'No Signal' On screen message

rightyabe · 18-03-2012 11:58am #1

Hey there,

I bought a old PC at a garage sale today, not sure what spec it is but it was custom built in 2005, running on Windows XP.

When I got home and hooked it all up the screen would power on and 'acer' would appear and then the 'no signal' message would appear, then the screen would go on standby.

I done some googling and it said to maybe clean the RAM which I did, but still no joy..It also isn't the VGA lead as I hooked my netbook up to my TV with it no problem...

Any clues....? Motherboard fecked???

Khannie · 18-03-2012 12:47pm

Possibly the graphics card. I'd try reseating it for sure.

Torqay · 18-03-2012 1:03pm

And while you have the case open, re-seat the memory modules and other add-on cards you may find.

This can happen during transport.

rightyabe · 18-03-2012 2:19pm

Cheers,

I tried pulling out the graphics card but I think its stuck onto the side of the casing..

Also I'm using a 250v power lead for the CPU but it says to use a 230v on the CPU casing, would this affect it any way?

Kenny Logins · 18-03-2012 2:24pm

What monitor are you using? If the resolution is set higher than the monitor can handle it may not display. Try booting in safe mode.

rightyabe · 18-03-2012 2:48pm

How can I boot in safe mode? The screen is just blank..the monitior is the one that came with it from new (I was told this from the fella I bought it from)

Kenny Logins · 18-03-2012 2:50pm

Tap F8 as it's booting for safe mode.

Does it have a separate graphics card? Is there one standard VGA port built in and another on the card?

rightyabe · 18-03-2012 2:58pm

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Tap F8 as it's booting for safe mode.

Does it have a separate graphics card? Is there one standard VGA port built in and another on the card?

Ha forgot to mention there was no keyboard with it...:D so cant press F8:(

Think there is just 1 stantard built in VGA port, if there was 1 on the card as well could I plug it into that, or am I of the mark altogether...

rightyabe · 19-03-2012 11:51am

anyone, please...

Also if I wanted to upgrade the RAM and Graphics card and internal Storage, is it just a matter of buying any parts online and sliding them in. Or would the motherboard have to be changed too to accomadate to higher specs I would want...I'm a complete novice...

Khannie · 19-03-2012 1:08pm

Answer: It depends. Usually you can just buy more ram and a larger hard disk. How much ram is in it? And are there any free slots?

Bosh · 19-03-2012 1:34pm

rightyabe wrote: »

Ha forgot to mention there was no keyboard with it...:D so cant press F8:(

Think there is just 1 stantard built in VGA port, if there was 1 on the card as well could I plug it into that, or am I of the mark altogether...

Depending on BIOS it may not boot without keyboard & mouse attached.......

I take it the screen is an Acer make?

Any noise or lights on the system box itself, fans spinning up etc?

rightyabe · 19-03-2012 2:17pm

@Khannie--Not sure how much ram it has, but there is 1 card and 2 slots in total for the ram...

@Bosh--Yeah the screen is a acer make and yes the cpu goes on and stays on and the fan is on also but there is no beeps etc..

Never thought about the keyboard, that happened to a old pc back at home and worked when the keyboard was inserted...Looks like i'll have to buy a cheap keyboard and find out.

Kenny Logins · 19-03-2012 2:31pm

rightyabe wrote: »

Never thought about the keyboard, that happened to a old pc back at home and worked when the keyboard was inserted...Looks like i'll have to buy a cheap keyboard and find out.

What had you planned to do without one?

Bosh · 19-03-2012 2:33pm

rightyabe wrote: »

@Khannie--Not sure how much ram it has, but there is 1 card and 2 slots in total for the ram...

@Bosh--Yeah the screen is a acer make and yes the cpu goes on and stays on and the fan is on also but there is no beeps etc..

Never thought about the keyboard, that happened to a old pc back at home and worked when the keyboard was inserted...Looks like i'll have to buy a cheap keyboard and find out.

Check port on back first, if it's an older PC it maybe PS/2 (round greeen & purple sockets) or if it's REALLY old it could even be an AT... showing my age now

rightyabe · 19-03-2012 2:37pm

Bosh wrote: »

Check port on back first, if it's an older PC it maybe PS/2 (round greeen & purple sockets) or if it's REALLY old it could even be an AT... showing my age now

It has green and purple sockets but it came with a wireless mouse which is controlled by a reciever that looks like a mouse with 3 wee small buttons on it which plugs into a USB socket...

rightyabe · 19-03-2012 2:39pm

Kenny Logins wrote: »

What had you planned to do without one?

