Resolved screen goes blank after bios starts up in win xp

the boot device is as follows, 1 floppy drive, 2 hard drive, 3 cd/dvd drive i tried changing the order of these and restarting the computer but the problem is still the same

 

Hi Askanison,

The reason I asked is because in Post 3 you said that you couldn't boot to the Win CD; hence my suggestion that the CD\DVD drive be first in the BIOS.

May not help, but it might be worth a few seconds to try it to see if you can boot to the CD.

 

In post three the boot up fails but only after selecting to run from the CD, so this is not an issue. At that point the CD/DVD must have been 1st or 2nd after the floppy, in the boot order.

 

hey guys, ive re-tried all the suggestions above and there is still no improvement to the computer, sometimes now when i do a cold start (i.e having turned the computer off for a few hours/days) when i start it sometimes even the bios page does not load up its a black screen from the start, i have to keep restarting it a number of times to even get the bios screen loaded.
I'm not sure if i want to spend any further money on trying to fix the problem as i have been meaning to upgrade the computer in a long time, i think i may try to build another one instead.
i havent built one before myself, however i may ask for some help in choosing some components etc.
i'll add all the parts i want in the next few days as i will be off on holiday for a few weeks from next week onwards.

 

My first action would be to try another CPU. Then try the PSU. It sounds like something is overheating and shutting down. I've built comps and kept CPU's of the same configuration so that when I have a problem, I can try a CPU from one of the comps.
I also keep a known PSU available in case of failure. Makes it easy for me to sort out and ditto with RAM. Neil.

 

Askanison, did you get a new memory stick to try, you have not mentioned it.
It sounds to me as if the memory has completely failed. With no memory the computer will not boot and you will just get a blank screen. A failed CPU, PSU or the motherboard could also cause this but previous symptons have suggested a memory fault.

If you could have just run that mem test then you would have been able to confirm the problem. Your PC may be in perfect working order albeit for a new memory stick. That mem test could prove it either way, all you need is a recordable CD and the use of another PC with a CD burner for 15 minutes.

 

Hi Askanison,

You don't mention where you are, but, if you have a computer store near you, call and ask what they charge to test your memory. Might be free.

How good are you at 9 piece jigsaw puzzles? Really; it's that simple:

1) Attach CPU to MoBo
2) Attach Heatsink and Fan to CPU
3) Install Memory stick(s)
4) Install Video Card
5) Install Sound Card (If you choose not to use the built-in sound. If you use the onboard sound, then you'll need a powered speaker system)
6) Attach MoBo inside tower
7) Install new PSU
8) Install CD\DVD drive
9) Install Hard drive

And that's it. The rest of the assembly is carefully attaching all the cables from the PSU to where they're supposed to go — the MoBo manual shows you where — and plugging in the HDD, Floppy, and your optical drive. Again, the MoBo manual shows you where. The only tricky part will be connecting the towers Front Panel wires to the MoBo — but they should be labeled.

For basic setup, when you first boot hit the "Del" key to get into the BIOS and set the Boot Order to (1) CD\DVD; (2) Floppy Drive; (3) HDD0. Set the Time and Date while you're in there, too. Save changes and exit.

To use your present HDD (assuming it's not dead), put your XP CD in your drive, boot to it and when you get to "Setup Windows XP now, press Enter. After XP finds the current installation (usually C:\) highlight it and press "R" to start the repair — Don't press the "any" key. You're doing a Repair, not a clean install.

After you're up, install the new MoBo and Video drivers and you're good to go.

As far as costs go, it depends on where you are. As you can see in my specs, my MoBo\CPU (really decent by the way) was $49.00; 2 GB DDR2 memory was $54.00; PCI-E Video card was $39.00; PSU $39.00; CD\DVD drive was $20.00.

If you decide to go "all new ", there's a few caveats: Make sure the Memory is suitable to the MoBo; a Floppy slot; and that the MoBo is the correct size for your case\tower.

Once you have all the pieces in front of you, it should take you two hours or less (including Repairing your present OS) from start to finish.

If I've left anything out, I trust someone here will jump in.

 

Hi neil, im just a little weary about spending more money on a system that is already couple years old, i've been toying with the idea of building another system for a while now thats why i dont want to spend more money on fixing my current computer. I'll keep your suggestions in mind about trying another cpu or the psu if i consider keeping my old computer for a while longer.

 

Hi Mark, i didn't buy another memory stick, but i think i'll buy another one and try your idea first to see if it was the memory that was at fault. As i said in a previous post i don't want to waste so much money fixing this old computer when the money could go to towards a new computer, however i'll give your suggestion a try and see if that works.
Trying to get the memory test onto a cd is a little diffecult as i dont have access to another computer where i can burn it to the disc, however i might see if i can do this from a friends computer. One question though, if i do get the memory test burned to a disc would i need to try the test on my computer? the reason im asking is as with the windows cd when i tried repairing my hard drive i could not see anything on the screen so would i need to run the disc on my computer or take out my hard drive and put it in another computer and run the test from there?
As im going away on hols in a few days i'll provide an update on this when i get back.

