Booting to a blank screen???

[Chrispy]

After ~ 6 months of sucessful XP use my PC has suddenly
decided to now only boot to a blank screen. Logo and blue
status bar move along normally, but then just total
blankness. Can boot okay to safe mode and have tried
three system restore points over the last week -still
boots to blank screen. Tried disabling all start ups and
diagnostic start up and disabling all drivers -still just
a blank screen.

Have even installed a good previously working fine ghost
image (11 days old)to the dodgey system and still boots to
a blank screen. I think I've tried everything from a
software point of view. Image should be sweet so I'm now
thinking hardware. Any ideas?

I'm leaning towards a video card maybe?

My wife's comment was "the PC was working fine -and when I
came back an hour later, I couldn't get the screen to come
on". We did have a really bad thunder/lightning storm in
between -but I use surge protectors. I've done everything
right and have still been caught.

Thanks for your ideas/help

 

[Alex Nichol]

After ~ 6 months of sucessful XP use my PC has suddenly
decided to now only boot to a blank screen. Logo and blue
status bar move along normally, but then just total
blankness. Can boot okay to safe mode and have tried
three system restore points over the last week -still
boots to blank screen. Tried disabling all start ups and
diagnostic start up and disabling all drivers -still just
a blank screen.

Take the Safe Mode - Command Prompt only selection and from that run
CHKDSK /F C:

 

[w_tom]

Sounds more like a hardware problem. And if you think those
plug-in surge protectors were effective protection, then
notice they don't even claim protection from the type of surge
that damages hardware. Effective surge protectors have a less
than 10 foot connection to surge protection AND discuss the
most essential component is a surge protection 'system' -
earth ground. Plug-in protectors without that short
connection to protection are for surges that don't typically
exist.

If it is a hardware problem, then start by collecting basic
facts. The first fact collected is power supply voltages
using a 3.5 digit multimeter. In your case, voltages would be
there - but below necessary limits as provided in chart. As
load increased during boot, then voltages would become too
low:
http://www.hardwaresite.net/faqpowersupply.html

If voltages are within spec and not in lowermost quarter of
those limits, then move on to how a computer boots. First
only CPU, BIOS, and speaker are used. Other simple hardware
such as Ram and keyboard are verified next. Does speaker
provide the standard beep? Then BIOS outputs basic BIOS
messaged on video. Do messages appear? If so, then video
controller works in text mode.

Somewhere in that chain are access to sound card, other
device drivers, and graphical modes of video card. For
example, if problem is in sound card, then an XP computer
could hang.

Little hardware can hang an XP computer. But video
controller and soundcard are in that list. Simple test. With
even power cord removed from wall (yes - if power cord is not
removed from wall then power is still on motherboard), then
remove video controller, keyboard, mouse, and sound card.
Computer should at least make multiple beeps to speaker - a
code for what is wrong. Try again only with keyboard
connected. Put video card back in, reconnect power cord, and
test again.

Eventually something will (hopefully) hinder computer when
connected and let computer work when removed.

BTW, if (or when) it boots in safe mode, then what do system
(event) logs and Device Manager report? Again, a concept of
first collecting basic information (just like the multimeter
test) before changing anything.

These are the short term solutions. Your long term solution
is that you have no effective surge protectors if they are not
the 'whole house' type - with the essential, short connection
to earth ground.