Windows 10 Hosed Our Desktop. Please help.
December 3, 2015 7:33 PM Subscribe
HP Pavilion running Windows 8.1 before upgrade to Windows 10 last night. Computer working without issue before install began. Install finished and we restarted and bam! no signal to the monitor. How do we roll back to Windows 8 when we can not get the monitor working?
We have tried the following and the issue remains:
(1) Removed the HDMI cable and tried a VGA cable;
(2) Removed the video card and replaced it with one that is known to work;
(3) Tried HDMI & then VGA cable with the replacement video card;
(4) Put original (which is aftermarket) video card back in;
(5) Removed all device cables, power cable, pressed power button to discharge, then removed battery, waited 25 minutes, put battery back in following battery protocol.
First thing in the morning I am going to get a new battery to see if that fixes the issue.
What else should we be doing? I found plenty of advice in forums about booting computer into safe mode but that assumes the monitor is working, right? How do we get the monitor to work?
Once the monitor is working, I plan on uninstalling Windows 10, but one thing at a time.
Finally, searched the archives and could not find anything about a recommended repair shop that works on Windows machines in NYC. In case this is not a simple fix (or we have issues in the future) can anyone recommend one? We are in the Upper West Side area but have a car.
We have tried the following and the issue remains:
(1) Removed the HDMI cable and tried a VGA cable;
(2) Removed the video card and replaced it with one that is known to work;
(3) Tried HDMI & then VGA cable with the replacement video card;
(4) Put original (which is aftermarket) video card back in;
(5) Removed all device cables, power cable, pressed power button to discharge, then removed battery, waited 25 minutes, put battery back in following battery protocol.
First thing in the morning I am going to get a new battery to see if that fixes the issue.
What else should we be doing? I found plenty of advice in forums about booting computer into safe mode but that assumes the monitor is working, right? How do we get the monitor to work?
Once the monitor is working, I plan on uninstalling Windows 10, but one thing at a time.
Finally, searched the archives and could not find anything about a recommended repair shop that works on Windows machines in NYC. In case this is not a simple fix (or we have issues in the future) can anyone recommend one? We are in the Upper West Side area but have a car.
Do you see anything on the screen at all after the computer is turned on (e.g. the HP boot/BIOS screen), or does it stay off even before Windows begins booting? If the monitor doesn't display anything at all, then that is most likely a hardware or possibly a firmware/BIOS problem, not a Windows problem. Since you tried with a different video card, the monitor would be the thing I'd check, and following that I'd check to see if there is an upgrade available for your computer's BIOS or UEFI firmware.
If you do see something on the screen when it first boots but it turns off when Windows starts booting, then you should look into either creating or downloading a Windows Recovery Disc, or a Windows 10 installation disc (which should have the ability to repair the install as well, I believe).
posted by Aleyn at 8:35 PM on December 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you do see something on the screen when it first boots but it turns off when Windows starts booting, then you should look into either creating or downloading a Windows Recovery Disc, or a Windows 10 installation disc (which should have the ability to repair the install as well, I believe).
posted by Aleyn at 8:35 PM on December 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
#1. Booting into safe mode generally also enters a basic and safe video mode that is designed to work with all monitors etc. So that is definitely well worth a try. Once in safe mode you can change the video mode, drivers etc--which may allow you to fix the problem.
#2. It is just possible that your monitor has chosen this exact moment to die and the problem is just coincidental with the upgrade to Win 10. I mention this only because I have had this type of thing happen to me a few times over the years--spending $X hundred hours troubleshooting why the hard drive (or whatever) died when you were upgrading software $Y, only to discover that the hard drive just chose that moment to die and software $Y actually had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
posted by flug at 8:36 PM on December 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
#2. It is just possible that your monitor has chosen this exact moment to die and the problem is just coincidental with the upgrade to Win 10. I mention this only because I have had this type of thing happen to me a few times over the years--spending $X hundred hours troubleshooting why the hard drive (or whatever) died when you were upgrading software $Y, only to discover that the hard drive just chose that moment to die and software $Y actually had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
posted by flug at 8:36 PM on December 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: The only thing we see on the screen is the View Sonic logo which appears followed by the message, "No Signal".
posted by mlis at 9:15 PM on December 3, 2015
posted by mlis at 9:15 PM on December 3, 2015
Seconding trying to plug something else in to the monitor to make sure it works. If it's HDMI, you could try with a cable box or DVD player if you don't have a second computer.
posted by matildatakesovertheworld at 9:22 PM on December 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by matildatakesovertheworld at 9:22 PM on December 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
>The only thing we see on the screen is the View Sonic logo which appears followed by the message, "No Signal".
