Solve : Monitors shut off, computer stays on.?

1.	Solve : Monitors shut off, computer stays on.?
Answer» (I SEARCHED and i've found nothing on this) My computers had a colored history. My processor runs hot (60-70C) but I don't think it is the explanation to my problem. At sporadic times my monitors shut off. The computer stays on. It does not go into standby, the computer keeps working but no matter how many times I turn on or off the monitor, put the computer in standby or physically remove my video card and put it back in they will not come back on. The only solution is to restart or power off my computer. Which sucks. I've updated my drivers for my video card.. and I'm out of ideas. Help? Just to clarify, you're saying the monitor will just randomly shut off but will revive after a restart? If so: Chances are it's your graphics card overheating, since you seem to be having issues with excess heat in your computer's case. In my experience, GPUs are clocked for heat and an abnormally high AMBIENT temperature caused by, oh say a CPU at 70C, could cause them to lock up/do WEIRRD things. I'm sorry to tell you, but you really should solve that CPU problem. If not so: Check the cables on your monitor. I know a person who's monitor power cable will fall out of the back of the screen if the desk is bumped a certain way. Took forever to figure that one out.Sounds more like a crash to me rather than monitor problems. First go to control panel/performance and maintenance/system/advanced, and click the startup and recovery button. Uncheck 'automatically restart' and check 'write an event to the system log'. Now, if you get a system failure you may get a BSOD with error codes.Quote Now, if you get a system failure you may get a BSOD with error codes. ...and you'll get to see just how helpful those are! (Not "knockin'" your suggestion, S -- it's just that those error codes don't make the average user EXCLAIM, "Eureka!")I know all about the usefulness of error codes. I've had a few lately. It was more a way of finding out if it is a crash or a monitor problem. I await with baited breath your better suggestion OK ... I see where you're goin' -- good idea!Let me reiterate. The computer does not crash. The monitors go black, the green LED behind the power button on them turns brown, indicated no signal and the computer keeps operating as usual. Plugging in a new monitor, unplugging and replugging in the old monitor, censored even removing the video card does not CHANGE it. Once they turn off the only way to get them back on is a restart. Personally, my computer has failed so many times that I considered trashing it. When I sent it in for repairs, it turned out that both the fan and cooling unit were malfunctioning! Heat can do strange things to hardware; even if the hardware is rated for said heat, constant head over an extended period will cause strange problems which are hard to diagnose. That said, it's possible your computer may in fact be crashing - it's just completely losing power instead of showing a blue screen. However, this may or may not be the case. I suggest you use the Vista event viewer, here's how to access it: Open the start menu, and type "eve" in the search box. Select Event Manager, and check through each of the logs to find an error that corresponds with your crashes; they are labeled by time and date. If you cannot find an error that corresponds with the power-down, then the possible options are: the PSU, the video card, and the motherboard. Further instructions can be provided based on your response to this. But seriously, getting the temperature of your computer down is definitely necessary, no matter what the problem ends up being.Like I said above, it sounds as if the graphics card is overheating and shutting itself down. This would prevent the computer as a whole from sending anything to the monitor, causing the monitor to go into it's power-saving standby mode.Eric, you say that plugging a new monitor in, etc, makes no change, then you say the computer keeps operating as usual?? How, if you cannot see anything on a screen, do you know?? Just because you can hear the drive spinning and fans whirring doesn't mean it hasn't crashed in some way. If your computer has crashed (very likely in this case) of course there will be no signal as the video card will not be working. How do I know? The song/game/whatever making noise before it shuts off keeps going. Bah. I suppose it has to be the graphic card overheating.thanks for the posts If it's the graphics card, I would try to return the one you have (If you think it's worth the trouble TRYING) and purchase a new one. -Ian

Answer»

(I SEARCHED and i've found nothing on this)

My computers had a colored history. My processor runs hot (60-70C) but I don't think it is the explanation to my problem.

At sporadic times my monitors shut off. The computer stays on. It does not go into standby, the computer keeps working but no matter how many times I turn on or off the monitor, put the computer in standby or physically remove my video card and put it back in they will not come back on.

The only solution is to restart or power off my computer. Which sucks.

I've updated my drivers for my video card.. and I'm out of ideas. Help? Just to clarify, you're saying the monitor will just randomly shut off but will revive after a restart?

If so: Chances are it's your graphics card overheating, since you seem to be having issues with excess heat in your computer's case. In my experience, GPUs are clocked for heat and an abnormally high AMBIENT temperature caused by, oh say a CPU at 70C, could cause them to lock up/do WEIRRD things. I'm sorry to tell you, but you really should solve that CPU problem.

If not so: Check the cables on your monitor. I know a person who's monitor power cable will fall out of the back of the screen if the desk is bumped a certain way. Took forever to figure that one out.Sounds more like a crash to me rather than monitor problems.
First go to control panel/performance and maintenance/system/advanced, and click the startup and recovery button.
Uncheck 'automatically restart' and check 'write an event to the system log'.
Now, if you get a system failure you may get a BSOD with error codes.Quote

Now, if you get a system failure you may get a BSOD with error codes.

...and you'll get to see just how helpful those are!

(Not "knockin'" your suggestion, S -- it's just that those error codes don't make the average user EXCLAIM, "Eureka!")I know all about the usefulness of error codes.
I've had a few lately.
It was more a way of finding out if it is a crash or a monitor problem.
I await with baited breath your better suggestion OK ... I see where you're goin' -- good idea!Let me reiterate. The computer does not crash. The monitors go black, the green LED behind the power button on them turns brown, indicated no signal and the computer keeps operating as usual. Plugging in a new monitor, unplugging and replugging in the old monitor, *censored* even removing the video card does not CHANGE it. Once they turn off the only way to get them back on is a restart. Personally, my computer has failed so many times that I considered trashing it. When I sent it in for repairs, it turned out that both the fan and cooling unit were malfunctioning! Heat can do strange things to hardware; even if the hardware is rated for said heat, constant head over an extended period will cause strange problems which are hard to diagnose.

That said, it's possible your computer may in fact be crashing - it's just completely losing power instead of showing a blue screen. However, this may or may not be the case.

I suggest you use the Vista event viewer, here's how to access it: Open the start menu, and type "eve" in the search box. Select Event Manager, and check through each of the logs to find an error that corresponds with your crashes; they are labeled by time and date.

If you cannot find an error that corresponds with the power-down, then the possible options are: the PSU, the video card, and the motherboard. Further instructions can be provided based on your response to this.

But seriously, getting the temperature of your computer down is definitely necessary, no matter what the problem ends up being.Like I said above, it sounds as if the graphics card is overheating and shutting itself down. This would prevent the computer as a whole from sending anything to the monitor, causing the monitor to go into it's power-saving standby mode.Eric, you say that plugging a new monitor in, etc, makes no change, then you say the computer keeps operating as usual??
How, if you cannot see anything on a screen, do you know??
Just because you can hear the drive spinning and fans whirring doesn't mean it hasn't crashed in some way.
If your computer has crashed (very likely in this case) of course there will be no signal as the video card will not be working. How do I know? The song/game/whatever making noise before it shuts off keeps going. Bah. I suppose it has to be the graphic card overheating.thanks for the posts If it's the graphics card, I would try to return the one you have (If you think it's worth the trouble TRYING) and purchase a new one.

-Ian

Solve : Monitors shut off, computer stays on.?

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