Computer working but No Display

[ojinxo]

Hey guys i need some help i have alienware desktop thats about 3-4 yrs old and i recently turned it off last night and when i turned it on this morning i could hear the computer working but dont see anything on my display. I checked all the cables and power cords and made sure the video card was properly hooked and i cant figure out what it is, can someone please help?

 

[han solo]

Sounds like it could be several issues.
Can you please offer more information?
As in...did you do anything that may have promted this problem?
Or is it out of the blue?

 

[ojinxo]

It happened out of the blue i had no problems with it what so ever. i just went to satrt and shut down like i normally do and it shut off no prob and the next day no video but i could hear the computer working i checked all the cables and wires no loosed connections. I alson dont think i hear anything either for ex. when you boot up you hear the boot up sound trough your speakers and i dont get any sound, of course i dont exactly remember if my computer made any boot up sounds.

 

[han solo]

So you hear bootup sounds...but are not seeing anything on the monitors.

It may just be a glitch in the Matrix.

When you boot the PC, do you see ANYTHING at all on the monitor(s)?

 

[ojinxo]

no sounds and it stays black the entire time, no flick or anything

 

[han solo]

Have you tested another monitor or video card?
This is next logical step...borrow one from family or friend..
To me it sounds like hardware failure...

 

[ojinxo]

the monitor powers up and everything there is two monitors so i doubt both of them went out dont you agree?

 

[han solo]

Yes, doubtful both would be bad...

Have you tried diff video card? Or onboard video?

 

[ojinxo]

no so maybe i should try it next

also there is two video cards if one works it should still show something right

 

[han solo]

If you are hearing Windows bootup sounds, then your computer IS starting, but you cannot see it do so. This leads me to believe, it is either a video card failure or video driver issue, or perhaps the monitor. I do doubt the monitors being bad, so next step is video card. Even if you had video driver issues, you should still be able to see basic diagnostics displayed upon boot. This leads me to believe a video hardware issue.

 

[ojinxo]

no sound from the speakers just sound from the computer

i just tried booting up with one video card plugged in and it didnt work and i tried the second video card by itseelf and it didnt work either

what else can i try?

 

[Spyder_1386]

hey ojinxo

Are the two video cards on the same slot?

Spyder_1386

 

[ojinxo]

separate slots

 

[AudioVayne]

Could be RAM...Generally if there's no video it graphics or RAM...

 

[lataak]

I once had similar problem with a PC that sometimes did not display anything. When I boot, sometimes it looks to start but I don't see anything from monitor or speaker. When I try it three or four times, it boot properly. After booting properly as well, the display suddenly goes sometimes. I thought it was OS problem and reinstalled but it was still the same. I concluded that it is hardware problem. Try replacing some of the hardware the likes of RAM, video card, etc and try to boot it.