Computer powers up and finishes the POST process, yet no output appears.
Computer powers up and finishes the POST process, yet no output appears.
Exactly as described, the title reflects the situation. My computer powers up, all fans spin, HDDs and peripherals activate, yet the BIOS screen remains inactive. The monitor fails to turn on at first, only after a few seconds, but still no display appears—just keyboard and mouse lights appear. I've tested nearly everything: unplugged non-essential parts like HDDs, SSDs, USB panels, audio, and peripherals. Used the HDMI output from the motherboard, changed cables, confirmed the monitor works normally. Swapped RAM slots, cleaned components, reset BIOS, reinstalled CPU three times, applied thermal paste multiple times, verified all connections, and checked the case for shorts. I even tried booting the PC inside a box outside the case. It's clear something failed, but I can't identify it. TL;DR: Computer doesn't show anything, not BIOS, but appears to complete POST—no solution found yet.
Not much, I understand the issue was with the module. It would occasionally turn on after being turned off, requiring me to press a button, then switch the PSU off and back on for it to work again. There were no shutdowns, freezes, stutters, or blue screens except for a few attempts to power it up. Before it stopped working, I moved to another country with the same voltage and frequency, but it never came back. It also didn’t have trouble starting properly now—it always powers on correctly.
I packed each part inside my suitcase with some clothing to protect them from damage.
Although unlikely, I would have considered a CPU failure at the very bottom of the possible reasons.
Absolutely, it's possible though I didn't emphasize it much. The motherboard and CPU don't support overclocking or higher voltages, they always have solid cooling and never exceed 75°C. Being connected to a voltage regulator also prevents any spikes. That's why the CPU failing seems unusual.
Well, something has failed.
Motherboard, CPU, something.
Only way to diagnose is to swap in new parts.
Then brings the question...how much do you want to invest in "fixing" this old platform?
For the cost of new CPU/motherboard, you could probably bu a much newer platform.