Help!!! Please!!!

Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
edited October 2006 in Technical Stuff and Help
I am trying to help my daughter get her PC to work. It was working just fine. Now it suddenly says ever time it turns on, "monitor in save mode, activate using PC".
It says this in a little box and the background (screen is black. No matter what I push on the keyboard or mouse, nothing happnes.
It was working fine not too long ago.
I don't even know how to start it in bios, which maybe could help me more.
Its like its dead except that little memo about save mode.
The PC is running, the keyboard is working okay, the monitor is working, just nothing will show but that box about save mode.
She has Windows XP installed. I am unsure if it has worked since she put windows xp in it.
She has never used it online, all she was using it for was pictures and graphics.
Now she bought comcast cable and can't install that cuz there is nothing on the monitor to use.

HELP!!!
Save room for dessert!
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    press down alt-ctrl-delete at the same time and see if that kicks it into life... if you do this button depressing combination twice then your comp will restart or a bomb goes off in N.Korea... i forget which!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    press down alt-ctrl-delete at the same time and see if that kicks it into life... if you do this button depressing combination twice then your comp will restart or a bomb goes off in N.Korea... i forget which!
    LOL! I tried alt-ctrl-delete. Nothing changes. Even repeating it does nothing.
    I did a search online and this seems to be a problem for a lot of people. It has something to do with the video card it seems, but they talk about going into the bios to fix it. Well, I can't do that cuz I can't get to anything.

    I tired a lot of stuff, if its true about bombs going off...well I blew up a lot of stuff...LOL!!!

    I don't need it to restart, it won't show anything on the monitor but that message.
    I know you can go into the bios while its booting but I can't remmeber what you do to make the bios come up while booting.
    Save room for dessert!
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    Heatherj43 wrote:
    LOL! I tried alt-ctrl-delete. Nothing changes. Even repeating it does nothing.
    I did a search online and this seems to be a problem for a lot of people. It has something to do with the video card it seems, but they talk about going into the bios to fix it. Well, I can't do that cuz I can't get to anything.

    I tired a lot of stuff, if its true about bombs going off...well I blew up a lot of stuff...LOL!!!

    I don't need it to restart, it won't show anything on the monitor but that message.
    I know you can go into the bios while its booting but I can't remmeber what you do to make the bios come up while booting.


    when its booting up its either F1 or F8 .... or is it hold the space bar down!!!!

    memory is fricking awful... i use macs... especially when i'm flashing!!!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • DarkStarDarkStar Posts: 734
    Heatherj43 wrote:
    LOL! I tried alt-ctrl-delete. Nothing changes. Even repeating it does nothing.
    I did a search online and this seems to be a problem for a lot of people. It has something to do with the video card it seems, but they talk about going into the bios to fix it. Well, I can't do that cuz I can't get to anything.

    I tired a lot of stuff, if its true about bombs going off...well I blew up a lot of stuff...LOL!!!

    I don't need it to restart, it won't show anything on the monitor but that message.
    I know you can go into the bios while its booting but I can't remmeber what you do to make the bios come up while booting.

    bring it to my house...i'll fix it.

    actually, the video card may need to be replaced...or it may just need to be re-seated...which you can do yourself...just open the case and take the screw out that is holding the video card in place (there should be one screw holding it in place)...rock it back and fourth to get it out of the slot...blow on it for good measure...might as well vacuum all of the dust out of the case while your at it...line up the card into the slot and push it back into the slot with even pressure...reinstall screw...plug everything back together...boot up. let us know if that works.

    please unplug the computer before you open it up to do any work.

    ds
    And no one sings me lullabyes
    And no one makes me close my eyes
    So I throw the windows wide
    And call to you across the sky....
  • aNiMaLaNiMaL Posts: 7,117
    What color light is on the monitor; green or orange?

    Check and make sure the cable from the monitor is plugged in securely to the back of the computer tower.

