No Video

[frustrated]

I lost video on one of my Win98 computers this morning and I need some help
to get it back. Upon doing a normal "reboot" from the desktop, with no
programs running, the computer went thru the startup sequence but did not
display anything on the monitor. Dead blank. I took the computer down,
opened it up, reconnected the video cable (vga) to the video port built in
to the mother board. Still no video output. I removed all of the boards on
the pci buss, fired it up again, still nothing. Checked all the voltages
from the P.S., all good.
I thought that even if no operateing system was present,that the bios would
still put up text, or give access to the bios info, assumeing that the
motherboard was good. Is this wrong? If that is correct, then I must have a
clobbered motherboard? How can I tell? If the bios is bad, isn't it pretty
much the same thing? I changed out the cmos battery, old battery reading 3.0
volts new battery reading 3.3 volts, still no help. I need an idea here
because I think this thing should work and it aint. Any help would be
appreciated.

 

[kony]

I lost video on one of my Win98 computers this morning and I need some help
to get it back. Upon doing a normal "reboot" from the desktop, with no
programs running, the computer went thru the startup sequence but did not
display anything on the monitor. Dead blank. I took the computer down,
opened it up, reconnected the video cable (vga) to the video port built in
to the mother board. Still no video output. I removed all of the boards on
the pci buss, fired it up again, still nothing. Checked all the voltages
from the P.S., all good.
I thought that even if no operateing system was present,that the bios would
still put up text, or give access to the bios info, assumeing that the
motherboard was good. Is this wrong? If that is correct, then I must have a
clobbered motherboard?

Yes, you do not need an operating system at all for the
system to display video, and POST before booting to an OS
(if you happened to have one on a bootable device).

You might have a clobbered motherboard, or possibly the PSU
still (voltage readings can detect some problems but not
necessarily, comprehensively judge one fit for use.

Try unplugging it from AC, using the motherboard clear CMOS
jumper or removing the battery for 10 minutes.

How can I tell? If the bios is bad, isn't it pretty
much the same thing?

A bios doesn't generally go bad, without some kind of
significant external event such as a static discharge
through it, which wouldn't easily happen if the system had
only been used, as described.

I changed out the cmos battery, old battery reading 3.0
volts new battery reading 3.3 volts, still no help. I need an idea here
because I think this thing should work and it aint. Any help would be
appreciated.

Examine the motherboard for failed capacitors. If you have a
spare PCI video card, try installing it. Disconnect all
non-essential parts, leaving only video, CPU, 1 memory
module and heatsink/fan.

What make and model are the motherboard and power supply?

 

[Rod Speed]

I lost video on one of my Win98 computers this morning and I need
some help to get it back. Upon doing a normal "reboot" from the
desktop, with no programs running, the computer went thru the startup
sequence but did not display anything on the monitor. Dead blank.

Not clear if you mean it sounds like its booting up fully or not.

I took the computer down, opened it up, reconnected the video cable
(vga) to the video port built in to the mother board. Still no video output.

Not clear if you are implying that it was originally connected to
a video card or not. If it was, you have a more serious problem
than if it was always connected to the built in video on the mb.

I removed all of the boards on the pci buss, fired it up again,
still nothing. Checked all the voltages from the P.S., all good.
I thought that even if no operateing system was present,that
the bios would still put up text, or give access to the bios info,
assumeing that the motherboard was good. Is this wrong?

No, that is correct. You should see something on the screen
before the OS is even loaded, at least the bios text etc.

If that is correct, then I must have a clobbered motherboard?

Not necesssarily. It could be a bad monitor or even a bad video
cable or connector tho the last two generally show something.

How can I tell?

See if the monitor can display anything by running it unplugged from the
PC and see if the setup on the monitor puts anything on the screen.

If it doesnt, try a different monitor. Then try
a video card if you didnt use one originally.

If it doesnt appear to boot up fully, just with
no video, the motherboard could well have died.

Does it beep with no cards and no ram ?

If the bios is bad,

Its rare that that dies by itself.

isn't it pretty much the same thing?

Nope, you may be able to reflash it.

I changed out the cmos battery, old battery reading
3.0 volts new battery reading 3.3 volts, still no help.

That shouldnt produce that effect.

