Blank Monitor

Anne_Marie_2

Home pc, ancient but upgraded with bits and pieces, windows xp pro.
Monitor totally blank, except that when I touch the buttons on the monitor, comes up with screen to allow for changes in settings. Is it my monitor which is duff, or something else like ...hazarding a guess here, possibly my graphics card?
Am borrowing another monitor to try out tomorrow to see - but think it might be something else.
Much prefer using home pc than laptop, and really limited in space, so not practical to have them both together.
Any ideas at all,
Thanks in advance,
AM

albertross_2

Does the PC have onboard graphics, as well as a seperate graphics card? If so, have you plugged it into the right one?

It could be the cable, but unlikely.

Does anything come on the screen at all at bootup?

Anne_Marie_2

Goodness only knows albertross, not a clue as to what graphics I have. Everything is plugged the way it always has been, so not a case of me interfering with anything there - well, not since I put in new hard drive few months ago. Nothing comes up on screen at all at boot up.
Will be picking up borrowed monitor this afternoon/evening, so will give that a try, but with my luck, will be something else! Will let you know.

mattbass

Try unplugging and replugging the cable from the moniter to the pc( with the blue socket). That is the first thing to do. And if you are feeling confident try reseating your graphics card ( if you find you have one).

Anne_Marie_2

Thanks for that mattbass..........don't think it is the monitor at all, am getting messages coming up on monitor now such as "please check signal". Wouldn't know what a graphics card was if it hit me in the face!
Well something obviously wrong within my tower, so will have to wait until Friday/Sat until DD's boyfriend is here, he has much more knowledge of internals of computer than I do...but am learning, can do memory and hard drive now.......so next lesson coming up in whatever is wrong - least I still have my laptop!

Anne_Marie_2

Well finally got round to checking out my problem - been busy with a friend's pc. Anyway, am blown away, it is the monitor after all. So got a tiny wee 14" crt for now, until I can afford to buy a new monitor. :rolleyes: Such is life!

albertross_2

Does anything come on the old monitor in safe mode (F8 at bootup).

Anne_Marie_2

Sorry Albertross, took so long to reply. Nope nothing in safe mode at all. Looks as if heading for the skip, unless you got any better ideas.
14" monitor has been disconnected now and using laptop attached to my big keyboard - easier to see, and easier to type, without having to look at the keys - laptop - I keep having to search for certain buttons!

albertross_2

It's sounds dead, just wondered if it was anything to do with too high a resolution. Is the lead swappable, that's the only other think I can think off.. It's a strange fault..usually they die completely, but it can display something on screen, so it's not completely gone.

Only consolation is that replacements are dirt cheap nowadays.

Anne_Marie_2

Thanks Albertross - nope lead is connected totally, well..... into the monitor side obviously!
Ah well, then, it's dead!
Must admit I was nearly convinced it was something else, due to having power and blue box coming up saying to check signal etc.
Good thing though, is that I have learned that I don't have a separate graphics card, so something positive has come out of it. (learned lots this last few days with one thing and another, if you saw my post about fixing a friend's computer).
Have possibly got a chance of a huge Sony monitor for £25, if there is any left - but this is through daughter's boyfriend, so not an open to all invitation here! If not, going to go for a TFT screen - so might be back looking for the best deal. In the meantime am skint, so laptop is fine (Samsung M30).

How do I get rid of monitor? Do I take it to local skip? Am sure that I just cannot bung into my wheelie bin! :rotfl:

albertross_2

Yes local council tip, but don't go in a white van, or they might try to charge you..