Black Monitor Screen

[NalinW]

My son recently downloaded a "podmena" virus via facebook. I therefore
purchased Norton 2009 Anti-virus software to clean the computer.
Whilst the virus appears to have been successfully removed a residual
problem has nevertheless emerged.

When the computer is starting up the monitor screen will invariably,
but not always go black, the monitor power light remains green and the
computer successfully completes the start up process albeit behind a
now black screen. If I press the monitor power button off and then on
again the screen will very briefly return to normal before once more
going black. If I repeat this process enough times the screen will
eventually return to normal and I can use the computer unhindered.
However if the computer is left inactive for any significant period of
time I find that upon returning to it the monitor screen will again go
black and I must again go through the process of switching the monitor
power button off and on again until normal service is resumed.

Can anyone help me please?

 

[Frank *Frank P*]

have you tried reinstalling the video drivers for your video card ?
some times this will help.

 

[Malke]

My son recently downloaded a "podmena" virus via facebook. I therefore
purchased Norton 2009 Anti-virus software to clean the computer.
Whilst the virus appears to have been successfully removed a residual
problem has nevertheless emerged.

When the computer is starting up the monitor screen will invariably,
but not always go black, the monitor power light remains green and the
computer successfully completes the start up process albeit behind a
now black screen. If I press the monitor power button off and then on
again the screen will very briefly return to normal before once more
going black. If I repeat this process enough times the screen will
eventually return to normal and I can use the computer unhindered.
However if the computer is left inactive for any significant period of
time I find that upon returning to it the monitor screen will again go
black and I must again go through the process of switching the monitor
power button off and on again until normal service is resumed.

It is unlikely that the computer is really clean. You can go through more
thorough virus/malware removal steps or simply do a clean install/restore to
factory. Then talk to your son about clicking/installing cr*p from Facebook.

Go through these general malware removal steps systematically -
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Include scanning with David Lipman's Multi_AV and follow instructions to do
all scans in Safe Mode. Please see the special Notes regarding using
Multi_AV in Vista.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Multi-AV - instructions
http://tinyurl.com/yoeru3 - download link and more instructions

You can also check to see if there are targeted removal steps for your
malware here:
Bleeping Computer removal how-to's -
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html
Or here: Malwarebytes malware removal guides - http://tinyurl.com/5xrpft

When all else fails, get guided help. Choose one of the specialty forums
listed at the first link. Register and read its posting FAQ. PLEASE DO NOT
POST LOGS IN THE MS NEWSGROUPS.

If you can't do the work yourself (and there is no shame in admitting this
isn't your cup of tea), take the machine to a professional computer repair
shop (not your local equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). Please be
aware that not all local shops are skilled at removing malware and even if
they are, your computer may be so infested that Windows will need to be
clean-installed. If possible, have all your data backed up before you take
the machine into a shop.

Malke

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

My son recently downloaded a "podmena" virus via facebook. I therefore
purchased Norton 2009 Anti-virus software to clean the computer.
Whilst the virus appears to have been successfully removed a residual
problem has nevertheless emerged.

When the computer is starting up the monitor screen will invariably,
but not always go black, the monitor power light remains green and the
computer successfully completes the start up process albeit behind a
now black screen. If I press the monitor power button off and then on
again the screen will very briefly return to normal before once more
going black. If I repeat this process enough times the screen will
eventually return to normal and I can use the computer unhindered.
However if the computer is left inactive for any significant period of
time I find that upon returning to it the monitor screen will again go
black and I must again go through the process of switching the monitor
power button off and on again until normal service is resumed.

Can anyone help me please?

How old is the monitor? It is possible that the monitor itself is
failing. If the monitor is an LCD monitor the back light fails after a
couple of years.

 

[Brian A.]

My son recently downloaded a "podmena" virus via facebook. I therefore
purchased Norton 2009 Anti-virus software to clean the computer.
Whilst the virus appears to have been successfully removed a residual
problem has nevertheless emerged.

When the computer is starting up the monitor screen will invariably,
but not always go black, the monitor power light remains green and the
computer successfully completes the start up process albeit behind a
now black screen. If I press the monitor power button off and then on
again the screen will very briefly return to normal before once more
going black. If I repeat this process enough times the screen will
eventually return to normal and I can use the computer unhindered.
However if the computer is left inactive for any significant period of
time I find that upon returning to it the monitor screen will again go
black and I must again go through the process of switching the monitor
power button off and on again until normal service is resumed.

Can anyone help me please?

To add to the other suggested rsponses, two other possible causes could be
power supply or memory module(s) gone bad.

--

Brian A. Sesko
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Paul]

How old is the monitor? It is possible that the monitor itself is
failing. If the monitor is an LCD monitor the back light fails after a
couple of years.

If the LCD backlight comes on for a few seconds, then goes off,
that could be the inverter that powers the backlight. The backlight
and the inverter are effectively matched to one another, so the inverter
works with a certain amount of loading. Either the inverter itself can be
failing, or the characteristics of the backlight could have shifted,
such that the inverter can no longer handle the load.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CCFL_Inverter.jpg

The backlight has two phases. When you first turn it on, the tube
has to "ignite". The applied voltage is a bit higher while that
happens. Once the tube has warmed for a few seconds, the material
inside the tube is conducting a bit better, and the inverter
voltage developed across the tube drops. It is at that moment,
that sometimes the thing shuts off.