 

[Ken Maltby]

I lost video on one of my Win98 computers this morning and I need some help
to get it back. Upon doing a normal "reboot" from the desktop, with no
programs running, the computer went thru the startup sequence but did not
display anything on the monitor. Dead blank. I took the computer down,
opened it up, reconnected the video cable (vga) to the video port built
in
to the mother board. Still no video output. I removed all of the boards on
the pci buss, fired it up again, still nothing. Checked all the voltages
from the P.S., all good.
I thought that even if no operateing system was present,that the bios
would
still put up text, or give access to the bios info, assumeing that the
motherboard was good. Is this wrong? If that is correct, then I must have
a
clobbered motherboard? How can I tell? If the bios is bad, isn't it pretty
much the same thing? I changed out the cmos battery, old battery reading
3.0
volts new battery reading 3.3 volts, still no help. I need an idea here
because I think this thing should work and it aint. Any help would be
appreciated.

I would guess your monitor is dead or not connected properly.

Luck;
Ken

 

[Paul]

I lost video on one of my Win98 computers this morning and I need some help
to get it back. Upon doing a normal "reboot" from the desktop, with no
programs running, the computer went thru the startup sequence but did not
display anything on the monitor. Dead blank. I took the computer down,
opened it up, reconnected the video cable (vga) to the video port built in
to the mother board. Still no video output. I removed all of the boards on
the pci buss, fired it up again, still nothing. Checked all the voltages
from the P.S., all good.
I thought that even if no operateing system was present,that the bios would
still put up text, or give access to the bios info, assumeing that the
motherboard was good. Is this wrong? If that is correct, then I must have a
clobbered motherboard? How can I tell? If the bios is bad, isn't it pretty
much the same thing? I changed out the cmos battery, old battery reading 3.0
volts new battery reading 3.3 volts, still no help. I need an idea here
because I think this thing should work and it aint. Any help would be
appreciated.

Too bad you didn't tell us which brand and model motherboard
this is. If there is an ICH5 Southbridge on the motherboard,
that could be cooked.

Paul

 

[Todd]

Have you tried a known good video card? This will tell you whether it is
the video chip or something else on your motherboard.

If it is the video chip, a video card could salvage the system. Otherwise
you will probably not be able to replace your motherboard with an exact, or
close enough new motherboard, and will end up buying a motherboard,
processor, and memory.

Win98 vintage video cards are likely to be in your spare parts drawer, and
if not. they are cheap to buy.

If you are not getting anything at, all have you swapped monitors and video
cables to eliminate that? That is easy to do, and you say that you have
several Win98 systems, so you have got them on hand.

 

[Rod Speed]

Yes, the hdd activity lights on the computer seem to indicate that the computer is
booting into Windows normally. But no video.

Yes, originaly the video output was from a video card in the pci buss. That has been
removed and the monitor cable connected to the motherboard video output.

Then you should check that the monitor is still working, likely its died.

Don't know about beeps, the speaker was discarded in favour of a fan long ago.

Motherboard must be a goner.

MUCH more likely to be the monitor or the cable to it.

Basically because it doesnt work on either video and the system
appears to be booting up fine with nothing on the screen.

 

[frustrated]

I tried doing the "cmos clear" trick-no good. Tried booting with one of the
memory sticks, then the other. If both memory sticks went bad (a rare
occurance) would this produce my no video condition?

 

[frustrated]

The monitor and cable are known good-work fine with another computer. The
video was originally from a video card on pci buss, don't know if it failed
or not, now monitor connected to video output on motherboard. Don't work
either.

 

[frustrated]

This is an old mb for old win98 computer. If it's toast anywhere it's bad
everywhere. Still, I don't think that the Mb went bad, seems to me more
likely that something in the bios sent south. I don't know what that could
be.

 

[Rod Speed]

I tried doing the "cmos clear" trick-no good.

Not surprising.

 

[Rod Speed]

This is an old mb for old win98 computer.
If it's toast anywhere it's bad everywhere.

Yeah, unlikely to fail in a way that produces no video with either
a video card or the onboard video, tho I spose it might get so
screwed that it cant switch back to using the onboard video now.

You sure that there isnt a jumper to use onboard video ?
There was with some of those that old.

Still, I don't think that the Mb went bad, seems to
me more likely that something in the bios sent south.

No evidence of that.

I don't know what that could be.

Looks more like you cant get it to use the
onboard video anymore for some reason.
Check again that there isnt a jumper for that.