black screen

im running xp and when i turn it on there is nothing but a black screen. any help would be welcome

 

We need a bit more information than that.

Laptop or PC?

If PC LCD or CRT?

How old is the machine?

Have their been any other weird things happening before this?

 

desktop pc,LCD(STILL WORKS),BUILT IT MYSELF IN 2002,IT HAS A ATI RADEON 9800,(2)MAXTOR 80GB HARD DRIVES.REPLACED THE MOTHERBOARD 11 MONTHS AGO AND THEN SWAPPED OUT THE HARD DRIVES MAKING THE SLAVE THE PRIMARY DRIVE AND RELOADED XP.IT WORKED WELL FOR ABOUT 11 MONTHS THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT A OEM BLUE SCREEN FOR ABOUT 3 SECS THEN A BLACK SCREEN.I TRIED TO PUT IN SAFE MODE BUT ONLY GOT A BLACK SCREEN. COULD NOT SEE THE SELECTION FOR CHOOSING SAFE MODE.

 

Have you tried going back to onboard graphics???

Have you tried a different monitor??

 

im using the same monitor on another computer and its working, i haven't tried onboard graphics yet, i'll try that next.

is there any way to get my documents off of the hard drive if it is bad or the cause of the black screen ?

 

the monitor is workin on another computer. i haven't tried onboard graphics yet, i'll try that next. how can i get my documents off of the hard drive if the hard drive is the problem ?

 

I haven't heard of the HDD being the cause of such an issue ...but if it was urgent that you obtained files of the PC, I would pull the HDD out and plug it into the other PC temporarily.

Onboard graphics would be a good start ...

One thing I just realised I missed ... when you turn it on ... can you hear the HDD or the fans spinning up? Are there any beeps?? Are the lights coming on??

 

ok, i tried another monitor,moved the cable to the mb vga port =still no picture(still could not enter safe mode or cmos_, nothing comes on the screen. i think its the motherboard again since i cannot access or see anything

 

Just clarifying ... you REMOVED the Add-On Graphics card BEFORE trying the onboard right??

Also do you see lights or hear fans when booting??

 

yes to all, i removed the graphics card, lights and fans work

 

I come across black screen too! When I am browsing on Internet, cursor couldn't be moved suddenly, there was no response on my computer at all. And then PC screen turned black. I could only reboot it.
As this problem doesn't happen usually and I can't find a solution, I just leave it so.
Has any guy know about problems of black screens? If only there is a solution.