[Closed] Any computer tech heads? PC not working after posting to my dad

could this be an issue?

Unlikely.

Given that it's clearly been thrown across the car park, reseating the RAM would be my first port of call there.

Actually,

Get him to take a photo of the innards and post it up here.

Also also,

He's plugging the cable into the GFX card and not into a motherboard socket, yes?

I was about to say plugged the HDMI cable into the correct output?

😆
Have you met my dad? That was the first of many phonecalls today: persuading him that the correct hdmi slot was the one on the graphics card and not the one on the motherboard.

He's already tried the RAM, that was one of the other phonecalls.

Is he plugging the PC into the same HDMI port on the TV that he has used for something else (and that works when plugged into that port), or does he need to get the TV to switch to the new HMDI port that he is plugging the PC into?

and you did install VNC so you can remotely fix to for him before you shipped it didn't you?

He’s plugging the cable into the GFX card and not into a motherboard socket, yes?

Is he plugging the PC into the same HDMI port on the TV that he has used for something else (and that works when plugged into that port), or does he need to get the TV to switch to the new HMDI port that he is plugging the PC into?

Thats certainly the first thing to check.

Looks like the clip has snapped off at the end of the PCI slot and the mounting screw is nowhere to be seen.

I've snapped the clip off my PCIe graphics slot, I got frustrated as my graphics card was too big to press the lever properly, so I just yanked it out, breaking the PCIe slot clip. its not a big deal, but if it is/was screwed in where it attaches to the case...

..which is the next thing, it it was screwed into the case and the screws(S) have gone AWOL, then ensure the screw is not rattling around somewhere causing a short.

EDIT, that said, im not sure how the PCIe slot clip would just break by itself, they are pretty tough and the retaining case screw for the graphics card go missing - has it been tampered with in transit?

Correct me if I am wrong but, if you plug into the motherboard you should be able to tell if the GPU is the issue?

Also, have you tried that thing where computer is turned off(also from the back) and you press the turn on button, to get rid of any charge?

Is the TV set to the correct output?

Where is he based? If I'm local I'm happy to go and shout instructions from a safe distance.

He's using the correct HDMI source on the TV and the correct socket on the GPU.

I'll get him to check around the case for screws.

Not sure how a VNC would work on a pc that won't turn on.

I've submitted a claim with the couriers (Parcelforce) btw. Let's see how that goes.

If the graphics card has taken a tug has a power cable been pulled out or worked loose?

Odd that it's powering up with no Post beeps - rather suggests that everything's working.

At the top you said the PC was turning on, just no display from the HDMI port, so VNC would work (assuming there is an Internet connection to it), but in your last post you say it is not turning on (if all the fans etc are spinning then it sounds like it is booting up, and might be a display issue)

I built it up last week, all working fine, games installed, posted to him yesterday. It arrived today, all powers up ok but there was no display. After s good look round it seems during postage the graphics card was jolted out of the motherboard. It was screwed in! Looks like the clip has snapped off at the end of the PCI slot and the mounting screw is nowhere to be seen. My dad’s tried putting it back in but still no display. The pc seems to power on ok, all power/SDD LEDs work, all case fans spin, graphics card fans spin, there’s just no display output. He’s using HDMI to a flat screen TV (not ideal I know) but this was working immediately prior to connecting the pc.

Pro builders almost always put something in to support the GPU during transport.

Try the onboard siaplay and a different PCIe slot. If onboard display works and none of the slots work, it's a damaged GPU. If one PCIe slot works it's a buggered PCIe slot etc.

Try a different HDMI cable?

He’s plugging the cable into the GFX card and not into a motherboard socket, yes?

It would still display using the onboard gpu, my desktop switches between either depending on where you plug the cable in.

Are all the power connectors in the GPU?

persuading him that the correct hdmi slot was the one on the graphics card and not the one on the motherboard.

I'd be trying the motherboard socket to see if he gets anything at all from it. LEDs / FANs etc will all fire up independently of the motherboard. Is there any modulation of fan speed, or are they at full power from power on?

If he connects it to his internet router via ethernet he could check to see if any of the link or activity lights on the socket or router come on.

If there's a screw bouncing around in there it could definitely be a short as well.