Usually when the computer is booting, you're going to see some evidence of the computer's POST and boot operations on screen. Those are going to happen at the start of the boot process regardless of type of operating system installed, or even if no operating system is installed at all. Even if the hard drive were completely unplugged, say, you would still see SOMETHING on-screen for a while on computer boot-up after the Viewsonic logo disappears.
Something could be fried in computer, video card, and/or monitor. Or it could be as simple as, the computer is broadcasting via HDMI while the monitor is set to receive via VGA (when you switched to different cables did you also go into the monitor menu and change its source? Usually there are buttons on the side/bottom of the monitor that allow you to bring up a menu and set input source, brightness, etc.).
You could try plugging the monitor into to some other computer to see if it works, and also try plugging a different monitor into the the computer to see if that works.
posted by flug at 11:47 PM on December 3, 2015
Usually when the computer is booting, you're going to see some evidence of the computer's POST and boot operations on screen. Those are going to happen at the start of the boot process regardless of type of operating system installed, or even if no operating system is installed at all. Even if the hard drive were completely unplugged, say, you would still see SOMETHING on-screen for a while on computer boot-up after the Viewsonic logo disappears.
Something could be fried in computer, video card, and/or monitor. Or it could be as simple as, the computer is broadcasting via HDMI while the monitor is set to receive via VGA (when you switched to different cables did you also go into the monitor menu and change its source? Usually there are buttons on the side/bottom of the monitor that allow you to bring up a menu and set input source, brightness, etc.).
You could try plugging the monitor into to some other computer to see if it works, and also try plugging a different monitor into the the computer to see if that works.
posted by flug at 11:47 PM on December 3, 2015
I'm afraid I cannot help you with your computer problem, but two years ago I asked, Where can I get my computer repaired? I ended up using the recommended New York Computer Help. It was for a very different problem (broken power button), and this was two years ago, so I can't exactly say I recommend them, but my experience was fine.
posted by unannihilated at 5:05 AM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by unannihilated at 5:05 AM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
You don't say whether the PC is under warranty, but having just dealt with a (very different) problem with my own PC, I can give some info on HP options.
First, you can call HP customer support: 1 (800) 474-6836 I have no idea if they could help you.
Second, you can find a HP Authorized Service Center. In my case, it turned out to be a nearby Staples. (Not all HP centers are at Staples, and not all Staples are HP authorized.) I think it's pretty much the same as going into any PC fixit shop, though I should hope the HP connection guaranties a level of professionalism.
Third, you can return the PC to HP for service. HP only does warranty service on PCs with the original operating system, so I'm not sure what they would do in your situation. If it does go to HP, they will make a perfunctory backup of your data (meaning your My Documents and little else) and install a fresh copy of the original OS. You get the machine back just the way it came out of the box. (Eventually, I did this, and they did fix the problem that was not correctly identified in either step 1 or step 2.)
Your TV may work as alternate monitor for testing. In your place, I think that spending $50-$100 at a fixit shop might be the best hope, or at least the easiest thing to do.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:56 AM on December 4, 2015
First, you can call HP customer support: 1 (800) 474-6836 I have no idea if they could help you.
Second, you can find a HP Authorized Service Center. In my case, it turned out to be a nearby Staples. (Not all HP centers are at Staples, and not all Staples are HP authorized.) I think it's pretty much the same as going into any PC fixit shop, though I should hope the HP connection guaranties a level of professionalism.
