Monitor blank except in safe mode
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Thread: Monitor blank except in safe mode

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101

    Monitor blank except in safe mode

    Hello

    PC stats:

    HP media Center m480n
    XP version 2002
    service pack 2
    512MB RAM

    Issue:

    - last night we couldnt get iTunes (may be unrelated?) to launch, so I rebooted
    - upon reboot I can see the HP logo screen and then Wundows screen
    - then the monitor goes blank....almost like a faint blueish glow
    - the tower seems dead - no fan and no noises


    What I tried:

    - I have rebooted in Safemode
    - in this mode I can see everything and monitor works
    - I checked the power settings under "display" and they (turn off monitor and turn off hard disk) are both set to "never"
    - it may be unrelated but in this mode the tower fan blows hard and often (at least i think it is the fan)


    Thanks in advance ,

    Dave

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    One more piece of info

    The video card is: NVIDIA geForce FX 5200

    I did uninstall it in safe mode and then restarted to see if that would help. The PC reinstalled it but the same problem exists

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 1999
    Location
    Largo, Fl.
    Posts
    22,322
    Try to do a system restore to a day before the problem started.
    If you're happy and you know it......it's your meds.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    Steve

    Thanks for the reply. I am letting the PC cool down (I read on another site that it may be an overheated graphic card????). Once I turn it back on I will try a restore.

    My problem with that - and perhaps you can answer this - is that we rarely reboot that PC. So therefore would the problem be a new load with the latest boot or could it have been something installed/changed days ago and just showing up with the latest reboot? If it was days ago I am not sure how far back to go? Also, do recent downloads and files get scrubbed on the restore?????

    I will look for your answers but worse case restore back a few days when I turn it back on and will let you know.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    Steve (or anyone)

    Hi again. I have tried the following and nothing worked

    1) let the system cool down for about an hour and restarted
    2) Per your suggestion I tried to restore several times - but each time nothing happened and in fact I was told that the restoration could not be completed????
    3) I then, in safe mode - disabled all startup items in msconfig and the system services (after hiding the microsoft services)
    4) Finally in msconfig, I told it to restrat with minimal services/startup in diagnostics mode.....that deleted a few of the msft services...... still no help

    Any suggestions????

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Friern Barnet, London, England
    Posts
    46,565
    I think you need to run diagnostic utility on that drive. Download this and burn it to CD, it has all the hard drive diagnostic utilities plus many more besides. You don't need to boot into Windows to run them, just boot up with the CD in the drive, select the utility that you want and it will run:

    Ultimate Boot CD

    If you aren't sure of the make of drive that is installed use the Seagate Seatools, or Hitachi Drive Fitness Test utilities, as they will work with any make of drive.
    Nick.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    Thanks

    I see that the ultimate boot cd is almost as much as hiring someone to look at this...obviously if it worked that would be ok but if there are additional purchases etc it is cheaper to get it looked at.

    Respectfully - does anyone have a non $ suggestion

    Thanx

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Friern Barnet, London, England
    Posts
    46,565


    UBCD is free, always has been.
    Nick.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    I will keep looking but when I hit the gray download box it brings up a page for purchase only...??????

    Above the gray box in red font it mentions it being free but no link.... ????

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Sheboygan, WI
    Posts
    53,392
    Scroll down to the mirror sites and select one.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    OK

    I downloaded UBCD and burned it to disk. Now what do I do? I tried to put it into my cd drive but it never did anything during "normal" boot-up. Do I need to boot in safe mode? or change the boot order in setup? Once i do that what options do i choose?

    Thanx

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    I got the disk to run in normal boot up.... I assume you want me to run the hard drive diagnostics.... but once in there I dont know what options to choose and what to look for

    Thanks in advance

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Sheboygan, WI
    Posts
    53,392

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Friern Barnet, London, England
    Posts
    46,565
    If you know the make of hard drive in your computer, run the specific diagnostic utility for that. If you don't know, run Seatools, as that does a good job with any make.
    Nick.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    101
    Thanks

    The tutorial is very helpful. Unfortunately I am not technical enought to know what you are suggesting I check???? Hard drive????

    There are many sub menus.....maybe I can list them and you can help tell me what options to hit (THANX)

    hard disk tools --> diagnostic tools --> drive fitness test (Hitachi) per your suggestion since I dont know what I have --> scsi & ATA or ATA only ---- > 4 options that scroll by before I could write them all

    Then what am I looking for????

    Clueless here...lol

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