No Video Output - No beeping - Asrock H97 Pro4

Question

3 days ago I bought these components for my new computer:

• AsRock H97 Pro4 Motherboard
• GeForce GTX960 GPU
• DeepCool DA700 Power Supply
• Intel I7 4790k CPU
• 1TB WD Black HDD
• 1x8GB Kingston HyperX RAM

Problem: When I turn on the computer I hear no beeps and get no video output whatsoever. The CPU fan is spinning, the case fans are spinning too. And I hear some hard-drive noises as if it did a hardware check or it is trying to boot.

What I tried until now:

1. Remove the CMOS battery for 30 seconds then put it back in. -> No Effect
2. Check if the motherboard touches the case in any way. -> Can confirm that the case is properly lifted.
3. Move the RAM bar to another slot (tried all 4). -> No effect
4. Remove the RAM bar completely from the MBO and see if I get any beeping sounds while turning the power back on. -> No beeps or video
5. Remove the video-card and try using the integrated graphics on the motherboard while trying all of the above -> No video output
6. Replugged the ATX12V and ATXPWR cables. -> No change.
7. Removed the case Reset Button from the MBO. -> No change.
8. Cleared the CMOS using a jumper -> No change.
9. Used another monitor, I even used my TV via HDMI -> No change

I feel like something tiny is missing here. I removed anything that is non-essential from the MBO like HDDs or the GPU... but nothing is working. A friend of mine got the same components from the same shop and he's already up and running. The only thing he got different is the case, a no-name PSU and a 4790 CPU.

Solution

I have just successfully dealt with this very same issue with this particular motherboard. In my case this situation was caused by a faulty RAM stick. Υou will need to determine which hardware part is causing the problem in your case but before we get there, let me first explain what's going on.

The reason you get no video output is because the POST (power-on self-test) fails, which usually means some hardware is faulty, and so it doesn't even load the BIOS/UEFI and gets stuck there. When POST fails you should normally expect to hear those beeps which represent some code to let you know which part is faulty. However the AsRock H97 Pro4 motherboard doesn't come with an integrated speaker and so it is unable to sound the beeps!

So, what you need to do as a first step is plug in a speaker (see last paragraph for tips), as Ash suggested. Then power on your computer again and wait for the beeps. Refer to your motherboard's manual to find out what the beep codes mean and identify the problem. I was unable to find them in my manual and the only relevant thing I found on AsRock's website was this page from their FAQ section. Supposing what is written there is true for this motherboard you could still hear no beeps which would indicate a faulty CPU (ouch) or RAM. After you find out what the problematic part is you should contact the shop you bought it from and invoke your warranty if possible.

Bonus tips about the motherboard speaker:

Many computer cases provide a speaker for your motherboard in their front panel. If so there should be a cable along with the other cables coming from the front panel (LEDs, power, reset, USB ports, etc), which should be labeled as "SPEAKER" (don't confuse it with the "HD AUDIO" cable!). Moreover, if you have an old case or motherboard you can look for a speaker there, unplug it and then plug it in your current motherboard!

Comments

[redbeam_]

Sounds like the motherboard is dead...

[Claudiu]

Is there any way to check before I invoke my warranty? My friend actually tried turning the computer on without the CPU in it, just to hear the fans spinning. But it didn't start. Would that be the cause of the problem? Noob move... I know... but we got overly enthusiastic.

[Dave]

Turn it "on" as well as you can, wait 5 minutes, then using another PC see if you can see it on the network. This may help to see if the issue is the monitor/cable/monitor port. Please confirm that after you hit the power button, you see NOTHING on the screen at all at any point. To me, it's dead board.

[ahnniu]

I think you will only hear beeps if you have an onboard speaker plugged in (like one of these: cdn.overclock.net/b/ba/ba4225be_speaker.jpeg). Otherwise there's nothing to make the beep. Try a different stick of RAM if you can.