Connecting system unit to the monitor is not a complicated procedure if only it is not accompanied by any problems. This problems may be of different nature and the most common one is a lack of signal. In this case after you connected your monitor to the system unit you will see a “No Signal” message on the screen. Not to worry! Normally it is quite a simple problem and in this article we will examine the reasons for this problem to occur and the ways of solving it in different situations.
Table of contents:
1. Your monitor is not connected to the system unit
2. The source of signal is selected incorrectly
3. Video card malfunction
4. Monitor malfunction
Your monitor is not connected to the system unit
The most common reason for the lack of signal on the monitor or for signal distortion lies in a poor connection with the system unit (or no connection at all). First of all, make sure that the cable from the monitor is firmly attached to the input of the video card in your computer. Typically, all modern monitors are connected to the system units via an HDMI cable, VGA or DVI. Here it is important to note that VGA and DVI cables always carry two screws that you need to twist to securely fix their plug in the video card connector.
Please note
If you are using an adapter to connect the cable from your monitor to the system unit, make sure that it is also securely fastened.
A less common reason than a poor connection is a break in the cable. In this case, we recommend that you check your cable on another computer or try using a different cable if you have one.
The source of signal is selected incorrectly
Another common cause is an incorrectly selected source of signal transmission. Some monitors (as well as some TVs, which are often used to replace monitors) have an option to choose where the signal will be sent from. If it’s a TV, it’s usually done through a remote control.
When the option with the monitor is considered, the signal source must be selected through the “Source” or “Input” button located near the power button or on the back of the monitor. Press this button several times and select the signal source.
Please note
If you do not see any buttons on your monitor or you see buttons but they do not have any markings, you may need to refer to the monitor manual.
Video card malfunction
The next reason for the absence of a signal when connecting your monitor to the system unit is much more complicated. We are talking about the video card or video card connector failure. First of all, we recommend that you try to connect your monitor to another video card connector if it is available. In case this option is not available or it did not lead to the desired results, you will need to check the video card.
The easiest way to test a video card is to get it from the system unit and connect it to another computer. A more complicated and expensive option is to give your video card for diagnostics to a service center.
Please note
If you see that when the computer starts the cooler of your video card is spinning, it still does not indicate it’s normal functioning.
Monitor malfunction
The final reason why there is no signal when connecting your monitor to the system unit is a problem with the monitor functionality. Since there are often several connectors in the monitor (for example, DVI and HDMI) you can try connecting it to the system unit through each one of them and check whether the problem still persists.
Another way to check if the monitor is working, is to connect it to another computer or laptop. It is also possible to do it vise versa – connect your system unit to another monitor or, for example, a TV, and check whether it will work in this case.
Please note
Be sure to select the signal source when connecting your system unit to the TV.
Above we have listed all possible reasons why “No signal” message may appear on the monitor screen when you are trying to connected it to the system unit. Be sure to check all the above options to determine for certain why your monitor does not work.