Is it making a post tone? Did you fit the motherboard speaker? Is the CPU cooler sat properly or could the CPU need reseating.

Basically you need to guide him through checking each and every component in a systematic fashion.

If it helps I set the PC up at mine on a 4K display, he’s only got 1080p, could this be an issue?

Possibly, if it's output is to high resolution for the TV, but then you should still be able to boot to BIOS or safemode and force the resolution down. Have you tried mashing the DEL or F2 key during boot?

Does the CPU/motherboard have built in graphics? try plugging it in to the TV that way, if just to btpass/rule out some damage to the graphics card.

Not sure how a VNC would work on a pc that won’t turn on.

If its on and has network

Correct me if I am wrong but, if you plug into the motherboard you should be able to tell if the GPU is the issue?

Should at least display POST through built in display...

but

EDIT, that said, im not sure how the PCIe slot clip would just break by itself, they are pretty tough and the retaining case screw for the graphics card go missing – has it been tampered with in transit?

I can see a BIG heavy GPU snapping of its been chucked about ... I'm struggling to see how it would pull out the mount and screw...

Correct me if I am wrong but, if you plug into the motherboard you should be able to tell if the GPU is the issue?

If you remove the external and if there's a separate HDMI connection on the board.

Not sure how a VNC would work on a pc that won’t turn on.

It's seemingly turning on from your description. VNC is a bit of a shit solution though.

Odd that it’s powering up with no Post beeps – rather suggests that everything’s working.

Assuming there's a connected speaker.

I can see a BIG heavy GPU snapping of its been chucked about … I’m struggling to see how it would pull out the mount and screw…

Depends on case quality and the GPU weight, some of those screw mounting holes on some PC cases are proper dodgey and I wouldn't trust them to hold anything that's not kept completely still or moved gently.

He's had enough today, feeling a bit miffed. I'll try again tomorrow with the suggestions so far. Thanks all

Ahhhh that's a shame. What GPU? I might have a spare when the 6900 XT comes out...

There's too many variables here, start eliminating things.

Can you plug something else into that HDMI connection, does that work?

Can you use a connection other than HDMI?

Can you remove the GFX card and use an onboard connection?

Do you get POST beeps if you take the RAM out?

Aside, I'm struggling to believe that a tightened screw unscrewed itself and disappeared in transit. Are you sure you screwed it in?

If you remove the external and if there’s a separate HDMI connection on the board.

My gigabyte motherboard switches automatically...but you could try removing the gpu i guess

Aside, I’m struggling to believe that a tightened screw unscrewed itself and disappeared in transit. Are you sure you screwed it in?

Have you seen the quality of some cases these days Cougar? Lots of flash glass panels and RGB fans but terrible underlying build quality.

My gigabyte motherboard switches automatically Cougar…

Right. I've never seen one that does, though my experience in the last 15 years has mostly been off-the-shelf boxen rather than anything half-decent.

It's certainly possible, I've even had both the external gpu and eGPU running separate displays for the lolz.

It's an MSI Mortar Max B450 motherboard, Ryzen 5 3600 CPU so no integrated graphics, GTX 1660 Super graphics card, if any of that helps. If he removes the graphics card will the motherboard connection at least get to BIOS setup screen?

And the HDMI cable and TV work when it's connected to his old PS3 so I'm fairly confident the problem is PC side of things.

I'll get my dad to look at the box it came in, should be easy enough to see if it's been tampered with by the amount of tape on the seals. The card was 100% secured and screwed in, that's how I found out there was a screw missing because I was telling him to unscrew the mounting screw and he's like "unscrew what mounting screw?".

Right well if this hasn't been sorted by the start of December and if it's too expensive to sort - I'll post him my old 1080 if I get my hands on a 6900XT.

I’m struggling to see how it would pull out the mount and screw…

Yeh me too... it does suggets potential interference from a ham fisted GPU thief. 🙁

He’s using the correct HDMI source on the TV and the correct socket on the GPU.

It sounds like he's plugged it in to the correct hdmi socket on the TV but has he selected that socket as the input using the TV remove? Our relatively basic TV won't automatically detect a device turning on and select the appropriate input, we have to do it manually.