 

Hi Chris, thanks for the pc building guide, i'm just a little weary about connecting the cpu chip to the motherboard basically so thats why i asked for some help as i've never built a computer by myself before.
Anyway i've compiled alist of the components im thinking of buying below, please let me know your views on them.
By the way i checked your pc spec and it looks good, i too want to build a gaming pc

Items i want to get:

Palit GeForce GTX 460 Platinum OC Edition 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
OR
Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 5970 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
OR
Palit Geforce GTX 480 1536MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card

Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H AMD 890GX (Socket AM3) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard
OR
ASRock 880GXH/USB3 AMD 880G (Socket AM3) Motherboard

G.SKILL RipJaw 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit memory stick

AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 965 Black Edition 125W 3.40GHz C3 (Socket AM3) Processor

case would probably be an atx tower as its bigger

The above is just a basic set up so you have an idea of which direction i want to go, other items like drives and hdds etc can be added later just need some advice on whether the above would work together.
I'm thinking of also having 2x graphics cards so i have have gone for the motherboards above, do the motherboards support both ati crossfire and sli? im thinking of either having the gtx 460 card or the radeon 5830, also if i setup the cards in a sli or crossfire way does it mean i need to have 2 monitors? i just want to boost the graphics display on the pc for games, thats why im thinking of sli or crossfire, not for having 2 monitors.

LMK what you think!

 

You have to run the test in the PC containing the faulty memory module, taking the hard drive out will not do it. I have just repaired a laptop with faulty memory which just had a blank screen, would not boot, dead as a dodo. I took out one of the memory sticks and it booted, this demonstrates that a faulty memory could cause a blank screen. The fault was so bad in this PC that it would not boot from anything.

Something you may have missed with the memtest, when you downloaded the file to your desktop, before burning it to a disc, you have to extract the image file. Right click on it and select 'Extract Here' then burn the new file that appears.

 

That's the easiest part. You flip a lever up, set the CPU in the MoBo, pins down (there's an arrow on the corner of the CPU to show you which way it goes), then push the CPU locking the lever back down. That's it! The heatsink and fan is just as easy — except you have to be careful not to slide it around when installing. Just hook the HS\F lug to the tab on one side of the CPU frame, push down the lug on the opposite side and lock it into place.

As far as the Vid Card goes, if you're into gaming then the GDDR5 card is the way to go. Read the reviews before you decide which one. Some cards draw the air from the back of the case and blow the hot air from the card *into* the case. I've seen this on PSUs, also. However, since you're going to be doing heavy-duty gaming and have dual Vid Cards, post in the "Hardware" forum for SLI\Crossfire questions. Briefly, SLI works to render games much faster with higher frame rates using both Vid Cards; Crossfire gives you up to two times the frame rates that evenly divides the processing and graphics rendering workload. Either way, you don't have to have dual monitors; having two matched Vid Cards will give you excellent hi-res games with high frame rates. Just make sure your PSU has two SLI\Crossfire plugs.

As far as the MoBo goes, I'm partial to GigaByte and MSI (I have both). But, again, read the reviews, decide which one you want, then search until you get the best price.

Also, I'm partial to AMD's CPUs because I've been using them since 1998.

 

i've tried the extra memory idea just before i went on hols and it did not work, i took out the old mem stick and inserted the new one it didnt do anything, tried switching the stick to another mem channel still the same.
I've just got back from my hols and now when i try switching on the computer the screen is a blank from the start now, not even the bios screen screen loads anymore. Could this maybe be a fault with the mobo instead?

 

hi evan all advice is welcome, couldn't hear any beeps, when i switch on the computer usally when the computer hardrive would beep and click like normal indicating it was working, however when i try starting it nowadays i dont hear anything, ive checked the fans on the heat sink and the psu and both seem to be running ok, i regularly clean the inside of the computer so dont think its the dust.
The memory i used should be the correct one as i ordered the same mem stick as i already had inn the computer, before i went on my hols when i checked the memory stick it did show on the bios boot up as extra memory had been added, so dont think it was the memory sticks at fault.

 

This is not sounding good. Shame you had to buy a new mem stick rather that getting the diagnostics disc burned. Perhaps you can use it if you build your own PC.

As Evan has said your options are running out and this is now sounding like the mobo or power supply. With no bios screen appearing it is looking bad, even if the hard drive had failed the bios should still appear. Unless you can get someone to run diagnostics on the mobo and the PSU (at a reasonable price) I think it might be time to think more about a new PC.

You should be able to retrieve everything from your old hard drive when you have a new PC built.

This thread should be closed now and if you need some help with the new build open a new thread as the subject will have changed.

 

I agree i think its time i gave up trying to fix this issue and maybe have a new pc built, i could always use some of the parts from this computer for the new pc. I just want to thank all you guys for providing all the help and advice. I've learned a lot about computers from all the advice i've received here. I guess even an old dog like me can learn a few new tricks he he he. I guess i'll just try and get all the parts i need for the new computer when i have enough money and maybe come back and ask for some help trying to build it. Thanks again for all the advice guys, really appreciated the help.

 

Your welcome