Except this time, there's absolutely nothing I can do!
Here's the deal. A couple friends and I were watching a flash video, when the whole entire system just froze. CTRL + Alt + Delete didn't work, nothing worked. Naturally, we turned it off, and knew it'd restart.
...It didn't. All we get is a black screen. The computer turns on, the monitor turns on, but nothing shows up. The monitor remains black. We suspected it was a broken monitor, since it was old, and the top corner of the screen had been blurry for a while. The Degauss buttons and etc didn't do a thing to the black screen, and it just seemed . Like, it was getting power, but the display was broken.
..Now, I don't know what to think, since we tried a different monitor today, and got the same result. But for all we know, maybe that monitor is broken too. We got it with a keyboard and mouse today at a garage sell for $4. =/
If this problem sounds familiar, PLEASE respond. This time, I have no computer, due to lack of cousins having laptops. I'm using this from the fscking rec-center computer, which uh, is obviously pretty limited. Help? =/
I few months ago, I powered up my computer to be greeted with the usual Dell startup graphic, then, nothing. The monitor would black out, and the amber indicator light on it would blink intermittently. I tried a different monitor only to have the same result. I knew the hard drive had been on its way out for some time, though, and after thoroughly analysing the situation, I couldn't imagine it could be anything else. So I went out and bought a 300-gigger, popped it in, and got to the A:\ prompt, from where I could eventually install Windows XP Pro.
Definitely see if you can find a way to check out whether your hard drive is still functional. If you're lucky, it would be something so relatively minor, as opposed to your whole motherboard. :cookie:
You could always test out the hard drive out on a friend's computer or something. Likewise, try their hard drive out on your computer. If theirs works on yours, but yours doesn't work on theirs, then there is your answer. But, if the results are the other way around, then you have some other sort of hardware problem. Perhaps your video card? Those are simple enough to replace as long as it's not integrated on to the motherboard. Anyway, try testing the hard drive first and go from there.
If nothing shows up, absolutely nothing, it's either the monitor or the BIOS, which, unlike what Raptor and others may think, is not on the hard drive.
Usually the system will beep if it has to do with the BIOS or hardware error, refer to your manufacturer manual (often found online) to decipher what each beep relates to the type of error. One been usually means all hardware passed the Power On Self Test; if you're receiving more than that, or none at all, that's typically a sign.
Higbvuyb, the hard drive can be a cause of displays being 'black' - I had the same situation once, when my hard drive failed. Also, the display card may be something to think about.
...I've tried a few things. Switching monitors didn't work, so I tried the video card again. There's probably better ways to test a video card, but...
Well, there's two video cards in our computer. One's default, and one isn't. I unplugged it from the default one, and removed it. ...Dad said it would be forced to run off the other card if I did this. No results!
...I think it's our harddrive. Which sucks. >_> I'm sure it is, since my computer blue screened and got harddrive problems a couple weeks ago. (See: my other thread)
Had this same problem a year ago after accidently standing on the power switch to my serge protector while the computer was on. Well actually, it was closer to Raptor's problem. And as expected, I fried the harddrive. In all likelyhood, your harddrive is dead. :(
I'd say it's high time to get a new one all together and try your hardest not to let your dad nazify this one.
Well, if the harddrive IS broken, then Dad said it'd be easiest to just get a whole new computer.
That's great, but I don't see it happening any time soon. We're in severe financial ditches right now, and mom'll be in bliss without a computer.
DAN: If I get one, I'll keep you informed. :-* I'm actually going to try to prevent multible desktops. If there's only one, then there's no restrictions. :)
Good plan as long as you don't mind your little sister probably getting to choose the desktop theme. :-*
[quote=maian]Well, if the harddrive IS broken, then Dad said it'd be easiest to just get a whole new computer.
That's great, but I don't see it happening any time soon. We're in severe financial ditches right now, and mom'll be in bliss without a computer.
DAN: If I get one, I'll keep you informed. :-* I'm actually going to try to prevent multible desktops. If there's only one, then there's no restrictions. :)
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I had a simular problem. It would seem that you maybe having a clash with your pc resolution and you graphics set.
I sugest re-adjusting you're resolution from DOS mode (which you can do when first cutting on your computure) then afterwards uninstalling you're graphics card and it's components completely. Then reinstall the software and then your graphic card. most pc's have a intel extreme graphics chip on them. hopfully your graphics card have not erased or removed peices of your garaphics chip support software (most geforce 5500 and up will though), in that case you have to re install some basic components from intels site.
As for hard drive issues.You can always find a hardrive from a broken pc of the same model and use the harddrive that was in it assuming it has the same OS on it, or use a systems back up cd. If you have a emachines like mine, you can always find a friend or someone with one too, and ask them if it would be alright to copy there hard drive onto another on making a backup drive, then reinstall it on your's. All though this is illegal people have been doing it for years.
I'm not a pc specialist but I know someone who works on them for companies and servers so if this doesnt work tell me and I will ask them about it. I'm SURE they can help.
...Don't listen to what he just told you to do. FOR THE LOVE OF ***, DON'T. Not only is the advice you just received not coming from a "pc specialist", but it's coming from someone who obviously knows fuck-all about what he's talking about. If NOTHING shows up then obviously you can't get into dos - chances are you'll only screw yourself over even more if you follow the above instructions.
Well, I'm back. Like klarth said, I'm no PC specialist, but my friend Bryan is. He happens to be a Microsoft certified PC analysis. Go goes about running diagnostics on PC's and servers around the region. He is also a computer technician, and is enrolled in both PC building and software design classes at our local collage.
