black screen when booting

[furry81]

e: Black Screen when booting up

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‎05-22-2017 12:03 PM

Long time problem.  Plus did restore.  Black screen persists and now i'm afraid to turn computer off.  Microsoft was helping me but told me i needed to contact HP.  This has been extrememly impossible to do.  I can't get help with this.  Computer turns on but screen stays black.  I do as Microsoft was instructing me - turn C off, wait 40 seconds, turn on.  I do this several times and sometimes picture comes on but stays only a few seconds and goes black again.  After several times the pic often stays on.  It has to have the lights behind, which it often does not, but is completly black, not grey.  Microsoft says it is a problem for HP but i cannot get help from HP.  Warranty expired.  I even paid for service and cannot get that sevice i pay for each month.  I cannot make phone call.  My car has a problem.  All i have is my computer - pfft.  A tech came to the house, jiggled the cable and the screen came on.  He claimed to have fixed it.  Just jiggle the wire.  I think it was just a coincidence that it came on that very moment he jiggled the cable because it has never done so since then.  I've disconnected the cable and reconnected it.  Doing this seems to help sometimes, but not every time.  Please help me with this problem.  

[Dvortex]

Hello, @furry81– Hope you are well 🙂

Allow me to welcome to HP Support Forums! It is a great platform to get help from the community, get suggestions and find what has worked for others!

I see that you are facing issues with the Desktop display. I understand that you have already performed several steps and even contacted the Microsoft.

Did you try updating the display drivers on your PC? If not, follow the steps here: Update drivers manually in Windows - Microsoft Support
The document is for Windows 10, but the steps are similar for 8.1 as well.

If the issue persists, I’d suggest you connect the PC to a different monitor to check and make sure the issue is not with the display. If you have an alternate monitor, try connecting the PC to the alternate monitor. Check if that works. That will help us further isolate the issue.

Please let me know if this resolves the issue, or if you require further assistance!

Good luck 🙂

Please click "Accepted Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!

[furry81]

Hi DVortex

Your suggestions sound great.  I installed a newer graphics driver from HP.  AMD as shown on the tower.   I haven't yet shut off my computer.  Will tonight.  Afraid of that black screen.   If trouble continues would you suggest i get a new monitor?  The one i have is old and preceeded the new computer.  I kept it because it was oversized like the newer ones are.  It has worked well for several years, including in conjunction with new computer, which is itself now a few years old.  I don't have another monitor.  Thank you for your reply.  This old monitor came with a computer which had INTEL graphics.  Would this make a difference?  

[savvy2]

it can only be 3 things (from a none tech view)

1. bad PC  (this include the OS, and programmed wrong on the power page)  PC is in sleep mode,  turn that off.
2. bad cables ( 2 wires there can fail, and the monitor will go to sleep. or show, NO SIGNAL)
3. bad monitor. (OSD dead, is bad monitor)

simple substitution solves this.

does the  OSD screen work , when black ( its compaq, screen that be very old screen,) push the menu key.? on screen front?

push button 2,  when dead.

[furry81]

wow a lot there to reply to, some of which i don't understand.  i am 80 yrs old and not savvy on a lot of newfangled stuff.

My monitor is a compaq 5017.

I can coax screen to come on.  Often takes quite a few tries of shut down, wait, turn on, to produce the back light that keeps picture on.  Otherwise the picture stays on for only a few seconds and screen is black again.  A microsoft tech seemed to say that it had to do with sychonizing.  The computer on/off button does not shut down the computer.  I have to pull the plug to turn it off.  then when i turn it on, if i haven't turned off the screen, it flashes "going to sleep".  I press the start button and the computer starts, fan.  I've learned that if i wait about 50 seconds before turning on the screen a picture is more likely to come on than if i leave the screen in the on mode.  

I've suspected the cable to be the bad guy.  I've disconnected it and reattached it several times and each time it seems to help in getting an image to stay on the screen.  Or possibly the socket in the computer where it is attached because it doesn't look right to me in that the plug doesn't look to be all the way in.  It is very difficult to get at and i don't have the right tools.  I use long nozed plyers to turn the two thingies.  I worked in electronics years ago when things were more simple, and to me this connection is hokey.  I would need to take this heavy tower somewhere and iv'e hesitated to do that because of my hernia.  

Some of the other things you wrote i will have to review again.  I hesitate to purchase another monitor if this one isn't the problem.  I personally think it is either the cable or the socket in the tower.  Also why does the button turn off the computer?  Is something out of whack?  

 I got up in the morning and the computer was still on, the screen was black.  I touched the mouse and the image came on the screen but only for a few seconds and went into it's  permanently off black mode.  Is this a clue?

I went to try the link the other tech gave me but i don't remember what happened when i opened that page.  I found myself in hp lists of stuff and having to look for what i don't know.  I'll try it again.

thank you for your help.   

