We were having problems with it a while. Sometimes it wouldn't start, sometimes it froze. Today I got a blue screen of death and shut down the computer at the power switch. Then restarted another bsod. Now the monitor isn't even turning on. It will probably be a while before I get a new one. I am on my father's computer now.
My computer broke
(16 posts) (9 voices)-
The monitor and system unit are usually separate (unless it's a laptop). A friend had problem with her monitor and it seems to be her surge protector not providing power smoothly anymore. Are you sure it was plugged in completely?
I can't help with crashes and BSODs but monitors not turning on are usually a totally different situation!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Michelle
MemberIt's the computer. The monitor started displaying going to sleep again continously. We had that problem a while ago on our computer and I thought it was the monitor. The monitor works perfectly on brother's computer which he moved to the computer room and is using our comcast connection till we get a new one. He is leaving me and my brother on it. He even said I can play games on it which I have to download and install.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm not saying this is the culprit, but I have had this type of problem before. Do you clean the inside of your computer at all? It may be that dust is accumulating and causing your computer to overheat. Also, do you have a video card? If so, I would guess that your video card (could also be the video controller on your motherboard) is fried. I know from personal experience that my video card was overheating and it started giving me bsod's, freezing, and then just wouldn't show anything at all.
However, like hotdoge was saying, we can't tell you for sure without knowing what the stop error was on the bsod screen and without having a display that works you won't be able to tell us.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Whiterabbit-uk
Games GuruIt could also be a corrupted windows installation. The only cure for that would be to reinstall your windows. I presume you have a windows install disc that came with the computer, or that you purchased to upgrade an older version of windows?
If it's the graphics card as Wiz suggests you can check by removing the card 9(ensure you've disconnected the computer from the mains before removing the case cover). Unplug your monitor lead from the graphics card then remove the card. Plug the monitor plug into the onboard graphics socket. Most Motherboards (MoBo's) will have their own graphics chip, so if your graphics card is fried alls not lost, tohugh you may find some games that require more memory wont work. Most onboard chips average around 64Mb, though I am a little out of date with MoBo specs at the moment. If the MoBo is more than a few years old the chip may even be lower say for example 16 or 32Mb, which is okay for most arcade games, but not for the bigger games.
You should also get a clue as to whether the graphics card is fried by the smell. It wll have that sweet electrical burnt smell. Just have a whiff inside your casing, lol. :) I hope it can be fixed.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Michelle
MemberIt was dusty. My brother cleaned it out. He also found out the fan wasn't plugged in to the processor. It is the motherboard. My brother said a long time ago that he thinks there are a couple things wrong with the computer. My brother Matt is getting me a new one hopefully in a couple months. I am on my brother Mark's in the meantime. His is an HP. Windows 7.
The computer's graphic card was onboard.
Posted 13 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorBefore you give up on the computer you might try running the on-board diagnostics within the BIOS (enter the BIOS or Setup by pressing the appropriate key(s) during start-up). The problems you describe could indicate a failing, then failed, memory stick. Memory does fail over time, now what was I going to type..., and it fails faster if your system is running a bit hot.
Note that if the installed memory shown in the BIOS doesn't match what's physically installed then there's no reason to run the diagnostics -- you'll know that you've got a bad memory stick.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Idunnobutiwastold
Gaming AcolyteThat's good to hear. If you still have your old computer around, you could "cannibalize" some of its components and use them as spare parts (sometime in the future). Stuff like DVD recorder, monitor, keyboard, speakers, even a hard drive, are reusable and are usually interchangeable between computers.
Posted 13 years ago # -
copmom
MemberJust thought I'd add to this topic. My machine (for quite sometime now) took forever when I had to reboot.. sometimes 8 minutes before it would function properly. Then kept getting a message about virtual memory. Things were not working quite right. Checked task manager to see what was using so much and it showed aaw.exe (ad aware!) I deleted that program, and viola, now things are running properly again!
Although now my tower is running noisy.. guess I'd better use the above suggestion and vacuum it out.. the fans are usually what makes noise!Posted 13 years ago # -
Michelle
MemberAdaware stinks anymore. They started out good, but then added an antivirus which made it stink. Make sure you have an antivirus though on your machine. I am using the Norton that came with this computer. I will change it to Norton Security Suite (comcast) one day.
Posted 13 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.