I called him at work to day, and managed to get him to help me over the phone. I wrote down most of it the best I could so here's what he told me to say-
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It doesn't sound like the monitor, it sounds more like a graphics problem.
What kind of system are you running, i.e., Win 98/SE or XP, PC or MAC, Packaged PC like a DELL, HP or Emachine..Or custom built. The reason I ask is because the systems sometimes come with restore disks they are set up a little different. They load important drivers before the unit will come up (monitor, operating system). If you are running XP you will need a start up disk, or system restore disk. If you are running 98/se you need a boot disk. If you have a boot disk or you can get a friend to download one for you, you may can do a diagnostic check thru Dos. I have had problems like this before but my setup is probably different from yours.
If you have a start up or boot disk, it should have the basic drivers you need to get your system up. You may not be able to access XP (if that’s what you have) right away but you sometimes can get to safe mode from there (start up disk). If you are running 98/SE or me you may can get back to OP from there (boot disk). From a boot or start up disk you can also access you computers main menu hitting F8 or F9 or Delete button repeatedly but I would not make any changes to anything in there till you know if you need to. But again, It sounds like a graphics chip or card to me. But it could also be any number of other things too. I wish I could be of more help sorry.
-Bryan .R
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He is coming over Tuesday so Maybe I can get him to look into this himself. I'm sure he could be of better help then.
Well, I haven't done anything yet, especially after being gone for 5 days. I'm pretty sure it's the harddrive, due to hooking it up to multible graphics cards and still nothing. We also hooked up both the monitors to a laptop, and got a display.
Cruxis: The problem with your ideas is, well, I get NO display. That's the whole basis of the problem. I can't switch any settings at all. I can't get into DOS, I can't switch to booting from a CD, simply because I can't see anything. Something broken in the harddrive is preventing me from seeing anything at all from startup.
...Basically, think of trying to start up your computer and post on this site, without using a monitor. =/
[quote=maian]Well, I haven't done anything yet, especially after being gone for 5 days. I'm pretty sure it's the harddrive, due to hooking it up to multible graphics cards and still nothing. We also hooked up both the monitors to a laptop, and got a display.
Cruxis: The problem with your ideas is, well, I get NO display. That's the whole basis of the problem. I can't switch any settings at all. I can't get into DOS, I can't switch to booting from a CD, simply because I can't see anything. Something broken in the harddrive is preventing me from seeing anything at all from startup.
...Basically, think of trying to start up your computer and post on this site, without using a monitor. =/
:) Sucks to be you. Well in that case I would assume you are correct. Wish I could snap my fingures and replace your HD with a Seagate 300 GB, but unfortunatly...I haven't managed to do that for my self yet. :-D But If I do, Then I'll give ya a holler.
Cruxis, I'm closer to being a specialist on the situation than you are or your friend. The fact of the matter is, if he's just studying a little technology course at his local college, he is not a specialist, which is precisely why he is a student who is learning. Also, you can be a "Microsoft certified PC analyst" but at the end of the day, that only really entails understanding the basic troubleshooting problems of a Microsoft environment. It rarely ever covers hardware issues, which this clearly is and rarely ever will anyone with half a clue of what they are talking about will suggest to try and configure Windows settings from DOS, especially something simple as resolution.
Does it occur to you that Microsoft isn't on everything? As for your comment that most computers come with Intel Extreme Chipsets, you ought to stop thinking about Hewlette Packard/Compaq and Dell branded machines.
Well I highly doubt it's your hard drive that's causing the problem, a computer doesn't even need a HDD to function- theoretically you could run your computer off a Live Linux CD and not even have a HDD installed at all. All your "startup stuff" (pre-OS booting crap) is stored on a CMOS chip on the motherboard. If your HDD were dead, you'd still be able to go into your BIOS to boot off a CD.
That being said, if it were a problem with your CPU, RAM, or Graphics Card, you'd most likely hear a series of beeps when you turn on your PC as Trigger mentioned earlier on. So a few questions to narrow it down more:
1. Do you hear any unusual beeps that you didn't used to hear before this started happeneing?
2. Are you hearing the single "everything's okay" beep or is it just completely silent?
3. If it is completely silent, was your computer always this way or did it used to give that "everything's okay" beep when it booted normally?
Unfortunately, it sounds like one of your major components is screwed up so it's probably going to cost a lot no matter what at this point. :(
..Yeah, I see a new computer coming my way. =/
.....In a very, very long time. Computers cost money.
As far as I know, it sounds completely normal as it starts up. No unusual beeps, at least. However, I think if I had a display, I'd be getting an error. I don't think it every finishes starting up, because the mouse never turns on. Typically, the light in the mouse turns on once it gets to the logon screen.
My guess is that there's some error that won't let it start up completely, so there must be a problem with whatever's starting it. Whatever that is, I believe must be causing the display to burn out as well. :(
i was at the local frys store and they had some pretty good refurbished pcs for about 200 bucks with decent memory and a decent processor. (amd athlon 64 3500) id definitely check it out.
Steal the rec centers hard drive and pop it in yours! And if thats not enough, steal another and a raid 0 driver. problem solved.
Apparently he's already got a new one. He IMed me a while ago and said he did, but he was still using crappy IM clients like those at his rec center, so I'm not sure if it's hooked up and all of that.
It's all hooked up, but dad's still on a powertrip for now. He doesn't want anything installed "without his permission" yet. So that's why I was Meeboing. :cookie: