NO picture on monitor

[kyrios]

After trying to upgrade a friends computer, adding a new DVD- CDRW combo, I got no screen on the monitor. Nohting came up not even the BIOS, and the monitors light turned yellow. I tried it on 2 monitors and the same problem. He mentioned that during unplugging his computers connections, he was pulling on the Monitors wire, the one connected on the computer. Could it be that he messed up his video card, or motherboard by doing so?

[Raion]

Well, I'm not sure but I'll say that his video card is messed up, try testing it with a different video card. You could've messed it up with static electricity..were you grounded when you were installing the DVD-R?

[kyrios]

No i was not properly grounded. But i did have my arm on the metal part. Plus I didn't touch the video card. So do you think its the video card. Everything is connected properly checked all of that. So what do you think. Video card, or motherboard? I really dont think its the motherboard.

[Relyt]

After trying to upgrade a friends computer, adding a new DVD- CDRW combo, I got no screen on the monitor.

Have you tried disconnecting the DVD-CRDW and restoring the computer to what it was prior to?

Cheers

[!mitationRust]

You need to develop reliable troubleshooting techniques; these are your pillars of strength in a horrible situation such as no access to the Internet.

• Making the problem as simple as possible.
  
• All components the computer doesn't deem vital shall be unplugged.
  Vital:
• VGA
• HDD
• CPU
• PSU
  
  Inspection
  
• All power terminals are checked, plugged in and on.
• All cards appear to be seated in the correct fashion.
• All Onboard power sources are live.
• All power sources are live in the wall.
• All components appear to be clean .
• All components appear to be not charred.
• All components smell like working components.
  
  Process of elimination.
  
• First reseat the card.
• Second try different slots.
• Try the card in another board.
• Try another card in the board.
  
  etc....etc....

I need more info on what's happening with the board.

[The Duck]

Adding to what !mitationRust has said you need to learn the 4 steps a computer takes to boot up. Knowing this greatly increases your ability to trouble shoot

Steps:

1 POST

2 BIOS

3 Loading of OS

4 OS loads processes and applications

So lets start at step 1, Did you hear any POST beep codes?? If you hear more then 1 beep then something is wrong and you need to check your mobo documentation to figure out what it means... I'm almost positive it's the video card because a DVD/CD-RW does not cause a blank screen... So swap out the vid card with a working one and try a different monitor just to be sure it's not the monitor.

[nihil]

!mitationRust is spot on! you need a systematic process of elimination, a sort of check list

You don't mention it, but did you try a different monitor cable?.................he might have damaged the pins. I am assuming that the connection on the motherboard is female, so it would be quite difficult to damage that.

[foxyloxley]

And if he HAS bent some pins .............

a 'propelling' pencil, with the lead removed can be used to slide over said bent ones to EASE them back into the correct orientation ........

[nihil]

He mentioned that during unplugging his computers connections, he was pulling on the Monitors wire, the one connected on the computer

I was thinking more of breaking connections to the pins, or breaking a pin itself. If the pins were bent he wouldn't be able to plug it in again?

[kyrios]

We can eliminate the pins problem, because I already tried a different monitor. Now I tried another video card. But the video card pins seem differrent, although it still fit (AGP). And still no picture when trying a brand new video card. And when I do turn on the computer, I hear no beeps whatsoever. All the fans are working properly. CPU fan is on, case fan is on, and PSU fan is on. This computer is very old. Pentium 1 socketed. ???? Any ideas?? I did try to put the old cdrw back, and still same issue, no picture on monitor. They said it was working before I tried anything. I really dont see how it got messed up, could it have been the pulling on the monitor wire, the one connected on the computer???