Third, you can return the PC to HP for service. HP only does warranty service on PCs with the original operating system, so I'm not sure what they would do in your situation. If it does go to HP, they will make a perfunctory backup of your data (meaning your My Documents and little else) and install a fresh copy of the original OS. You get the machine back just the way it came out of the box. (Eventually, I did this, and they did fix the problem that was not correctly identified in either step 1 or step 2.)
Your TV may work as alternate monitor for testing. In your place, I think that spending $50-$100 at a fixit shop might be the best hope, or at least the easiest thing to do.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:56 AM on December 4, 2015
Usually when the computer is booting, you're going to see some evidence of the computer's POST and boot operations on screen. Those are going to happen at the start of the boot process regardless of type of operating system installed, or even if no operating system is installed at all. Even if the hard drive were completely unplugged, say, you would still see SOMETHING on-screen for a while on computer boot-up after the Viewsonic logo disappears.
Some monitors don't wake up from the "sleep" mode they go in to immediately after powering on if there's no signal quickly enough to even show the POST screen nowadays. On a lot of modern systems that screen shows for a second, or even less.
Return the computer to its original configuration(video card, etc) Push the power button, and immediately start mashing F11 until something shows up on the screen. HPs recovery partition should still be intact. Looking around it seems like there's mixed reports of the recovery partition working that way on windows 8 machines.
I'd also try mashing escape and seeing if you get the boot menu. And it looks like HP posts recovery images on their support site, which you could write to a flash drive then select from said boot menu if the recovery partition is nonfunctional...
posted by emptythought at 11:54 AM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some monitors don't wake up from the "sleep" mode they go in to immediately after powering on if there's no signal quickly enough to even show the POST screen nowadays. On a lot of modern systems that screen shows for a second, or even less.
Return the computer to its original configuration(video card, etc) Push the power button, and immediately start mashing F11 until something shows up on the screen. HPs recovery partition should still be intact. Looking around it seems like there's mixed reports of the recovery partition working that way on windows 8 machines.
I'd also try mashing escape and seeing if you get the boot menu. And it looks like HP posts recovery images on their support site, which you could write to a flash drive then select from said boot menu if the recovery partition is nonfunctional...
posted by emptythought at 11:54 AM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seconding what flug said. Try plugging the monitor into another device or another computer, and making sure you're picking the correct source from the monitor's menu. Or plug another monitor into your computer. Based on your description, this sounds like a monitor issue more than it does a Windows issue.
posted by cnc at 12:59 PM on December 4, 2015
posted by cnc at 12:59 PM on December 4, 2015
You should boot off of a Linux live CD and see if your monitor works. If it doesn't, that's pretty solid proof that Windows is not your problem.
posted by JHarris at 6:18 PM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 6:18 PM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: We verified the monitor is working by connecting it to a laptop and we also checked all the monitor settings while connected to the desktop, still no signal. JHarris, thank you for that suggestion, a mefite we know also suggested that.
posted by mlis at 8:15 PM on December 4, 2015
posted by mlis at 8:15 PM on December 4, 2015
Response by poster: We dropped off the desktop today at a repair shop and their diagnosis was a failed motherboard. They want ~ $500 to replace motherboard and can not guarantee desktop will work after that b/c there could be a "software problem" which would cost extra. We are getting a second opinion.
posted by mlis at 8:20 PM on December 4, 2015
posted by mlis at 8:20 PM on December 4, 2015
Did you tell them that the monitor worked when you tried a live Linux CD? I want to give people benefit of the doubt, but to jump straight to replacing the motherboard like that, wow.
Do you have restore CDs? Also, often these days computers have a magic keypress that, if you hold it down while powering up, will boot to a recovery partition. But installing Windows 10 may well have wrecked that mechanism, I should warn you.
posted by JHarris at 10:37 PM on December 4, 2015
Do you have restore CDs? Also, often these days computers have a magic keypress that, if you hold it down while powering up, will boot to a recovery partition. But installing Windows 10 may well have wrecked that mechanism, I should warn you.
posted by JHarris at 10:37 PM on December 4, 2015
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posted by JayRwv at 7:54 PM on December 3, 2015