True or false: Impossible to have text on screen if CPU dead?

[Simaril]

Here's my problem.

Had a mobo take hits from heat damage, so it was not able to completely boot. The system would hang with "searching for devices" displayed on a black screen. Assumed it was the mobo, so ordered new one.

Installed new one and found that we now had nothing but fans and power LEDs. No beeps from system speakers, nothing.

Now, from what I've seen that means that either the new motherboard is dead on arrival, or the CPU has died. Since the text was present with the old Mobo I think that means the CPU was at least partially fuctional at that time. Thus, I'm more suspicious of the DOA.

To test this, the tech support people from ASUS want me to have the CPU tested. I could take it to a shop, but could I also just pop it back in to the old mobo and see if the "searching for devices" text comes up again? It seems to me that since I got that far with the old mobo, having a no-beep hang with the new one would mean the new Mobo was the problem.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Fulmar]

[Simaril]

Ok, being as much of a tech person as I am a pilot (ie, I pretend to be like one while having little or no real skill  )....

Clarify for me what a "live screen" means -- simply video output?
What exactly is the boot screen -- the one that says "ASUS" or whatever?
What is a power diagnostic -- is it more than just seeing the fans run and the power LEDs light?
What do I need to do for a video diagnostic?

And what are the implications of not hearing any hard drive activity at all? Seems to me that alone means there's more than a video problem going on....

Thanks for your prompt help.


Oh, and by the way.....

[falcon23]

Ok, being as much of a tech person as I am a pilot (ie, I pretend to be like one while having little or no real skill  )....

Clarify for me what a "live screen" means -- simply video output?
What exactly is the boot screen -- the one that says "ASUS" or whatever?
What is a power diagnostic -- is it more than just seeing the fans run and the power LEDs light?
What do I need to do for a video diagnostic?

And what are the implications of not hearing any hard drive activity at all? Seems to me that alone means there's more than a video problem going on....

Thanks for your prompt help.


Oh, and by the way.....



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