(See the last paragraph here for example.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ccfl

Sometimes, making changes to the intensity settings of the screen,
can squeeze a few more weeks from the monitor. It might make it
easier for the inverter to continue to power the tube, after
the first few seconds have elapsed.

Paul

 

[shawn]

I personally would have formatted the whole computer and reinstalled
everything.

I came home from work one day and instantly knew my Girlfriend had gotten a
virus or something. She said it popped up on Facebook that she had a virus
so she clicked. I said don't you realize that's an advertisement to get you
to buy their software. They tell you you have a virus and the only way to
remove it is to install their software. I could not figure out a way to get
rid of it.

She saw how long it took me to reinstall Windows XP and then run all the
updates (hours) and how upset I was and wasn't going to use Facebook ever
again.

I told her I won't stop you from using it, but you need to be more careful.
We have Avast! antivirus program installed, so I showed her if it's not
Avast! giving you a virus detected message then it's an advertisement of
sorts. Sometimes these things fool you and make it so no matter what button
you press (close, minimize, etc) they all make it install their software.

A few weeks later she did something similar! So, now she doesn't play any
games on Facebook and hasn't had any trouble so far. She only uses it to
chat.

There's ways you can block the Facebook website totally if you want, but
there's also ways around that. I've blocked Facebook before by using a
simple method that only takes 5 seconds.. and if you want to undo it it's
very easy also, and she's not smart enough to know how to get around it.

 

[smlunatick]

My son recently downloaded a "podmena" virus via facebook.  I therefore
purchased Norton 2009 Anti-virus software to clean the computer.
Whilst the virus appears to have been successfully removed a residual
problem has nevertheless emerged.

When the computer is starting up the monitor screen will invariably,
but not always go black, the monitor power light remains green and the
computer successfully completes the start up process albeit behind a
now black screen.  If I press the monitor power button off and then on
again the screen will very briefly return to normal before once more
going black.  If I repeat this process enough times the screen will
eventually return to normal and I can use the computer unhindered.
However if the computer is left inactive for any significant period of
time I find that upon returning to it the monitor screen will again go
black and I must again go through the process of switching the monitor
power button off and on again until normal service is resumed.

Can anyone help me please?

Anti-Virus software should be installed before a virus has hit.
Installing anti-virus after the virus got in means you now must try
other software in order ro make "complete" sure that the virus is
eliminated.

Also, as with most viruses, the clean up process will possible remove
"important" files. It seems that either a monitor or video card
setting / file has been damaged. You will need to re-install the
drivers for both you monitor and video card.

As a previous response, you can be suffering from a "bad luck" and the
monitor is also failing.

 

[Brian A.]

I have stated over and over the security risk to those who use Facebook,
MySpace and other social network community sites. Those I have mentioned it
to opt out of heeding my warning statements for their own reasons unknown to
myself. For whatever purpose they choose to continue using those sites,
once again I warn against it and provide proof as to what I have always
stated about the sites.

From: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=1175&tag=rbxccnbzd1 May 23rd,
2008
<quote>
Facebook vulnerable to critical XSS, could lead to malware attacks:
Facebook, the second most popular social networking site in the U.S
according to Nielsen, is currently vulnerable to a critical XSS, allowing
the injection and execution of malicious scripts within the popular site.
</quote>

From: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=2146 November 10th, 2008
<quote>
Koobface Facebook worm still spreading:
Originally spreading since July, the Koobface worm remains active
according to a recent security alert issued by Websense :
“The email reveals that infected user accounts are being used to post
messages to Facebook friends lists. The content was an enticing message with
a link that used a Facebook open redirector. When recipients click the link,
they are automatically redirected multiple times, finally reaching a site
masquerading as YouTube that serves a malicious Trojan downloader.”
Koobface continues relying primarily on already compromised Facebook
accounts as the foundation for its social engineering campaigns, the
passwords to which the malware campaigners obtain through a changing set of
tactics.
</quote>

From: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=3414&tag=rbxccnbzd1 May 15th,
2009
<quote>
56th variant of the Koobface worm detected:
Researchers from PandaLabs are reporting on the detection of the 56th
variant of the Koobface worm (Boface.BJ.worm), spreading across Facebook,
Tagged, Friendster, MySpace, MyYearBook, Fubar.com, Hi5 and Bebo since May,
2008.

What the cybercriminals have changed this time is the template, the use of
an Ukrainian web site hosting service, and the “missing” fake codec, which
upon execution is not only converting the infected PC into a hosting
provider part of the campaign, but is also pushing scareware,
liveantimalwareproscanner .com and live-antimalware-scanner .com in
particular.
</quote>

That is only 3 articles on Koobface and social network community sites,
there are many more on other vulnerabilities and the security risk by the
sites users. On May 3rd, 2009 Facebook was hacked and a fake phishing
Facebook group site was created where users were presented with a popup
invitation to join the group. Any user joining was redirected to another
site which required the user to login with their Facebook username/password,
once completed the phishers had what they were after, the users Facebook
username/password. Over 1.5 million users joined before Facebook was even
made aware of the scam, it's not a matter of if you will be affected or your
system will be infected, it's only a matter of when and for some when again.

--

Brian A. Sesko
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://members.shaw.ca/dts-l/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375