Troubleshooting a Legacy Computer: Seeking Advice on a DIY Repair Project

We’ve all had that moment when we’re faced with a challenging tech problem, and it’s even more poignant when it involves preserving memories. For the past few months, I’ve been diligently working on reviving a computer that belonged to a dear friend’s late fiancé, a talented musician. This machine has been dormant for over a year, and my friend is eager to restore it, especially to access the valuable music files and personal memories stored within.

The project started with some major hurdles. The motherboard had sustained significant damage, which prompted me to replace it. However, it soon became clear that the central processing unit (CPU) and potentially the RAM were also affected. After addressing these issues with new components, I found myself investing in a power supply upgrade as well. What remains of the original setup are the hard drives and an impressive dual GTX 1080 graphics card in SLI configuration, making it practically a new machine.

Upon connecting the system to a monitor, I encountered a persistent problem: the motherboard indicated a video output issue. The VGA light was illuminated, signaling that the system was unable to post video. Initially, I suspected potential damage to the graphics cards, so I removed them and attempted to utilize the integrated graphics instead. To my dismay, the issue persisted.

In an effort to troubleshoot further, I considered the possibility of a faulty HDMI cable or even the monitor itself. I tested the system on a different display—her television—but the video problem remained unresolved. I even went as far as to remove and replace the CMOS battery, hoping that a reset would lead to a breakthrough, but unfortunately, there was still no video output.

Now, I’m at a bit of a standstill. The only remaining original components in the tower are the hard drives (1 SSD and 2 HDDs), the dual GTX 1080 GPUs (with lights indicating they are functioning), and several peripherals. From what I understand, these parts should not cause a video output failure under normal circumstances.

Here’s a summary of what I’ve replaced and what’s original to the system:

New Components:

• Power Supply: Corsair RM850x
• Motherboard: MSI MPG Z390
• CPU: Intel i7-9700F
• RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 32 GB (16GB x 2)

Original Components:

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