black screen of death!

[rastaIT34]

I'm not exactly sure if this is the right forum. Please direct me if I'm in the wrong area.


Machine Spec: Sony Vaio PCG-GRT100 series Laptop, 2.8mhz, 780? or so of Ram, Intel P4.NVIDIA GeForce, Running Windows XP.

More specifically:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=PCGGRT100

This is the problem.

I Purchased the computer back in 2002. Not sure when but the LCD monitor died on me and I've been using a external monitor hook up since. The machine had good specs so I didn't want to dump it.

Anyway to the point.

I bought a new Samsung 23 inch monitor for it. Hooked it up to the back into the standard VGA slot. (I also have an external keyboard connected.)

Started up the machine. Windows XP logo comes up.

As soon as the Windows logo disappears the monitor goes blank and the power light for the monitor starts blinking.

---------------------------
This is what i've done so far.

I thought maybe to just reinstall XP. When I am running from the DVD ROM I have no problem with the monitor. It works fine.

I go through the installation of XP fine. Then XP tells me to restart and ejects the disc. I go through the normal start up of the computer, but as soon as it gets to the Windows XP logo...the logo disappears, the monitor goes blank and the power light starts blinking like its in sleep mode or something...BUT I hear the computer running fine...i hear the sounds you get when just installing XP for the first time..

Does the new monitor need the drivers off the disc it came with? But then again I've troubleshooted the monitor on another laptop without installing any drivers and there were no issues.

Should I reformat the drive to wipe any issues off it? But I cant see anything!


Help!

 

[Freestone]

Do you have a user manual for the new monitor, and if so, does it define what the blinking power light means?

Two things come to mind:

1) XP is going into a video mode and/or video refresh rate not supported by your new monitor.

2) Does your new monitor support dual-input, i.e. analog and digital? If so, perhaps for some reason it is switching to the other input. Try toggleing the input source select.

Both seem somewhat unlikely. Do you have another monitor to attach just to see what mode and refresh rate your XP install is currently set at?

 

[rastaIT34]

I don't think the blinking power is too important, cause my other desktop computer with a different monitor does the same thing when I put it to sleep. I think it just means the monitor power is on, but not receiving signal from the machine cause its off/sleeping.

----------
1) XP is going into a video mode and/or video refresh rate not supported by your new monitor.

- I just installed XP so its not at the desktop yet. Its in the setup section.



2) Does your new monitor support dual-input, i.e. analog and digital? If so, perhaps for some reason it is switching to the other input. Try toggleing the input source select.


- Yes the new monitor supports analog and digital. I just tried toggling the source selector for analog and DVI. But its not connected with the DVI cable so shouldn't work.
----------

I'm going to try putting the DVD back in and see if there is anything i might have missed that could help me..

Any other thoughts?

 

[algraff]

I'm inclined to think Freestone's #1 option, wrong video mode, is probably your answer. Try starting up in safe mode, change your video mode to something generic then reboot.

 

[chunkII123]

Is the resolution that your laptop is currently in supported by the monitor? Those new wide model monitors seem to be very finicky when it comes to refresh rate and resolution.

Check the monitors manual and see if the resolution is supported, if it is, then check the NVIDIA plug-in that came with driver and see if there is a clone mode, dual mode, or anything like that. I know I had to change those settings with my HP.

Good luck.

Beware of hackers bearing executables. Happy Hunting. 'irc.2600.net'

 

[rastaIT34]

I believe these suggestions are valid. Only problem is...Like I stated earlier, I'm in the middle of a installation. I just tried starting in a safe mode.

Monitor seems to work fine, but no XP. Computer gets to the safe mode, but its a blank desktop. I then get a message saying something like you have not completed the installation.


As far as the resolution; the monitor is stated as super resolution. Here are the specs:

http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/consum...s&subtype=giantseries&model_cd=LS23MYZAFV/XSH

When I hooked it to a random laptop it worked fine.

So I guess there are two issues here. My XP installation isn't complete so I don't think it will let me into full safe mode..and the monitor goes blank when booting from hard drive past the Windows XP logo.

 

[Freestone]

User manual for your monitor:

http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/200808/20080813221309437_BN59-00784A-Eng.pdf

Q: There is no image on the screen. Is the power indicator on the monitor blinking at 1
second intervals?
A: The monitor is in PowerSaver mode.
A: Press a key on the keyboard to activate the monitor and restore the image on the screen.
A: If there is still no image, press the ' /SOURCE' button. Then press any key on the
keyboard again to activate the monitor and restore the image on the screen.
Q: Connected using the DVI cable?
A: You may get a blank screen if you boot the system before you connect the DVI cable,
or disconnect and then reconnect the DVI cable while the system is running as certain
types of graphic cards do not send out video signals. Connect the DVI cable and then
reboot the system.

Again, do you have another monitor to attach to further the troubleshooting process?

 

[Freestone]

Another thought is since this is a new installation on your laptop, XP, during setup, may be switching to the internal video connection to your broken LCD. I am not familiar with your laptop, but the ones I have had experience with have a key combination that will switch the video output from internal to the external VGA connector or both.

 

[rastaIT34]

I just tried:

> Q: There is no image on the screen. Is the power indicator on the monitor blinking at 1 second intervals?
A: The monitor is in PowerSaver mode.
A: Press a key on the keyboard to activate the monitor and restore the image on the screen.
A: If there is still no image, press the ' /SOURCE' button. Then press any key on the keyboard again to activate the monitor and restore the image on the screen.

--- nothing happened.


> key combination that will switch the video output from internal to the external VGA connector.

--- nothing happened.

------------

I guess the next thing to try is the other monitor I have. To see if it will let me finish the XP installation.

I just don't understand why it works fine up till the Windows XP graphic disappears. Then just blank.

 

[BadBigBen]

I just don't understand why it works fine up till the Windows XP graphic disappears. Then just blank.

It is as Freestone suggested, that at POST and WinXP LOAD SCREEN that the VID signal is sent over both outputs and then once XP loads its drivers that it changes to the internal MONITOR (the LAPTOP screen) and turns off the second output...

this is standard behavior, and you have to have the driver installed to activate the SECOND monitor thereafter...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[rastaIT34]

Badbigben, that seems to make sense that its switching to look for drivers... are we talking just any drivers?

Cause How is that just a random computer will work with the monitor?

i've tried two different monitors on the same computer and same result, so it cant be the monitors.



ok the OS is half loaded...cant see whats going on...what should i do? any thoughts?

 

[BadBigBen]

rastaIT34, no it is not switching to look for drivers, windows loads its own driver, which do not have the secondary port activated, thus the monitor turns blank after the Win Load screen...

have you tried the following:

Press the Fn+F7 keys to toggle the display between your computer, the monitor, or both the computer and
monitor.

source: Sony Vaio PCG-GRT100 Manual

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[rastaIT34]

yes i have several times. nothing...

 

[rastaIT34]

does anyone have any idea how i can solve this problem?

 

[DTracy]

1) Take the hard drive out of your laptop and install it into another laptop of the same model to complete the installation. Then reinstall back into your laptop and swap to external monitor.

2) Put a new motherboard in your laptop to solve the video problem.

Sorry, I had the same problem. junked the laptop.

David.