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This stuff rarely happens, but when it does I simply restart my PC then it works fine. But today after several restart attempts it seems to be stuck.

I tried removing the video card then switched to onboard video, same thing: The PC runs, (there's power and fans are working) but the monitor is stuck on power saving mode (blank screen).

Is this a monitor or PC problem? Any ideas what might be the problem?

I'm Windows 7 btw.

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11
  • It is more likely that the video card is not outputting the display or the resolution is beyond the montitors capability, than the monitor has somehow gone into power saving mode. Then there is a big twist in the question, because switching to the onboard should have tested for the video card being the problem. Unless , you have No Post At All. . Does it seem like the computer goes ahead and boots up without vision? If you shine a light on the monitor can you see anything? Does it seem like the backlight is bleeding through and on, and that it is just the lcd pannel that is dark?
    – Psycogeek
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 8:54
  • I'm having a similar problem with one of my computers. My suspicion is that the monitor is not reporting its "plug&play" info correctly during startup and so the video adapter is using the wrong display resolution.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 12:25
  • @Psycogeek I have tried using VGA cable instead of DVI. I have also tried a using smaller monitor. Same problem. The PC doesn't seem to send any output at all. I do not see anything in the monitor, only it's blue light flashing (which means it's on power saving mode). I am not sure if the PC is going until windows, I do not see even the BIOS screen. It's just pure black right from the start.
    – IMB
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 12:45
  • @IMB ok that confirms more things. If there were "beeps" from the motherboard would you have heard them? (is a beeper hooked up, do you hear the bios Ok beep normally) . Have you changed any aspect of the system lately? added ram, adjusted bios settings? If you could provide a better History of the computer starting to fail, any other noticeable problems. Right now I would put you back into the "build" state. that one of the 4 majors is just not working correct. MB , PSU , CPU, RAM, Video. If you cleared the CMOS, did you have any special settings, or would it work ok at Default settings?
    – Psycogeek
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 13:22
  • @Psycogeek I do not hear any beeps. The funny thing is I do not remember hearing any beeps at all on normal conditions. What I hear is a "tick". There is one "tick" sound before and after this problem happened. This computer is only 6 months old and like I said this has happened before (rarely) but a simple restart usually fixes the problem. I did not have any changes in the hardware or settings. All is same old from the beginning.
    – IMB
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 13:32

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
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If you have the same problem with the on-board graphics then that points to the video cable/monitor.
Check your display resolution is not set too high
Check the video connection into the monitor
Try a different video cable
If all that fails, then try a different monitor

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4
  • I have tried using VGA cable instead of DVI. I have also tried a using smaller monitor. Same problem. The PC doesn't seem to send any output at all.
    – IMB
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 12:42
  • Anyway, how do you check/change display resolution? Is it possible because I can't go to Windows.
    – IMB
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 12:49
  • So much for my first thoughts, do you get any display at all or does it just stay blank? Does the disk drive get accessed after you power it up
    – Tog
    Commented Mar 5, 2012 at 18:46
  • Ok, I tried to re-seat everything again and suddenly it works.
    – IMB
    Commented Mar 6, 2012 at 11:12
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Easy to fix problem. Shut the system down. Open your case and remove one stick of ram. Don't put it back in yet! Restart and your system will wake up because it is forced to recognize the change in ram.

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  • The only solution that works for me! Thanks!!
    – Mosh Feu
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 13:14
3

This just happened to me. Any chance you installed a Windows update that included an optional installation for a driver for your video card? My monitor would go into sleep mode as soon as I started it. If I started it in safe mode it worked fine. Then I remembered the Windows update. I did a system restore to a time before the driver installation and no more problems.

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2

Same thing happened to me, but I was not even able to access the BIOS. I tried to replug everything without any luck. What finally helped was changing the computer's power supply cable.

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It is not always what others say the problem is, it can be as simple as a DVI cable going bad. I have a computer that I built, it has no dell insides, and yet a LG monitor kept giving me the DVI power save mode message. I checked with a second monitor and it did not say any message but was just dark with no image. I tried a new DVI cable and I have not had a problem since.

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1
  • When adding an answer to an old question with established answers it helps to explain why your answer differs from the existing ones.
    – Jason Aller
    Commented May 31, 2014 at 6:05
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I know this is late but it might help people that are having this issue.

My desktop kept going into powersaving mode even before windows could start up. I thought it was the monitor or software programs.

Turns out it was the video card... My videocard wasnt bad it was just overheating. If this problem happens to you I would suggest Checking the temp of your video card and see if its hot or not.

I had to take out my video card unscrew the case and Clean it out because it was really dusty. can air is best for this but I didnt have any so I used Q tips and water. Make sure its really clean! If that alone doesnt work you might need to add more thermal Paste to the the card.

goodluck!

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