How do you know if your hd or videocard doesn't work

[jtamn]

Well my computer turns on but it wont show an image on the monitor, could it be my harddrive, or video card? How can i find out, has anyone experienced this problem before? It's not my monitor as it is working fine.

Any help would be great!

[ji2o0k]

For HD, go into BIOS and see if you can see the HD specs under the primary device.

If it is your video card and it is dead, I think the PC should make a few beeps.

Best thing to do is swap out the vid card and try in another machine, pop in a vid card that works in your machine and see if it boots up.

[hotgo]

If when you turn on your computer nothing at all flashes on screen (even the BIOS screen), then it is not your HD. The HD only comes into play once the system has gone past the BIOS screen.

It might not be your video card though. Could be PSU, motherboard, memory, or video card.

Are you sure everything is still plugged in properly? Did anything change since you last used the system?

[dastt]

i could be anything really, doubtfull its your psu but Ram, motherboard, and videocard are all VERY likely the cause. best thing to do is switched out one piece at a time to see whats causing it.

[jtamn]

well my computer turns on, but there is no image on the monitor, nothing at all, it could be ram or video card i guess but i dont want to have to buy the parts and stick it in and know that i brought the wrong one, i dont have another computer around too except for a laptop

[ah802]

If you hear a noise that sounds like a motor winding up.... that's the HD working... it should reach a plateau and whine you normally hear with any computer. You might hear a beep or two as the machine boots.. but it sounds like you don't even get that far. If there's the usual power light on... it would give me some confidence that at least the 5V supply is probably up... if that's dead as a door nail... it's the power supply. If the HD doesn't fly... it could mean the 12V is out... again power supply suspected.

Stick a floppy into it and see if you get past the boot device check...

Video card is a hard one to check... grab a $10 video card from a computer scrapper or electronic supply house and try that. (tip buy into a PCI version that might allow you dual video so at least you can have some use for it). The real issue I have is that your dismissed quickly the idea that your monitor might be at fault... I've seem many times a black system with a dead monitor.

Most long term users have upgraded this or that in their machines so that they have enough spare parts to switch-out when the bad day happens. (we've learned the hard way).