How to fix a computer with a blank screen?

May 26, 2008 11:14 AM

I have an HP Pavilion a1200y desktop. When you turn it on the monitor is blank, how can I fix this?

All the fans are blowing and the machine seems to be working, I just get no picture. It's not the hard drive because I took that out and put it in a different machine to test it. It isn't the monitor because I tested that with a different machine too.

If it is a problem with the integrated video, can I just buy a cheap video card? What's the cheapest video card I can buy that is compatible with the HP Pavilion a1200y?

posted by banished to computers & internet (8 answers total)

No clue if this will work, but try unplugging the monitor and starting the computer. Then turn the computer off, plug the monitor in, and start it up. That fixes all kinds of problems because it makes the computer re-detect the monitor.

Also, try using a different monitor with your HP.
posted by DMan at 11:39 AM on May 26, 2008

Does it beep shortly after turning it on? If it does, how many beeps and how close together?
posted by missmagenta at 11:40 AM on May 26, 2008

No beeps, it seems to start fine. I did try a different monitor, same problem.
posted by banished at 11:46 AM on May 26, 2008

I don't suppose you noticed if it usually beeps? (Most computers beep once or twice on startup to verify the POST worked out ok)
posted by missmagenta at 11:49 AM on May 26, 2008

If it doesn't work with a second monitor, you almost definitely have a video problem and a new video card would probably work.
posted by DMan at 11:52 AM on May 26, 2008

If it doesn't work with a second monitor, you almost definitely have a video problem and a new video card would probably work.

There are many things that could be wrong that are completely unrelated to the graphics card, a blank screen doesn't necessarily narrow down the options to monitor or graphics card - especially if the machine doesn't post.

If it beeped normally before the problem started then its most likely not the graphics card - given that you know the monitor and drives are OK, then my first guess would be RAM. Try taking it out and see if that gets you anything on the monitor or any beeps. If it has never beeped then diagnosing the problem is more difficult. According to the HP specs, your mobo supports both PCI and PCI Express (x16), though I'm not sure if you can get PCI graphics cards these days, do you have any friends you could borrow a PCI-E card from, to test with?
posted by missmagenta at 12:15 PM on May 26, 2008

You can definitely still get PCI graphics cards.
posted by delmoi at 2:23 PM on May 26, 2008

I once had the same problem, and it just took pressing one of the function keys (you know, the ones in blue or green showing little monitors etc. on your number keys, together with a function key near alt/ctrl).
I gave a presentation, hot unplugged the projector and closed my laptop, this led to a blank screen on next startup.
posted by Yavsy at 4:46 PM on May 26, 2008