pc issues (black screen)

[Cookiecrumbles222]

hey guys so I was playing pubg with my friend and his PC randomly black screened, the PC's fans were still running but there was no output to the monitor. (the pc currently still turns on however the only sign of life is that the fans turn.) I've run him through a lot of tests to see what it is and I'm totally stumped. any ideas of what it could be, thanks for any help!

 

Tests I've run him through and outcomes of them:

he uses HDMI which is working (proven by using it from ps4 to the same monitor which worked fine) I had him run it from the GPU, mobo, and mobo with the GPU removed, all of which resulting in the monitor saying there's no input.

when turned on I had him test the fans, and every single fan was running and working properly, even with no output to the monitor (this includes GPU, CPU, system fans, etc)

I had him go through all the cords (cords being all power going to and coming from the CPU, all of which were properly connected)

*Small side note his mouse/keyboard have lights and as soon as he would turn on his pc (i.e. simultaneously with pressing the on button) would go on, after the black screen they haven't turned on when the pc does. (they dont light up when plugged into the back (directly to the mobo) or front.

 

My thoughts: I think it is the CPU that preventing the PC from working, I think while playing pubg the CPU could have burnt out causing these problems to occur reasons being the keyboard and mouse require software to light up and they're not, so that could mean the CPU process anything, there's no output from mobo or GPU so possibly the processor is causing these issues (keep in mind when I say no output, I mean not even the bios shows up the monitor gets no signal once so ever it just says not input found on the monitor whether the HDMI is in or not). I have no idea thoe so any help is much needed, thank you!

 

[DarkEnergy]

Highly doubt the CPU burned. It would shut off to prevent any damage. I'm thinking it's the PSU. Or the PSU did something to the motherboard possibly. Does the light on the motherboard turn on with the computer? Stupid question but the monitor still works right?

[Cookiecrumbles222]

2 minutes ago, DarkEnergy said:

Highly doubt the CPU burned. It would shut off to prevent any damage. I'm thinking it's the PSU. Or the PSU did something to the motherboard possibly. Do the light on the motherboard turn on with the computer? Stupid question but the monitor still works right?

 

monitor works (he's using the same monitor to play ps4 on it with the same cord he uses from his GPU so the cord and the monitor are fine) and there isn't a light on his mobo where would I find it?

[DarkEnergy]

5 minutes ago, Cookiecrumbles222 said:

monitor works (he's using the same monitor to play ps4 on it with the same core he uses from his GPU so the cord and the monitor are fine) and there isn't a light on his mobo where would I find it?

Varies with different boards but most motherboards have an LED (or even a few). Look for a green LED. If yours has one, is it on when the computer is on? Are there any red lights around the motherboard when it's running? (Mine has a few that show what the problem is if one arises.)

 

There should be either a DVI, VGA, or HDMI port on the motherboard (not the GPU), does the monitor receive a signal if you connect it to that? 

Edited July 15, 2017 by DarkEnergy

[Cookiecrumbles222]

8 minutes ago, DarkEnergy said:

Varies with different boards but most motherboards have an LED (or even a few). Look for a green LED. If yours has one, is it on when the computer is on? Are there any red lights around the motherboard when it's running? (Mine has a few that show what the problem is if one arises.)

 

There should be either a DVI, VGA, or HDMI port on the motherboard (not the GPU), does the monitor work if you connect it to that? 

the HDMI on both the mobo and the GPU doesn't work even with the GPU removed the mobo doesn't give an output (i don't have any of the other cords)

no lights on the mobo anywhere i could find

 

mobo - asrock z97 anniversary

gpu - Nvidia GeForce gtx 960 (4g model)

cpu - intel core i5 4460

[DarkEnergy]

6 minutes ago, Cookiecrumbles222 said:

the HDMI on both the mobo and the GPU doesn't work even with the GPU removed the mobo doesn't give an output (i don't have any of the other cords)

no lights on the mobo anywhere i could find

 

mobo - asrock z97 anniversary

gpu - Nvidia GeForce gtx 960 (4g model)

It's getting tricky. The chances of a failing CPU are pretty low. Perhaps there was a power surge? If that's the case it's even harder. You'd have to make sure all of the components at least work by putting them in another computer (GPU, RAM, drives, etc). I'm guessing either the PSU or the motherboard. Since the computer has some power, higher chance it's the motherboard. The problem is that the PSU could have cause the mobo to break. (hard to say). Speaking of RAM, try removing some. Keep only one in and switch it around to different slots while testing to see if it powers on each time. A RAM problem could do something like this although if you had more than one stick in it, It should still power on if one works. 

[Cookiecrumbles222]

2 minutes ago, DarkEnergy said:

It's getting tricky. The chances of a failing CPU are pretty low. Perhaps there was a power surge? If that's the case it's even harder. You'd have to make sure all of the components at least work by putting them in another computer (GPU, RAM, drives, etc). I'm guessing either the PSU or the motherboard. Since the computer has some power, higher chance it's the motherboard. The problem is that the PSU could have cause the mobo to break. (hard to say). Speaking of RAM, try removing some. Keep only one in and switch it around to different slots while testing to see if it powers on each time. A RAM problem could do something like this although if you had more than one stick in it, It should still power on if one works. 

I had him switch the ram and nothing changed, is there an easier way to test the components to see if they work, or is the only way testing them in a different system?

[Cookiecrumbles222]

5 minutes ago, DarkEnergy said:

It's getting tricky. The chances of a failing CPU are pretty low. Perhaps there was a power surge? If that's the case it's even harder. You'd have to make sure all of the components at least work by putting them in another computer (GPU, RAM, drives, etc). I'm guessing either the PSU or the motherboard. Since the computer has some power, higher chance it's the motherboard. The problem is that the PSU could have cause the mobo to break. (hard to say). Speaking of RAM, try removing some. Keep only one in and switch it around to different slots while testing to see if it powers on each time. A RAM problem could do something like this although if you had more than one stick in it, It should still power on if one works. 

the pc does power on thoe, it turns on and the fans activate, its just not outputting anything.

[DarkEnergy]

Just found this post online. Similar symptoms and it was a bad PSU. Any way for you to get a hold of another PSU? From a different computer or something? (Make sure it has enough wattage. 

[Cookiecrumbles222]

17 minutes ago, DarkEnergy said:

Just found this post online. Similar symptoms and it was a bad PSU. Any way for you to get a hold of another PSU? From a different computer or something? (Make sure it has enough wattage. 

I try to get a hold of one for my friend, I had to leave my friends (so I don't know what the wattage is), but I know the wattage was right because he has had this computer for 2 years and had no problems until now. but from what I thought and you have just reaffirmed this is that his only options are to either try a new PSU and/or test all the other parts individually? 

 

[Cookiecrumbles222]

32 minutes ago, DarkEnergy said:

Just found this post online. Similar symptoms and it was a bad PSU. Any way for you to get a hold of another PSU? From a different computer or something? (Make sure it has enough wattage. 

I also wouldn't be amazed if it was the PSU because I know its bronze grade $20-30 so that very well may be it I just don't understand why it would fail after 2 years (rather than any other part), that's why I'm confused.

[Mathematech]

I would recommend clearing cmos, which resets the bios. While it doesn't look like a bios problem, I don't think it would hurt to try.

[Cookiecrumbles222]

6 minutes ago, Mathematech said:

I would recommend clearing cmos, which resets the bios. While it doesn't look like a bios problem, I don't think it would hurt to try.

there's no signal going to the monitor at all it's as if the cords not even plugged in