Is it my hard drive, video card, or monitor?

I've had a Gateway since February that often freezes up and requires a hard boot, usually while playing games or listening to music. Today, the screen warped some pretty crazy colors and it froze.

I tried to restart as usually, hard booting. When I turned my computer back on, the monitor was still off. I turned the monitor on and off and I am being told there is no signal. I unplug the monitor and the monitor is telling me there's no connection (so obviously the monitor seems functional at least in that way?) and when I plug it in again, I am told no signal. The computer seems to turn on fine, I just cannot get a display.

What is this fault of?

 

Sounds like a dead video card.

 

im gonna say dead video card also, is it a onboard or a card?

 

Before I would declare the video card (or any hardware for that matter) dead, I would verify I am sending the device good, clean, stable power. See my canned text below on testing PSUs.

Also, whenever I have video problems that "suggest" it might be the card (or on-board), I always swap monitors with another computer. If the 2nd monitor does the same thing, I know with certainty the problem is with the computer/graphics solution. If the problem follows the monitor to the second computer, then I know with certainty the problem is with the monitor.

***
Testing PSUs:

To properly and conclusively test a power supply unit (PSU), it must be tested under various realistic "loads" then analyzed for excessive ripple and other anomalies. This is done by a qualified technician using an oscilloscope or power analyzer - sophisticated (and expensive) electronic test equipment requiring special training to operate, and a basic knowledge of electronics theory to understand the results. Therefore, conclusively testing a power supply is done in properly equipped electronic repair facilities.

Fortunately, there are other options that are almost as good. I keep a FrozenCPU Ultimate PSU Tester in my tool bag when I am "in the field" and don't have a good spare power supply to swap in. While not a certain test, they are better than nothing. The advantage of this model is that it has an LCD readout of the voltage. With an actual voltage readout, you have a better chance of detecting a "failing" PSU, or one barely within specified ATX Form Factor Standard tolerances. Lesser models use LEDs to indicate the voltage is just within some "range". These are less informative, considerably cheaper, but still useful for detecting PSUs that have already "failed". Newegg has several testers to choose from. All these testers contain a "dummy load" to fool the PSU into thinking it is connected to a motherboard, and therefore allows the PSU to power on, if able, without being attached to a motherboard - great for testing fans, but again, it is not a true load or suitable for conclusive testing.

As mentioned, swapping in a known good supply is a tried and trued method of troubleshooting used for years, even by pros. Remove the "suspect" part and replace with a "known good" part and see if the problem goes away.

I do not recommend using a multimeter to test power supplies. To do it properly, that is, under a realistic load, the voltages on all the pins must be measured while the PSU is attached to the motherboard and the computer powered on. This requires poking (with some considerable force) two hard and sharp, highly conductive meter probes into the main power connector, deep in the heart of the computer. One tiny slip can destroy the motherboard, and everything plugged into it. It is not worth the risk considering most multimeters, like plug-in testers, do not measure, or reveal any unwanted and potentially disruptive AC components to the DC voltages.

 

I bet $10 on dead video card....

 

Hey there,

Like others have said my monies on video card, or its dirvers that interact with it.

Course could be a number of things, magnetic field from unshielded pc speakers near the monitor... but this tends to leave the colors (somewhat like an oil slick) on screen and permanently on the old CRT or Cathode Ray Tube - a screen which looks like the old school T.V's.

1) try another verified working monitor, if this is an option, with its correct drvers installed on the affected system
2) try video card in another p.c with correct drivers installed.

Worry about testing psu lastly, while a valid point, a manual test can potentialy be a torrid and somewhat risky option to the uninitiated. Suggest trying the p.s.u software mentioned below.
Oh and check for fluff, dust or hairs which might be shorting out the video card or mobo to the case or other cards.

If it is an lcd monitor power it off, unplug from pc and power, wait for the light to go out on monitor, plug back in restart..wait a couple of secs and power on the lcd. The Big boss's LCD moniutor had an issue, said no signal earlier this week... no funny colours though and thats what sorted that.

L8r guy:wave