Screen goes black but computer still runs.

[Pichu02]

Hello everyone.

Since yesterday I've had this really annoying problem, which began after I updated the driver of my video card. At random intervals, sometimes before it even enters the login screen, sometimes 10 minutes after I've been using the computer, it suddenly blacks out without warning. The fans are still running but the screen shows a "no signal" sign and the only thing left to do is to restart.

The same thing still happens when I'm at the BIOS screen or when I start the computer in safe mode. If I leave the black screen for long enough (a few minutes) the computer tries to restart itself, but never manages. It shows the motherboard logo, beeps once and then blacks out again and if I let it do that a few times, in the end it shows a message about selecting a proper boot device before booting.

The first time the problem happened, I restarted the computer and it showed a "checksum error" message, but not again since.

Computer Specs (If you need more information, please tell me)

AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1055T Processor
Graphic Card NVIDIA Geforce GTX 660
Ram - x1 Kingston 4GB DRR3 1333Mhz
PSU - Antec 400W
BIOS Version V10.0 022111 Using default settings.

Windows 7 64 Professional


Any help would be most appreciated. I'd like to try to solve this problem myself, since I have yet to find a reliable place to fix my computer in my city, they're all awful. :/

 

[prit87]

Remove the card and check if the problem is still there.

 

[Pichu02]

Remove the card and check if the problem is still there.

Thanks for replying. I've tried that already, it didn't work.

 

[Helious]

Considering this happened when you updated a driver, uninstall said driver and don't use it - I do find it odd that this happens when the BIOS is posting etc, theoretically that's not even possible? hrmph.

I don't update my video card driver just because a new one is available, read the notes, often the updates are for a game you most likely don't even play or for a model of card you don't even own..

 

[prit87]

Okk then remove every connection from the motherboard to the PSU including the ram,GPU,hdd and dvd rom cables CMOS battery if you find dust them clean it clean the golden plated area of the RAM with an earaser and then put every thing back and boot the system try it out and let me know later.

 

[Helious]

It's strange how a software update is effecting the hardware layer before software is even called upon. Very odd.

 

[Jefffritz12]

Seems like you dont have enough power for your GPU, For a system using a single GeForce GTX 660 (non-Ti) graphics card NVIDIA specifies a minimum of a 450 Watt or greater system power supply that has a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 24 Amps or greater. Although you did say this happened after a driver update, you can try rolling back from a system restore point or a fresh install of windows.

 

[Helious]

It's almost like the driver update is purely a coincidence and something else has gone wrong, it makes no sense!

 

[prit87]

Helious - i understand what you are trying to say i am just trying to make every base covered if its a driver issue it should not be happening in the safe mode or at least he could enter the BIOS screen properly but if he has no stable display then he cannot do a system restore nor install windows there is also a possibility that the HDD has some how corrupted so as i said covering up every possibility.

 

[Pichu02]

Okk then remove every connection from the motherboard to the PSU including the ram,GPU,hdd and dvd rom cables CMOS battery if you find dust them clean it clean the golden plated area of the RAM with an earaser and then put every thing back and boot the system try it out and let me know later.

Thanks for your answers everyone!


Me and my sister have just cleaned the hole computer, removed and reconnected all cables , the CMOS and cleaned the RAM as instructed. I'll turn the computer on and see if the problem persists.

UPDATE:

Now it's acting even weirder! It turns on, the keyboards lights flash once but that's all. It won't beep, it won't show anything on the screen, the fans work at lower speed than normal. And oddest thing of all, the computer won't turn off when I use the power button! I had to turn off the PSU. I removed and reconnected all the cables again, and the RAM and the CMOS battery, but nothing was loose and the problem remains. :/

 

[Pichu02]

Seems like you dont have enough power for your GPU, For a system using a single GeForce GTX 660 (non-Ti) graphics card NVIDIA specifies a minimum of a 450 Watt or greater system power supply that has a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 24 Amps or greater. Although you did say this happened after a driver update, you can try rolling back from a system restore point or a fresh install of windows.

Oh, thanks for telling me, I had no idea. This computer was given to me like this.
I tried restoring the system before but it did not work. I don't have the Windows CD to install it again, I was not the one that originally installed it.