They are ridiculously expensive and certain models are very rare at the moment, so it wouldn't surprise me if some little scrote thought he might be able to nick a 3080 and then bottled it when he realised it wasn't a 1000 quid card on ebay.

That's extremely kind of you, oakleymuppet. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. If it does I'd more than happy to chuck some cash your way.

Hah it's just that I'm too lazy to flog them on ebay and they just end up lying around until they're completely obsolete and I dispose of them.

Selling GPU's is a right faff as well, as invariably someone will claim it doesn't work and ask for a refund after removing the heatsink and watercooling it or something daft.

Again - photos.

no integrated graphics, GTX 1660 Super graphics card, if any of that helps. If he removes the graphics card will the motherboard connection

It has no onboard graphics but has a motherboard GFX connection? I don't believe you.

If the Ryzen 3600 doesn't have the G suffix then he doesn't have an eGPU. They do marginally cheaper CPU's without them, same for Intel.

I don't know how these things work Cougar, I'm new to modern desktops. As far as I can tell there are some Ryzen processors that have integrated graphics and some that don't. The 5 3600 doesn't. If I'd put in one that did I imagine it would use the motherboard io port as without that there would be nowhere to plug in a monitor.
I could be completely wrong though. That's why I'm asking if taking the GPU out will still let him connect to motherboard HDMI to get to a BIOS screen or something.

Ah, are they integrating GFX into the CPU now? That being the case, I'm out of date and apologise for my prior post.

Yeah it's been that way for a while cougar. 😛

That’s why I’m asking if taking the GPU out will still let him connect to motherboard HDMI to get to a BIOS screen or something.

It won't.

Go through Cougars list and try a different PCIe slot! And plug in a motherboard speaker so you can hear if it posts! They are literally for this exact issue.

My gigabyte motherboard switches automatically Cougar

Dunno how ryzens are, but my current intel system will switch between onboard/dedicated GPU by itself depending on whats plugged in (disclaimer - i've only tested this by removing the power cable from the proper GPU, dunno how it would react if the GPU were powered on trying to get video from onboard graphics).

EDIT, just read the last 2 posts - yeh, onboard (motherboard) graphics isnt really a thing anymore, it's built into the CPU.

Higher end or 'gaming' CPUs dont tend to have it, as they assume you'll have a dedicated graphics card.

Bios sorts it out, I had fun testing my luck and got them both to output at the same time.

I might be slightly mental though, I've been OCIng my ram recently for the lockdown hell of it.

Ryzen 3600s don’t have integrated graphics so he won’t get anything from the onboard display on the motherboard.

If the card has snapped out of the pci-e slot then it could be goosed, maybe damaged the connector on the motherboard when it was damaged in transit. It’ll still be drawing power from the PSU but won’t display anything.

I used to work for a PC retailer and whenever we posted systems out to people we would pack them with expanding foam bags to make sure the contents stayed put during transit. If a system had to be returned to us we would always suggest people pack the Graphics card separately if they hadn’t kept the foam inserts we had used.

I might have an older Radeon R280X laying around that could be used as a test mule - I'll have a look.

Do you have any old GPU's lying around, willing to get a very cheap and nasty card - try it and then send it back?

We went with a Ryzen 3600 without dedicated graphics for daughter's build - was keeping the budget down, and nearly went integrated, but son was upgrading his GTX970, so we split the cost.

I'd be organising a courier to bring it back...

I'd say it's worth him pulling the graphics card out and inspecting it, could well have cracked the PCIe connector if the box was dropped. I don't suppose he has a neighbour/mate that can loan him a cheap card to test with?

I can see getting an insurance claim paid out could be tricky to, they might claim it wasn't packed properly if the GPU was unsupported but maybe photos showing the clip/missing screw might be enough for them to pay out.

SUCCESS!!!!

Unplugged the memory, the graphics card and the CMOS battery, put it all back together and it's working fine. Even managed to talk him through the BIOS setup to sort out the XMP profile and CPU clock speed.
One thing, the clip at the end of the PCIe slot had fallen off, presumably at some point during the game of parcel football it was obviously used for, so maybe the GPU wasn't seated properly when he was trying it first time round.

Thanks for the help all.

Nice!

Glad it's working 🙂