Ha, was going to wait till I got it going untill I spent a few bucks on a keyboard that I might never use:D

rightyabe · 24-03-2012 5:50pm

Update: Got a keyboard and still no signal. What could it be?

Pressed F8 but didn't affect anything...

yoyo · 24-03-2012 6:17pm

Could you try the machine with another monitor? It could be the system is displaying something that your Acer monitor isn't liking, did you reseat the RAM, try booting with only one/the other module as suggested above?

Nick

rightyabe · 24-03-2012 6:21pm

I pulled out the ram and blew it down etc but no good, there is only 1 ram in it...my only other screen I could try it on is a 50 inch plasma tv...would that matter?

Edit: tried on plasma, same message appears

Torqay · 24-03-2012 6:39pm

OT: You have a 50" Plasma telly and you buy your computers at garage sales???

rightyabe · 24-03-2012 6:46pm

Torqay wrote: »

OT: You have a 50" Plasma telly and you buy your computers at garage sales???

Ha, in Australia ere, bought a new tv, fridge and washing machine for the house all new, trying ta buy some cheap stuff now, garage sale are a big thing over here.

Any ideas how ta fix me PC...:D

Torqay · 24-03-2012 6:55pm

Seriously, yard/garage/boot sales are a bit like hit and miss. You didn't check whether or not it was in working condition before you bought it?

You did everything by the book, reseated memory modules, addon cards and cable connectors and still no dice? Then you might have gotten yourself an expensive door stopper.

rightyabe · 24-03-2012 7:04pm

Always wanted a expensive door stopper:D

yoyo · 24-03-2012 11:24pm

Its likely the video card could be screwed. Try borrow one off someone and see if it works, as Torqay said you've pritty much done all the "troubleshooting" required to now believe its a piece of hardware acting the bollix

Nick

rightyabe · 26-03-2012 12:17pm

errr...I just copped on that I think the graphics card is intergrated into the motherboard......:D

So I guess thats it fecked then so:(

Hank Scorpio · 26-03-2012 12:24pm

If theres a free pci slot you could add a gfx card, can you access the bios? probably an option there to disable onboard gfx, cheap cards go for nothing and are decent http://www.custompc.ie/palit-geforce-8400gs-256mb-ddr2pci-express-20567mhz350mhz-80855-p.asp It depends on your motherboard if it will auto detect the new card if you cant access the bios, if it can't you're royally screwed.

rightyabe · 26-03-2012 1:16pm

cant access the bios, I think I'll just give up on it now...It only cost $50 and that included a fairly new 19inch LCD screen.

Might now actually give it to some computer crowd and get a custom built one. Is it just a matter of putting in a better MoBo, RAM, memory etc..

What would people on here reccommend, Intel/AMD etc etc...

Keep in mind I only want it to play Football Manager 2012...But I want to load upwards of 25 leagues(If your familiar with FM games its nice to have as many leagues loaded into the saved game as possible)

yoyo · 26-03-2012 1:39pm

rightyabe wrote: »

cant access the bios, I think I'll just give up on it now...It only cost $50 and that included a fairly new 19inch LCD screen.

Might now actually give it to some computer crowd and get a custom built one. Is it just a matter of putting in a better MoBo, RAM, memory etc..

What would people on here reccommend, Intel/AMD etc etc...

Keep in mind I only want it to play Football Manager 2012...But I want to load upwards of 25 leagues(If your familiar with FM games its nice to have as many leagues loaded into the saved game as possible)

Take out the motherboard battery (should be able to pop it out/make sure system is off unplugged and all that!), leave it out for 1 or 2 minutes then replace it. This will reset the bios settings. You could always get another dedicated video card, have a look at the free slots on the motherboard, you may have a AGP or if lucky a PCIe (PCI Express) one. If not look for a PCI card.

Nick

rightyabe · 26-03-2012 2:09pm

yoyo wrote: »

Take out the motherboard battery (should be able to pop it out/make sure system is off unplugged and all that!), leave it out for 1 or 2 minutes then replace it. This will reset the bios settings. You could always get another dedicated video card, have a look at the free slots on the motherboard, you may have a AGP or if lucky a PCIe (PCI Express) one. If not look for a PCI card.

Nick

Tried the battery thing but to no avail...:(

Dont think i'd buy a graphics card on its own, i'd rather just upgrade the whole shebang...

Nothingbetter2d · 26-03-2012 4:42pm

if that pc ya bought was a car i'd say ya bought a lemon :P

'No Signal' On screen message

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