PC going dark in an instant

Billy Welsh · May 11, 2010, 04:37:04 PM

I have an HP station (XP) that goes dark in an instant w/o warning. Has happened 2x so far in a weeks time - 1st time while user was typing an e-mail, 2nd time while I was in the process of starting Word. Monitors show "No input signal" and no keyboard or mouse action has any affect. All video connections are good. The power light on the CPU remains green, and the resident agent that our contract IT firm uses to monitor and remote control the PC goes off-line. To get it back, you have to hold the power button until it shuts down, then power back up.

The Windows log shows nothing (no real surprise, sadly), as does the agent that is supposedly monitoring the PC. The on-board HP diagnostics come back clean. Obviously I am concerned that this is going to happen again, during a critical TAM function, and give me a headache (like I need another!).

My real big-picture beef, though, is my techs are telling me we have to wait until it happens again and then work the problem, starting with a ping to see if the hardware is still working (if it is it will imply an OS issue) - that there is no application they are aware of that could be installed to log the problem when it occurs.

All these years using these damn things, and nobody has come up with an application that can tell you what is taking the thing down???

Charlie Charbonneau · May 11, 2010, 04:49:35 PM

I've run into this at home when resizing a java driven webpage (*cough* game *cough*). It's happened to me a couple of times and I've learned not to resize! My assumption is that it's an older video card and that the graphics are bombing the vid card for some reason. Hard shutdown and a restart fix it until I forget and try to resize again. Haven't had a chance to purchase a better video card and see if that gets rid of the problem. Situation is different from yours, but may be the same culprit? Check your vid card.. As Joe said in Hardware on the NG's watch out for those one's and zero's!

Gene Foraker · May 11, 2010, 04:54:45 PM

The problem is among the following in decreasing order of probability.

1. Video Card
2. Monitor
3. Cable connecting monitor to video card
4. Motherboard.

Swap the monitor and cable with another on a different PC. See what happens. If the same PC does it again, it is likely the video card. If there is no discrete card and it is directly on the motherboard you might be able to add a video card and disable the on motherboard circuit in bios.

I ignored the monitoring software above. It might make a difference, but I don't know how. Since they can't access, it might show that the computer is just locked up which might point to overheating, motherboard, memory or anything.

Bob · May 11, 2010, 04:59:26 PM

I had this happen to my Game machine at home last year. Screen would shut down and would not fire up again even though PC is running just fine. Began to happen after some windows update as I recall. I updated my NVidia drivers and has not occurred since.

Bob · May 11, 2010, 05:18:13 PM

If the display is Dell 2408WFP then article below is a good read.. If not then try updating drivers or even turn off energy saving features on display. Just physically turn off/on as needed.

read this: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/peripherals/f/3529/t/19246275.aspx?PageIndex=5

My problem as mentioned below was far easier.. Problem began after an update and my drivers were about 2 yrs old. Even the SLI wasn't working so I had to update which fixed all problem. I don't see this as your problem unless very outdated with updates and driver very old. I think you may be using the 24' wide screen from Dell.

Hans Manhave · May 11, 2010, 05:27:18 PM

Quote from: Bob Connor on May 11, 2010, 05:18:13 PM
I think you may be using the 24' wide screen from Dell.

I want one of those for the back yard! I have 220V outlet. Consulting NewEgg....

Billy Welsh · May 11, 2010, 05:32:53 PM

Do not believe it is monitors - as soon as it happens the always active agent that allows them to remote into PC goes off-line - a simple monitor/cable problem would not kill the remote agent. Also, this PC is running dual monitors so it is not a simple "bait & switch" to try and isolate a problem monitor/cable, and it is killing BOTH which again points to a larger problem and to the PC itself locking up (which could be video related I realize).

The techs have mentioned the possibility of the power saving settings coming in to play. Obviously drivers and vid card could be the issue but nothing has been changed recently - no driver update, no OS update. I know that does not rule any of it out completely but does make me lean towards hardware before drivers unless malware is lurking in the background.

I was really hoping that you guys knew of what apparently is my "miracle app." Really surprised as dependent as we all are on these buggers that there is no way to log the nature/source of problems like this.

Bob · May 11, 2010, 06:02:59 PM

Quote from: H_Manhave on May 11, 2010, 05:27:18 PM
Quote from: Bob Connor on May 11, 2010, 05:18:13 PM
I think you may be using the 24' wide screen from Dell.

I want one of those for the back yard! I have 220V outlet. Consulting NewEgg....

Wow didn't realize the mistake until you said back yard. I would enjoy 24 foot display too!

Rob Talkington · May 12, 2010, 03:47:20 PM

Is your video card getting too hot? That can happen when they overheat. Might try blowing it out and making sure the fan works.

Jeff Zylstra · May 14, 2010, 02:47:11 PM

When there's no event viewer or other diagnostic logs available, I usually rely on the "low tech" solutions. Listen for anything like hard drives or fans. Also, feel with you hand for sources of heat and vibration from fans and/or hard drives. Give a little sniff for hot components when you're down there too. See if you can ping the computer, and it that works, try a remote desktop connection.

My guess is that it is video related. Since the video bios loads very early in the bootup process, it has access to corrupt system memory at a very low level. Since you can send system wakeup/shutdown signals through NIC cards, they should be on the suspects list too. Perhaps your power supply isn't beefy enough to run dual monitors and the cards. Some stock power supplies aren't up to it. My Dell at home always "whines" when I do anything graphically intensive. I'm just waiting to have an episode like this. Lots of fun to be had.