Gaming Black screen on boot

[metamaster]

OK, I'm really stuck so I'm coming to you guys for advice. My computer running Windows Vista Ultimate recently had 2 Blue screens of death. After the last one, I rebooted and my computer displayed an error message that I didn't quite catch, something about a disk not matching something. After that message, the screen would display a black screen when I boot, and it still does every time I boot. I tried a recovery disc and a boot disc with no avail. Anyone know what's going on and how I can fix this?

 

[CrimzonEyed]

have you open your computer anything and been touching ram, the motherboard? or anything else like that?

 

[metamaster]

No, well not before this happened. I just now opened it to see if dust was the problem, which it wasn't, but I grounded myself before touching anything.

 

[Am0s]

well if this error showed up on boot your could try clearing cmos and then seeing if that works

 

[metamaster]

I don't get the error anymore, just a blank screen. I had tried to reset the bios, but since I can't access it on the computer, I removed the watch battery that is related to that for around two hours (I heard that doing that resets the bios) and then I put it back. Unfortunately that doesn't work either.

 

[giratina16]

It almost sounds like the hard drive is dead, I had this problem with my old computer except mine was a power surge during a thunder storm. It fried it.

 

[Originality]

To test if the HDD or DVD drive is at fault, simply remove them. If the problem persists, then it can't be them. Otherwise, try removing all but 1 stick of RAM, all drives, and the gfx card (unless the motherboard does not come with integrated graphics). This rules out the RAM and possibly the gfx card too.

Most likely, it's either the CPU, GPU or motherboard. Probability between them... is about even IMHO.

EDIT: If you can get into BIOS at all, then there should be an option somewhere to tell it not to halt/restart on errors. This lets you see what the elusive error message is and gets you more help from google.

 

[MaK11-12]

Does the bios work? If so, after you turn on the computer quickly role your finger on all F's (F1 to F12) until the bios setup comes up.
Otherwise, if the bois does not work, theres nothing you can do.
If you do see the setup, just look at some things that may help. Most bois ussually have a help option.
Also, try using UBCD. Burn it to a CD-Rom and boot from it. Check to see if your hard drive is still working using the hd tools.
If this all works, then its just vista being a retard.

MaK

 

[Uncout]

A little more information would be nice.

Just to clarify, does it show any of the post screen or any sign of windows begining a boot before you get the black screen, or does that come up straight away?

If you get the black screen straight away, then it's probably something more serious like the mobo or ram, if you get some of the post/boot screen, then it's more likely your harddrive.

 

[metamaster]

OK, I did get a message the first time, but after that I get nothing. The screen goes into standby mode as soon as I turn on my computer since it gets no signal. It basically doesn't use the screen. That means that I can't reach the BIOS. I tried swapping the graphics card and the monitor, I removed the hard disk, I tried using only one of my two ram sticks (tried the other too), I tried a bunch of boot disks (but not UBCD, I'll try that right away), I manually reset the BIOS and I mashed all the F buttons on boot. None of what I listed worked.

 

[Deleted User]

I had this problem too. What is your make of computer and model? Also what Graphics Card? Bad news is you can't fix it permanently.

edit: so the BIOS doesn't post and your HDDs are corrupted.

 

[p1ngpong]

I think its most likely your RAM, if you have more then one module try testing each one individually in different RAM slots and see what happens.

 

[seahorsepip]

i quess dead bootloader....repair it with some bootloader tool or backup files with a linux disc and format after it and install windows again(I suggest to install 7 directly instead of that crappy vista)

 

[Am0s]

is the pc speaker connected if so you should hear system beeps, if you take out the ram, it would beep at you long beeps, if it doesnt then motherboard is at fault, if the cpu is fried then that will give you a black screen upon switching it on and no signal to the monitor.

 

[Uncout]

OK, I did get a message the first time, but after that I get nothing. The screen goes into standby mode as soon as I turn on my computer since it gets no signal. It basically doesn't use the screen. That means that I can't reach the BIOS. I tried swapping the graphics card and the monitor, I removed the hard disk, I tried using only one of my two ram sticks (tried the other too), I tried a bunch of boot disks (but not UBCD, I'll try that right away), I manually reset the BIOS and I mashed all the F buttons on boot. None of what I listed worked.

From the sounds of it then, its most likely you managed to fry the mobo somehow. I say this because your getting no post screen or anything displayed when you've removed all other possible causes.

It was possibly caused by either a power surge or faulty psu, so it might be worth trying to figure out which before you do anything about it. Had a friend who blew up his mobo and the replacement before he figured out that his psu was faulty. If it turns out that it was a power surge, it might be worth investing in a surge protector or a new psu with one built in.

 

[raulpica]

Might be either:

1) Dead voltage on the PSU
2) You forgot to reattach the 4-pin small plug to the motherboard (the +12V near the cpu)
3) Dead motherboard
4) Faulty RAM

As a rule of thumb, to narrow down the problem, just detach EVERY SATA (and/or IDE) and Power cable, except the two main ones which go to the motherboard (the large rectangular one and the lil square 4-pin one) and then remove both the RAMs. The PC will then beep, usually. If it won't beep, it's either your PC speaker is badly connected or dead, or the entire mobo is totally fried.

Might also be one of those BIOSes which boots the optional GFX rom before the rest of the bios itself, so it might also be the GFX card, but seeing that you've already switched it over, I find it difficult.

 

[metamaster]

I've checked my computer make and model: It's an Acer Aspire m1641 and it has nvidia graphics. Aside from that, I've tried booting using the UBCD, it didn't work but it looks really useful and I will keep it as a boot disk. I tried placing each ram module in each slot, that didn't work either. I also listened for beep sounds, but oddly I didn't hear anything, whether the ram was in place or not. I didn't remove all the sata connections though, I'm afraid to break the computer since I have to pull pretty herd to remove the connections.

 

[Uncout]

Well not hearing any beeps is not a good sign, that or you disconnected the speaker

.

Sounds like your mobo is fried mate, sorry to say it but it's gonna need replacing. If its an acer made pc, i'm not sure how you'd go about doing that, is it still under warranty? If not, they may have a repair service you can send it to for a fee.

If not, it might be worth just buying a new mobo and doing your own repair work on it, if you're capable that is, or if a friend is, or take it to a PC shop or something. Either way, theres not much else you can do for now. If I were you, it might be worth trying to find out why it got fried, just so you don't end up having to replace a second one.