[furry81]

I am not about to turn this thing off to see if this screen has lights. It could be days before i get it to come on again.   Lights do come on but have to be coaxed.  So this might mean the display is bad?  I should get another.  But i can't now.  I will price them.  And should have someone to advise.  Sure will be mad tho if buying a monitor doesn't fix the problem.   I'm not turning this thing off any more.

[savvy2]

its an LCD screen ,very very old, 2002 most this old the back lamp fails, and is now in the land fill.

see button 2,  that is SELECT, push at any time see OSD menu. the PC can be dead and OSD works.,  fact.

does it work all the time?  this is FIRST,  then cable then PC, in that order, see?

this 2002 monitor does not have PNP nor modern sleep logic, so turn off sleep in the PC. and hiberate, 

[furry81]

It appears you are more angry than i am.  Far more.  Frustrated is more descripted of me.  

Please notice that i named the monitor in my message of 5-24-17 at 9:24 on line 3.  It is a compaq 5017.

I am looking into purchasing a new monitor but it is necessary it fits on my desk, therefore i am very limited in choice.  It can't be much bigger than what i have.  My desk has a frame above, all around the work area where both the tower and monitor have to be.   I need those shelves.   

One more thing about the screen.  When i turn it on, ( plug in the power), and the monitor is on, a "going to sleep" sign comes on.  Does this mean anything?  I found it seems to work better if i have the monitor turned off when i turn on the power.  Then i turn on the computer, (press the on button).  then i find it seems better to wait another while before i turn on the monitor.  ( press the on button).  This is what i've been doing.  Then all too often an image comes on, usually my opening page where i have to sign in, sometimes it's a page where i have to restart the computer.  And all too often those images last only a few seconds and screen turns black.  Only once in a while the image stays and i'm all set.  The computer does not turn off by the on/off button.  i have to unplug the power cord.  

I'm just wondering how you decided i am angry from anything i've written.  It must reflect your own state of emotion.  You calm down.

dorine

[savvy2]

You can't turn it off

and thus cant test,  it.

Like taking a car to the mechanic, and tell him fix it but dont' turn it off,  imagine his reactions> (finger pointing down the road )

what do we  know so far.

• when it goes black,  you did not push the LCD button marked SELECT (and see that OSD menu)
• the Monitor is 2002 and is showing ,sleep mode is active on the PC,  (or its cable is bad,)  I'd believe it.
• the cable connectors look funny, no photos presented here for accessment. (if bad,  that be it , for sure)!!!
• you could go into windows control panel and turn off all sleep and hibernate modes but did not. (power setttings)
• you could go in to same page and turn the "what happens with power button is pushed", 5 choices, off is a nice choice. (that is the cure for your stated #2 problem) (if not Virus infected, etc)
• That old monitor may use a different sleep mode,(it's old and may use VESA methods)  this is complex and is best cured by making the PC never ever use sleep mode, the sleep modes changed 4 times back in 2002 (from VESA,EDID , Vsis,DCM and last DPM standards.) there is nice wiki to cover this Horror side of SLEEP modes, but ill not post it, just turn sleep off and WIN.  Sorry 2002 monitors were and ARE A PAIN !  and worse...
• last the 2002 monitor is not PnP like 2nd poster above alluded to,  my guess is he's young never seen any 2002 monitor nor that  fact that PnP started in 2004. June,  and my guess happened in productions Dec? 2004 so there is no monitor, setups for this old monitor.   sorry,  but yes there is a Grahics chip driver, but if you read the HP pages on your PC you'd see there are not just one chip used,  and you'd have to use tactics to solve that, one tactic is to get them all seen on that page and run them,  the SP12345.exe files.  then RUN em' 1by1, if one runs and it tell you its wrong, then it is,  the HP drivers all do that magic, they make sure the driver matches the chips first then it installs. 
• last of all , why not get it all fixed by a pro tech.  not one guy that wiggles cables and then runs.
• there is lots more , but all the depends on the first test you forgot to do,  the LCD menu key.

Pnp what is Pnp , its plug and play,  that is the magic allows the PC to ask the monitor who are you

the Monitor replies.  with name , model and sub model features.

this allows the PC to operate it correctly

Your Monitor is not PnP certified, there for there is no PnP  there.

its too old.

the cure is simple , turn off sleep and hibernate.  (in control panel, under power settings)

you flip 2 bits,  and now it works right., in the OS, operating system.

this of course is subject to :

PC is not corrupted (os)

PC is not virus infected.

if it is reload the OS, and move  back to day 1, working 100%

[savvy2 · Accepted solution]

when the screen goes dead again,  push the monitor select button on the front of the monitor.  left lower row of buttons is that button

bingo OSD pops.

does this work , on demand at any time, this in fact works, even if PC is off. and monitor is ON.

here is mine,  LCD Viewsonic , you dont have DVI or HDMI but  this OSD and if you see a menu

like this, when the LCD button Select is pushed, then the monitor is not dead, nor is it black now.

tell me the cable is bad

or the PC is locked up in sleep mode as vast numbers like to do. and an easy fix.... (power settings)