Has my video card or motherboard gone bad?

Question

Recently, my computer's been acting up. The screen began freezing. Now, the monitor won't get past the initial black screen and the hard disk light doesn't blink, even though I can hear the hard drive spinning. In fact, the monitor power light goes orange, indicating that it's not receiving any signal.
My bro says the montior went (I went and bought a new cheap one, still doesn't work). Other sites I've read say that it could be the power supply. My local computer store says the mother board has gone. Staples says the video card has gone. I personally think it's the motherboard. Which, if any is it?
I've already paid over $100 on useless diagnostics, so please help me if you can! I can't afford a whole new computer right now :).

Answer 1

It's not the motherboard if it will boot, dead motherboards will do absolutely nothing when you press the power button. Bad power supplies are weird, they will either be very unstable such as when you're gaming, your system will reboot because the psu is over heating, or they will just keel over and die. It sounds like you have a video issue, I would start there, get a cheap video card off ebay for 20 bucks just to test it.

If it were ram, cpu, or motherboard the system wouldn't even boot. The power supply could be going out but you could still boot in most cases, I think it's video.

Answer 2

Well I repair computers, and from what you say, it could be the video card, power supply, or motherboard. Power supply is easy to test, I have a tester, any self-respecting repair shop would have one, too.

It power supply tests good, suspect teh video card. Slap a cheapie in there and see if it goes. If that doesn't work, you are left with motherboard.

If you paid people to run diagnostics, why don't you trust what they tell you?

I occasionally see ads for PC's as low as $300. Maybe you can afford a new computer.

Answer 3

I would say its the Mother Board, However if that went out i wouldn't know why it even starts at all, But either way, Maybe take ti Geek Squad and have them look at it.