PC won't start

stonecoldsteveaustin

I was watching a downloaded movie file on media player and as soon as the file finished the computer turned off. When it restarted, the monitor was receiving no picture. I tried to turn the tower off again but despite holding the power button for a long long time the only way i could power off was to pull the plug. Now the drive light coems on and flashes and the fan is going but no pictures are getting to the monitor and i still have to pull the plug out to turn it off. The PC doesnt have a reset button only a power button. Any advice please?

PZH

stonecoldsteveaustin wrote: »

I was watching a downloaded movie file...

Hope it was a legal download :rotfl:

stonecoldsteveaustin wrote:

...as soon as the file finished the computer turned off. When it restarted, the monitor was receiving no picture. I tried to turn the tower off again but despite holding the power button for a long long time the only way i could power off was to pull the plug. Now the drive light coems on and flashes and the fan is going but no pictures are getting to the monitor and i still have to pull the plug out to turn it off. The PC doesnt have a reset button only a power button. Any advice please?

I assume you have checked all the connections ?

Can you see the BIOS boot screen ? ( Press the Del key during bootup )

Is it onboard graphics or a separate card ?

Does the monitor say "No Signal" or is it just blank ?

What OS are you using ?

PH

stonecoldsteveaustin

Thanks for reply.
It's a totally legal download : )
ok so, I checked all connections. The monitor says no signal so can't even check BIOS screen. Am using Windows XP.

Sorry not sure about graphics card, I haven't added one though.

Any advice would be great.
thanks

Shambler

First call is to check the monitor is still plugged into the graphics card.

Second call is to try another monitor if you have one.

If that does not work then turn off the PC switch at the wall ( but leave it plugged in ).

Take the side off and check that the graphics card (if it is not a built in) is properly plugged into its socket.

Check this then come back to us...although if it doesn't solve the problem then it will probably be bad news!

stonecoldsteveaustin

Thanks. Will try and let you know : )

haamiduk

I have had exactly the same issue on my PC about 2months ago..... only after looking at connections, plugs, BIOS, even changing the graphics I discovered it wasent any of them.....
...It was a god damm virus, dont know how I got it... had to format and re-install everything....

Just beware.... may be a possibly on urs too!! Sorry, I know one does NOT want to hear that!

Cheers!

PZH

stonecoldsteveaustin wrote: »

Thanks for reply.
It's a totally legal download : )
ok so, I checked all connections. The monitor says no signal so can't even check BIOS screen. Am using Windows XP.

Sorry not sure about graphics card, I haven't added one though.

Any advice would be great.
thanks

If the monitor is displaying a "No Signal" message then the "screen" itself is working.

You should at least see the BIOS Screen if there is a valid signal source ( which works without graphics drivers as far as I am aware - and before a virus had chance to activate ? )

So:-
It could still be the monitor ( Input socket/interface damaged ? ) - do you have a spare you can try ?
Could be the Graphics Chip/Card not giving an output - Again, a spare would identify this.
Could be the cable ( Unlikely - but not impossible )

PH