Laptop start up problems

[MysterioMask]

I have a laptop, Gateway M-6864FX, running windows XP with 4gb ram. It was running fine and i shut it down one day, and attempted to start it up the next day. It appears to turn on properly, i can hear the fan running on some attempts to start it up, but i dont get any visuals on the monitor. Ive tried starting it with one stick of ram, no sticks of ram, no hard drive. I dont get any beeps or anything that shows up on the screen. I have attempted to plug a secondary monitor into it and start it up but i still dont seem to get anything on the 2ndary monitor. My cd drive opens and closes, and i see the harddrive symbol start up. Ive also tried to put my password in after giving it some time to start but I dont hear any start up music.

I have my own thoughts on whats wrong but id like some other opinions from some of you here before deciding my next course of action.

 

[Tmagic650]

The motherboards graphic chip may have burned out... meaning a new motherboard is needed

 

[MysterioMask]

Someone suggested that it may be a back light problem with the monitor. But I think its the motherboard too. It was running fine though not acting funny or anything. Is random burnouts common?