Monitor failure after game download

Hi There
My son downloaded a 100+ game pack called Mane from limewire and he played one game - attempted to exit it by pressing the escape button and it has left his monitor screen completely black. It is now unuseable, I wonder if any of you guys has heard of this happening before, and if so, would anyone be able to give me any advice on how to rectify it?
Many thanks in advance.
Peanuts mum.

 

What operating system and have you tried restarting the computer?

Steve

 

If resetting the PC isn't working then it's quite likely that either the monitor or the video card is broken. If you're not seeing the post screens (all that white text it shows when you boot up) then it's a HW issue and has nothing to do with any games he downloaded and played.

If you are seeing things after a reset then it's most likely just some minor issue with the games. COuld be because their old and have issues running DOS type games. You can try using compatibilty modes to resolve it. Or maybe update the video card drivers.

 

Hi There,
The operating system is Windows XP and the only way I can restart the computer is by pressing the off button, as I can't access anything on screen.
When it comes back on there is a message displayed which says the monitor is 'out of range' 1024x768 H:31KHZ and V:39.1KHZ. I don't know whether this is of any help?
Thanks so much!
Peanuts mum.

 

Hi There,
Slight problem there - in that, although tapping F8 may be putting the computer in safe mode I can't see anything. I can't change screen resolution either as nothing is coming up on screen. I am beginning to fear the worst!
Although the screen is blank, its not totally black - as if nothing was getting through at all. Its kind of a dark grey colour?!
Does this help?

 

One other thing you might check just to rule it out. Check your connections to the monitor and to the power supply, make sure they are not loose.

Steve

 

Ok i have checked all the cables and their all plugged in , i think the problem is to do with the game because its only stopped working while exiting the game.
thx again

 

I do too, just covering all the bases.

Steve

 

Try safemode again as Halo suggested, be sure to keep tapping F8 until something comes up, may take a minute. Hopefully.

Steve

 

ok , i tryed to get it into safe mode again but the screen is just black all the time except from one message saying OUT OF RANGE but that message is coming from the screen its self and not the computer. thx

 

Probably completely unrelated, but do you have a Gateway Profile machine by any chance?

 

Not sure what you mean by Gateway Profile?

 

Gateway Computers (the manufacturer) makes a line called the Profile (Profile 4, Profile 5). The Profile 4's have known problems with their video dying... I was just curious if you had one of those models, but it doesn't sound like it.

Booting into Safe Mode as suggested should use the default VGA driver for Windows... Did you say that even when you boot into Safe Mode the video disappears (and you get the Out of Range message)? At any point during Safe Mode booting did you see a list of drivers scrolling through the screen? After turning the computer on, you should see either a manufacturer BIOS screen for a second, or a message about the video hardware model/version/whatever, before Windows starts: did you see that? Did you see the initial Windows screen after the BIOS message(s)?

 

Hi There,
Its Peanuts mum again - he's shut up shop for the night - teenagers! No staying power.
No, there is absolutely nothing at boot up. Nothing but the message already mentioned. No bios, no anything. If I can explain - normally, when the bios screens are visible, the background colour is a dense black colour. But the screen is now a really dark grey, almost hazy. Totally unlike the normal boot up screen colour.
Its really quite weird. Peanut seems to think it may be that the actual picture is there but being obscured by the grey colour??
I have no idea whats happened - but on a TFT monitor thats only 10 months old, I would be surprised if its turned up its toes already.
Debbie

 

When you fire the machine up, do you hear a single beep (normal when boot process starts), or do you hear a series of short and or long beeps? If one single beep, does the hard disk LED appear to blink quickly (normal), or flash and just go off (not normal)? If things look normal, and the monitor stays constantly that grey color, that would lead me to think that maybe your monitor is toast. You've tweaked with the brightness and contrast settings on the monitor with the computer on and verified that they're not just cranked up all the way or down all the way, yeah?

 

Its a little difficult to check now as Peanuts asleep and its in his room.
If I remember rightly there are definately no error warning beeps. I think it did do the normal beep, but I can't remember if the LED stayed on or went off.
I would have to post again tomorrow when I can have a tinker with it.
I'm hoping and praying that the monitors not cronked. I have had so many problems with TFT monitors, its a total nightmare. I have had two and both have died within 8 months. I think the good old fashioned (take all the room up on your desk) monitors can't be beaten for reliability.
I have checked the settings, they're fine.
I will post again tomorrow and let you know exactly what happens at boot up.
Many thanks for all your suggestions and help so far.
Kindest Regards
Debbie

 

Don't worry, the monitor sounds fine. If it's showing the error message that tells you the monitor itself is working just fine. I suppose there could be a problem with the cord but I doubt it. Although if you want to test it just plug it into another computer and I bet it would work fine.

Like I said way back at the top it sounds like a HW issue. From the sounds of things its most likely the video card has died. Although it's difficult to trouble shoot this reliably. If the video card at least partially works that explains why you arn't recieving error beeps. It's being found but not working.

Since the computer isn't showing anything at post or any BIOS messages you can also say with certainty that whatever the error is, it has nothing to do with windows or anything installed on the hard drive.

The best approach right now would be to start eliminating possible broken HW. The best way to do this would be to find another computer and slowly swap pieces and try them out. I'd recommend checking the video card in another computer and if that works, check the RAM. If both of those work then odds are it's the CPU or motherboard itself that has gone. In which case test the CPU (if you can, it's harder to find a compatible comptuer for that).

 

Hi There All,
I phoned the shop where I purchased the PC and they told me how to reset the computer by turning off the main power then holding in the on/off button. The monitor is now working fine. So everythings now fab!!
Thanks so much for all your help - you've all been so kind!
Bye for now.
Kind regards
Debbie