WTF is wrong with my computer? no video!

[Bovon]

Originally posted by ShawnD1
Nothing is shorting the computer since it can remain on for several minutes. If there was a short, the computer would immediately shut off.

You are wrong there... a short on some of the traces in the back will only render the motherboard non funcitional..it does not have to be *power* shorted to ground..maybe a component..like a capacitor shorted to ground can do it.

Remove the motherboard from the case and test it outside of the case with only:
1) stick of ram
the CPU w/hsfan
video card
psu connected & turned on by shorting the two pins the case switch connectors go to.

Fire it up..no keyboard necessary..see if you get video. This is the basics..no video at this point, you have a bad mobo, cpu, video or psu.

[ShawnD1]

OK I did that and it still doesn't work.

Since the video definitely isn't the problem and the mobo and PSU are new; the CPU must be fugged.

[John Prophet]

got any spare parts? like cpu's or motherboards? or other working comps to play with?

[Ed_S]

I had similar when I replaced my MB a few months ago. No vid, no way. Tested the card elsewhere, OK. Tried other known good cards, no go. Looked fully seated & case screws were in.
I finally took the board ( on my MB tray) back & the store tech tried it with me - no go. He tried HIS card, no go until he removed the board from my tray & pushed the sucker in so hard it actually flexed the heck out of the MB. I mean he LEANED on the card, literally! It seated & worked, & after he took his card out mine seated just fine with normal-to-heavy pressure until it was reinstalled to the tray. I put thin washers under the MB standoffs to raise it & it's been fine ever since.

Not sure I'd recommend his method, though - after all, if HE broke it, there was a stack of new ones right there...

[jutah]

I have had a similar sounding problem happen to me twice and both times the MB was bad. Even one straight out of the box. I had to send it back get another one and then it worked fine.
Good luck!

Jutah