pc display problem

[nihil]

OK they do vary................mine give me a "no signal" display or diagnostics/setup.............. at least you found another way to test it independently so we can rule that out.

Please look at your fans...............you should be getting quite a decent blast out of the PSU unit.

Also, get the monitor from the other machine and try that? I would expect that you will have the same problem...............please try another cable when you do this

[Project2501]

im not home right now so ill check the fans and try another monitor as soon as i get home,
thanks for the help

[fourdc]

My thought is the original bank of memory has received static damage.

There is a utility, free for the download from microsoft. It is a self booting memory test utility. The Bios does not check ram when it boots, it only counts it.

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

[Project2501]

I just tried it with the other monitor and cable and i got the same result .

Its late, im tired, long day....
im gonna check the fans and test the ram tomorrow, ill keep you updated.
Thanks everybody for the help

[nihil]

OK................you may have a bit of difficulty running a memory test if it blacks out after a few seconds...............will it let you get into the BIOS setup?

A first try would be to remove the old RAM and just leave the new strip in there. Put it in the lowest numbered slot (0 or 1).

One question, as you get as far as starting to load Windows, the BIOS post has finished..............how many beeps do you get?

I just hope you haven't flexed the motherboard when you installed the RAM.

[Project2501]

Ok so i tried the memory test this morning on each of the sticks but the screen blacked out on both of the strips.

All the fans are working properly.

Then something weird happened, i restarted the pc again to check "how many beeps" and it dident black out this time. The screen flashed twice during the windows startup. I had to leave for work so ill check it when i get home.

By the way it dosent beep when it starts up and i dont remember it ever beeping during startup before.

I dont think i damaged the motherboard, the ram slips in very easily.

I was thinking about testing the ram in another pc, but if the cause of the problem is the ram im woried it could damage the other pc.

[nihil]

Hmmm, you should get a beep code if you have a problem. Try going into setup and see if there is a setting for "beep codes", BIOS messages or whatever.

Here is a reference site: http://www.bioscentral.com/postcodes/dellbios.htm

As it is a Dell, it probably has a castrated BIOS. I would turn off "fast boot" and scroll down and read the "System Event Log", that might give you some clues.

You might also try booting with "step by step confirmation"

[Project2501]

I was able to restart it this evening, the pc stayed on a whole 5 minutes before it blackout again

I looked at the system event log, the only thing it displays is the amount of memory changes from instaling and uninstaling the ram to test it

I was able to run the ram test without it blacking out, i ran all the standard and extended tests, "no erors have been found"

I turned of fast boot, i dont see anything in the setup for the beep code

i have windows xp so there is no "step by step confirmation"

[fourdc]

Did your MoBo come with any monitoring utilities? I'm wondering what the heat of the processor is?

When the screen is "black" does moving the mouse or pressing any of the keys on the keyboard make the hard drive light? This could give a clue as to the problem being the video card, video could be out but the processor is still running the OS thinking that you have a display.

On your monitor does the power on light change colors?

You got past the memory issue. This is starting to sound like a bad processor or even a bad power supply.

[nihil]

Well, if it gets into windows then it isn't a post problem.

It seems to be temperature related..............are you overclocking anything?

It could be the PSU or even the processor, but I would suspect a motherboard/ dry joint issue, given that it started to happen right after you changed the RAM.

If your video card supports TV out you might try running it on a TV?