    It sounds to me like the monitor is not getting a video signal. The cable is either not plugged in at all or not all the way. Or the video card is shot. But i would start with just checking the cable.
  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    DarkStar wrote:
    bring it to my house...i'll fix it.

    actually, the video card may need to be replaced...or it may just need to be re-seated...which you can do yourself...just open the case and take the screw out that is holding the video card in place (there should be one screw holding it in place)...rock it back and fourth to get it out of the slot...blow on it for good measure...might as well vacuum all of the dust out of the case while your at it...line up the card into the slot and push it back into the slot with even pressure...reinstall screw...plug everything back together...boot up. let us know if that works.

    please unplug the computer before you open it up to do any work.

    ds
    This sounds like what it is. I juts found out today that she recently had a new video card put in and it worked for awhile, then they moved it to another location.
    The place that you plug the monitor into the PC is loose. So, yep...I need to reseat it.
    LOL!!! You don't live that far...LOL!!! I may show up with computer in hand. Nah, I think I can do it.
    Thanks for the help!!!
    Thanks everyone else too.
    It is F8 to get to the bios, but I tried that this morning and it won't even let me do that.
    I love you all!!! I knew I could come here and get help. You all are so smart!!!

    I will let you all know if reseating it works.
    Save room for dessert!
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    poke it with a stick next time!!!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • aNiMaLaNiMaL Posts: 7,117
    Heatherj43 wrote:
    This sounds like what it is. I juts found out today that she recently had a new video card put in and it worked for awhile, then they moved it to another location.
    The place that you plug the monitor into the PC is loose. So, yep...I need to reseat it.
    LOL!!! You don't live that far...LOL!!! I may show up with computer in hand. Nah, I think I can do it.
    Thanks for the help!!!
    Thanks everyone else too.
    It is F8 to get to the bios, but I tried that this morning and it won't even let me do that.
    I love you all!!! I knew I could come here and get help. You all are so smart!!!

    I will let you all know if reseating it works.
    No, if you don't have video, BIOS will not help you because you can't see it! ;)
  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    you need to put the dohicky next to the thingamagig, and than press the framazam
    that should fix it:)
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    It does sound like it needs a reseating. I used to walk people through it over the phone like a hundred times a day when I worked for HP.

    I would suggest though, remove the power cord from the PC and hold the power-button in for about 30 seconds to drain the capacitors before working inside the case. Also remember to ground yourself on the power-supply to discharge any static in your body or wear a 30 ohm resistor strap.

    Also to clean the dust out I suggest a can of dust remover spray that doesn't generate static like a vaccuum. You can get them for a few bucks at a Radio Shack or The Source. It's good maintenace to clean the dust out regularily.

    This whole issue with the monitor entering power saving mode can be a little more complex. In some cases I've had to turn power-saving off completely. The PC sends a message to the monitor to enter stand-by mode but sometimes it gets stuck and doesn't come back on. I'm not sure why exactly, but I've seen it a bunch of times. It used to happen a lot with the early HP XP machines. There might be a patch or something for it now.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    Ahnimus wrote:
    It does sound like it needs a reseating. I used to walk people through it over the phone like a hundred times a day when I worked for HP.

    I would suggest though, remove the power cord from the PC and hold the power-button in for about 30 seconds to drain the capacitors before working inside the case. Also remember to ground yourself on the power-supply to discharge any static in your body or wear a 30 ohm resistor strap.

    Also to clean the dust out I suggest a can of dust remover spray that doesn't generate static like a vaccuum. You can get them for a few bucks at a Radio Shack or The Source. It's good maintenace to clean the dust out regularily.

    This whole issue with the monitor entering power saving mode can be a little more complex. In some cases I've had to turn power-saving off completely. The PC sends a message to the monitor to enter stand-by mode but sometimes it gets stuck and doesn't come back on. I'm not sure why exactly, but I've seen it a bunch of times. It used to happen a lot with the early HP XP machines. There might be a patch or something for it now.
    I haven't gone into her computer yet to fix this...and now I am loss. How do I ground myself to the power cord? Also, the part about turning off power save completely?? How can I do that when I can't get onto the computer?
    And thanks...you have helped more!! I was wondering how to rid the capacitators of electricity.
    I do plan on dusting the whole thing too. I wil get that can of stuff.
    Save room for dessert!
  • wedgewedge Posts: 81
    Heatherj43 wrote:
    ..and now I am loss. How do I ground myself to the power cord?

    put your hand on the power supply (not cord) for ten seconds. The metal box part the cord goes in to.
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