Computer Repair n Tips

Yep, monitor works (and is working right now on this one) on another computer. I wasn't able to try a second monitor because I lack the necessary adapter, but will try that when I get one just to be 100% safe.

EDIT: actually, I may have managed to check that already, too. Not positive, but will probably check again if nothing else works.

That sounds like a real bugger of a problem! I wish I could be more help!

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Asked some of the SpyParty people and one of them, I think, figured it out: what I thought was the VGA port was actually a second CPU port. I think the guide I was using specifically said a VGA port usually sits in the top left, and the last build I did had, I think, just one CPU port. I'll give it a go tomorrow morning, but seems very likely that's the culprit.

Hope that sorts it out. I'm kinda clueless with stuff like that.

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Turns out that was it, yeah. In my defense, I think my last build was different, and the guide I was using to help me along a little was saying VGA plugs usually go there, or something (maybe I misunderstood).

Anyway, that did it. Still didn't get the monitor recognized via the HDMI port on the motherboard, which is something I might still have to look into it, but I put my old graphics card (replayed just a few months ago) and used that instead and it worked. Setting everything up now.

Glad to see you got it sorted!

I, like Dave, am also sort of clueless when it comes to the finer points of MoBos etc.

I need some help! Please!

Just about 5 minutes ago I was looking at MoFo and my monitor went black...except it showed the DMI logo thing. I tried to look at Windows Error logs but I don't really know how to read those. I did a hard restart and it seems to be working fine right now. Any ideas of what might have caused that?

Your PC might have decided to spit out a resolution that your monitor couldn't display? If it keeps happening there's some kind of problem but it might just be Windows being weird. It happens sometimes.

Mine will occasionally turn off the monitor (with the display saying 'out of range') and I get it back again by unplugging and plugging in the monitor cable. It's generally when the display switches between resolutions.

Thanks for the reply. The weird thing is that was the only time it did it. My parents computer did a similar thing and it turned out the video graphics card had went out.

Yep the graphics card is probably what's behind it but I wouldn't worry unless it starts doing it regularly.

I had a spare vgc too and gave it away, rats!

If it hasn't done it a again I wouldn't worry about it too much. If it continues there is some troubleshooting you can do to figure it out.

Regardless your monitor stopped receiving a signal or received a signal not compatible to it. Sometimes software or the OS glitches, sometimes it can be a physical thing, bad hdmi/digital connection from loose connection, dirty connection, etc...

Best of luck hopefully its a simple thing and wont return. One thing you may double check is your surge protector if your using one. Make sure monitor power cord is plugged in tight, also many of them are known to have individual sockets have issues where they power things up but the source us "dirty". Wouldnt hurt just to move the plug if you have an extra spot.

Best of luck.

If it only happens occasionally don't worry, mine's been doing it for years. If it happens again try unplugging the monitor from the computer and plugging it in again.

I'll try that if it happens again.

I've bought a upgrade processor but haven't had the time to install it, nor do I have the thermal paste, but I think I'll wait a bit before doing it.

@Yoda: Is your CPU a model that comes with a graphics chip?

They sell some that don't have the graphics chip, which means neither the HDMI or VGA will work. Gone are the days when graphics were built into the motherboard.

If you don't know, you can just give me the model # and I will find out for you. Glad you got up and running, but I am willing to bet that's the case.

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"This is that human freedom, which all boast that they possess, and which consists solely in the fact, that men are conscious of their own desire, but are ignorant of the causes whereby that desire has been determined." -Baruch Spinoza

I'll have to check. It's probably the newest part of the entire build, and PCPartPicker said it should be fully compatible with the motherboard, which I guess can be technically true even without onboard graphics but seems kinda misleading if compatible means "turns on" and not "can actually use the ports on your motherboard."

Yeah, my last build was right after the industry changed to the integrated graphics chip and I purposefully built one that did not have graphics because I wanted more power/less heat. And the PC I built for my mom I went the same route because I was building for longevity.

Both AMD and Intel make said chips.

Dig. I got a Ryzen 5, but I'll try to remember to check on the specific specifics.

Ok, that model has integrated graphics but I remember reading about some motherboards not fully supporting the chip, as it is bleeding edge tech. I would check to see if your motherboard has a BIOS update to support the Ryzen graphics chips. I am willing to bet there will be an update that fixes your problems.

This might help.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/12426...u-bios-updates

I'm jumping in here to whine about the supposed gaming computer I bought last May... that is STILL throwing fits, crashing regularly (approx. once a day) and freezing up when I play even the simplest Steam game. This CyberPower PC has been a joke from day one, and I have gotten no real satisfaction from the CyberPower people. I'm going to write to them one more time (I'd given up for months and just have been living with no real gaming at all), threatening to badmouth them wherever I go (ha ha, sooo not kidding) if they don't own up to this problem. Heck, my 2010 HP non-gaming computer NEVER had issues with any of my Steam or other games. NONE. I can't even play Myst on this one without it freezing up on me. Seriously?

ANYWAY... if worse comes to worst, I will continue using this monster desktop as my main work computer (it's fine for everything else I do, except when it freezes up because I'm running a YouTube video at the same time as ohhhh, anything else) and will perhaps purchase a gaming LAPTOP. Is that stupid? Is it pricier than buying another desktop just for gaming?

And just WHERE would I get good recommendations for such a thing? I don't want to spend another thousand dollars just to have a computer than can play games. I'm still paying off this desktop computer from last May, for cryin' out loud. But I also don't want to completely give up gaming, either. And if CyberPower won't give me satisfaction (at this point, though, do I even WANT to undo everything I've done and ship this thing back? UGH... NO)... then my other option is to buy a separate PC that really WILL play games.

Recommendations? Thoughts?

Games I typically used to play and enjoyed, mostly through Steam (and that have ALL crashed the new PC at some point):

Myst franchise and many other adventure games
Stardew Valley
Skyrim
Hidden Folks
Creativerse
Banished
Grim Fandango
Obduction
Sherlock Holmes games
The Dream Machine

Also, Minecraft, Myst franchise separately/offline, and others.

So, anything I'd buy would have to have a graphics card and RAM capable of handling this level of gaming. You'd think the specs I have right now would be able to do that, but apparently NOT.

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