Diagnosing PC startup issues to a black screen.
Diagnosing PC startup issues to a black screen.
I've been attempting to start a HP EliteDesk 800 G1 SFF that was purchased used. The seller assured it would boot from a USB drive, which had no storage. My issue is that no monitor shows any image. Initially, I experienced a boot loop accompanied by a single beep each cycle. After replacing the wall power cord, the machine began beeping five times before fully turning on with loud fans running. HP support claims this is normal, likely due to the USB bootloader and the removal of the keyboard. I've reset the CMOS multiple times, but so far nothing works. I'm considering switching to a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter instead of VGA, though I doubt that would be the easiest solution since HDMI supports digital signals directly. I've tested three monitors and two VGA cables in various setups. I'm planning to search online for additional advice, relying on my extensive experience (over 20 years) and HP's official guidance. I'm hoping someone can offer tips or overlooked solutions before I visit the store. I'm also looking forward to playing my Steam catalog smoothly at acceptable frame rates.
I'm using a standard operating system. To access the BIOS, you'll need to restart your device and enter the boot menu during startup.
I attempted to start from USB before adding internal storage. My goal was to access the BIOS and verify installed RAM (though I had new drives but system detection was limited). Unfortunately, I didn’t reach the BIOS screen—just a black display on all three monitors. Thanks for checking! Edited January 31, 2020 by iCDragonfly For your info!
Until I can access BIOS/an OS—just Intel HD Graphics 4600 according to Google—I'm not sure yet. I haven't installed any OS or drivers, so I don't have a GPU to boot into. Would it help trying a BIOS boot with my GPU? Probably not useful since I lack an OS and thus no storage for the GPU. Updated January 31, 2020 by iCDragonfly Punctuation, accuracy