Possible motherboard problem?

[Pains Requiem]

SO recently I took my gaming computer from upstairs and brought it downstairs and hooked it up to the internet to DL iTunes media player on it (I did it JUST to get the player to put CDs I currently own on my iPod- which is a LOT) and while browsing the internet or even DLing the iTunesSetup my computer would completly freeze, forcing me to restart it.

It has done this while even not being hooked up to the internet: For example:

Playing an emulator for too long or playing a game that was DLed from the internet and Internet Explorer was the program used to open the game. Even Ripping a lot of songs at once would cause everything to freeze.

But now it does something weird with the monitor. When unplugged from the tower, my monitor plainly says "Check video cable", meaning it's the monitor's power source is plugged into the wall but then not to the computer itself. If it was plugged and everything but the computer was not turned on, it was say "No Signal". Turn the computer on and everything is fine BUT
Now when I turn my computer on nothing shows on my monitor at all. If I unplug it it says "Check video cable".

It can't be the monitor itself because it did this to the upstairs and downstairs monitors. It would freeze constantly downstairs and eventually wouldn't turn on at all. Now even upstairs it just doesn't turn on. A friend suggested it might be a fried motherboard.

I want to make sure before I buy another one. Help?

[LordNevar]

I had this same problem once, it turned out to be a power supply problem. I would check your power suplpy, and make sure it is functioning probably, if that fails check to make sure everything is seated properly. You could have misseated something on accident to cause this problem. Sounds like it could actually be your video card as well. if it draws power from your power supply make sure it is hooked up and the fan is working to make sure it's not over heating. I really don't think it is a motherboard problem though, but just to make sure i would check everything I suggested and than go from there.

[Pains Requiem]

When I switched computers I brought ONLY my upstairs tower downstairs, so I was using a different monitor/power supply/everything so it can't be a monitor problem.

Fan I think works. My casing hasnt been on in like a year (since it got a little kick from a friend. New parts, a 2nd HD, stuff like that) so maybe dust could finally cause something to mess up, but what? The fan does work.

I unplugged everything in my computer upstairs completely; from the walls and everything. Mouse. Keyboard. All of it. I'll put it back together tomorrw just incase I did (which I doubt) put something in wrong.

**
To add a little more detail
**

When my computer is in "sleep mode" (a mode it enters after having the screen saver on for a while) my monitor's light turns orange. When actually doing something on the computer it turns green. When I turn it on it stays in that sleep mode and stays orange when I plug the monitor into the back of the tower. When it unplugs it says "check video cable" and its green, like it should be.

It did this for both monitors.

[LordNevar]

I think you missed what I was saying. Open up your case, and make sure everything is working and is hooked up properly inside the computer not outside of it. Sounds like it's a VIDEO CARD problem, it could be either overheating, or seated improperly. Or the internal power supply is not pushing as many watz as it is supposed to anymore. If all these items check out fine, than it could be a motherboard problem, especially if you have onboard video. Also when you hooked up the other monitor, were you going from LCD to CRT, or CRT to LCD, that can also cause a problem like this as well.

[Hitsua]

Originally Posted by LordNevar

Also when you hooked up the other monitor, were you going from LCD to CRT, or CRT to LCD, that can also cause a problem like this as well.

No it can't. But to reiterate, check all connections. Something could have came loose inside. If it isn't the video card, most display problems come from RAM (wether it be loose, part in, bad, etc).

[Dial Myna]

find out if the actual computer freezes or if its the monitor before you buy a new card.

Originally Posted by LordNevar

were you going from LCD to CRT, or CRT to LCD, that can also cause a problem like this as well.

lolled

[Dragnskull]

id try starting in safe mode or VGA mode to see if that makes it work, thats always a first test

do you see the post screen or does the monitor stay COMPLETELY black when you boot up?

like others have said, my first guess would be video card or ram problems or POSSIBLY overheating

i know ive discovered doing shitloads for an extended period of time [few hours] while my cpu is over 60% in use it will overheat and shut down on me, not quite whats happening to you but still =/

[Pains Requiem]

My CPU never went over like 30% usage whenever I would check. ALso it had been about a week since I had last turned my computer on for anything. I would do some WC3TFT Map Editor, run a few tests, play Poekct Tanks, a few emulators but there has been a couple of time that I'd left it on for an extensive amount of time, but before I unplugged everything and did all the switching mentioned before it DID come on- I got on the internet. Whenever I clicked on the address bar to type something in BAM and it simply froze.
Plus it had a small freezing problem before.

I believe everything is in place. I didn't unhook anything on the inside. I havent messed with the inside since I got my friends HD like 2-3 months ago.

Also, the screen stays COMPLETELY blank/black whenever it is plugged into the back of the tower.

BUT when it is unplugged it says "check video cable", meaning it just needs to be plugged in.

Gah this sucks

[Hitsua]

Take your HD any try booting. If it's still black, get a new video card.

[Pains Requiem]

kthnx .