Boot process stops before video is active. No first beep.

This is on a older socket 7 MB (Soyo SY-5SSM) with on board video. The problem started a week ago and got worse. At first I thought it was a thermal issue after the system was running for awhile, but it then started doing it when it was cold.

The boot process stops before the on board video is active and I don't get the single 'beep' indicating the Post was ok. The board has no AGP slot and I don't have any PCI video card (not that that is the problem).

What I have done;
1. Removed everything but the processor and tried it again,
2. Disconnected and re-connected all the cables,
3. Removed everything from the case including the MB and re-assembled it,
4. Checked the newer PS for voltages,
5. Pulled the CMOS battery, checked the voltage and cleared the memory (jumper).

Question; The memory test is after the video fires up, correct?

I know this is a old MB, but before I tell the owner to trash the MB, I wanted to see if I missed anything. BTW, this was in storage for a number of years in a damp basement. There is alot of rust on parts of the case and rear panel. There is only a single HDD, a optical drive, a modem and NIC card.

Without video, you have no viewable memory diagnostic but I do believe video fires up before the memory test. But with no working memory, you won't get video at all. With no beep, I would think a memory issue, more than likely. But considering the conditions it was in, hard to say.

I gave up on the issue. The MB is just too old. It was trashed.