No video after re-assembling parts in old box

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Thu Nov 22, 2001 3:15 pm

My 5.5 yr old P166, which was seriously abused by my kid was only marginally functional after I replaced its cpu (original was too damaged after being airborn after the kid got mad, kicked it, cpu out the 2nd floor window, etc). I got it running again with a used cpu, ran recovery disc but it was BSODing and locking up alot (wouldn't run anything without crashing) plus the mobo was beeping everytime it'd start SO I completely dissassembled everything, checked all connections and re-seated everything, found no more physical damage. It's now back together and doesn't beep when started but I have NO Video at all. The monitors light (LED) turns green for a second, then yellow. If I dissconnect the video plug from the video card, the monitors yellow light turns green and the screen lights up. I've re-seated the cheapo video card (called a video chip by Canon, Canon PC) but I'm unable to get any video showing now. The HDD is booting up as I can hear it so I'm guessing that the problem is either a bad mobo or the video card's now NG. I've double checked all the wiring connections but everything looks in order.
Anyone?

I'm doubting that this POS PC is really worth much more time, parts or effort at this point being that a used or refurbished unit that's much newer, faster with more HDD space (more than 1.2 gigs

) can be bought cheaply these days.
I guess it's just that silly ol' first PC sentiment as that thing was my first (and worst) PC I ever owned. Kinda hate to toss it out but it's getting close.
My kid, who's now 17 doesn't have any spare cash for anything else now as all his money's going into his car and I'm not lending him more money nor do I let him use my PCs (understandable heh?)

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 1:15 am

original was too damaged after being airborn after the kid got mad, kicked it, cpu out the 2nd floor window, etc

Maybe you should have thrown your kid out the window too? LOL How's it going there Evil? If the mobo took that kind of shock from a second story window, it might have small cracks that are hard to detect. It could be any number of components. I would try another cheap video card if you have one. If not, it's probably not worth the trouble to fix it. I have a box like this to, and it belongs to my little 6 year old. A P166 runing OSR2.1 with 112 megs of ram and a 6 gig hard drive. It does have a Plextor SCSI burner, 4/2/20, and a Voodoo2 card so its not that bad for her to run her games. You can probably pick up a bare bones system for <$300.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 2:07 am

Another Jr PCA member goes to far!

Dont do the Abuse if you cant pay for the repair.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 7:31 am

Yeah, for about $120 I can get a refurbished P2 300 PC, hard to beat that. Maybe that'll be his X-mass present?
As for that things "video chip", it's not even a PCI card. It's a very small card and it's plug is about 1.5" long, 2 rows. To try another video card, I'd have to remove my V3-2000 from my other working PC as I don't have any spares handy otherwise. That ol' P166 hasn't run well in years anyway so it's probably not worth more time to try swapping out more parts.

Kakarot · Post by **Kakarot** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 1:01 pm

You gonna make the kid pay for it since he purposly demolished the first one?

I'm suprised you got it working at all after a 2 story drop.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 10:38 pm

Yeah, he'll pay for it. Only the cpu went skydiving (not the whole box) but I've tryed another video card, dissassembled the parts again and determined that the mobo must be NG. It wasn't running well for years anyway, very problematic so I'll just replace it with a newer, used machine.

FuNPoLiCe001 · Post by **FuNPoLiCe001** » Tue Nov 27, 2001 12:06 am

lol, the CPU flew out of a 2nd story window and landed on grass i m assuming, otherwise it'd be in pieces

i can just picture Evil combing the grass for the CPU

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Tue Nov 27, 2001 12:50 am

No, the kid says "dad, my computer doesn't work anymore" as he shows me the cpu with bent pins and and smashed cooling fan. He said "it just kept falling out so I threw it" but he later admitted that it went out the window and yes, into grass. I also know that it wasn't falling out "all by itself", no. That was months ago. He now occasionally uses my (passworded) laptop after I unlock it for him and all he ever does is chat on AOL chat and DL music. As you might have guessed, he's never been into computers at all, not into gaming either. His old console games didn't hold up well either. The good news? He hasn't damaged his car yet but winter's almost here