CPU/PSU/MB, also if there was no beeps, you've likely narrowed it down to Motherboard/CPU, it is very rare for an intel chip to be DOA unless there was some mishap. While I may be wrong as things change, All motherboards will beep on successful post with no RAM. Most Motherboards no longer beep on post but they as far as I know do when RAM isn't seated. If there is no beep, signs are pointing to the motherboard, though a spare working PSU would help to affirm it. All Motherboards are DOA quite often btw, though biostar is a budget board.

Now if you do hear a beep with the RAM out, you can use a stick and see if it'll post. If by some odd chance it does, means there is a short somewhere.

[Arbiter]

Going to ask an obvious question but considering the PC turns on, there aren't very many parts that could be bad that wouldn't allow any video signal what's so ever (at least to the BIOS logo screen)...

Is your monitor's input source set to the proper source when it's on? Like with the DVI cable is it set to DVI? They don't normally automatically set and it might be set to something you aren't using.

Also, is it staying on when you power it on or just turning off immediately?