[mycompsuxxx]

I'm brand new to these forums and am looking for some help from you guys. I have a sticker on my computer from best buy which says 7.01.06. Yep my computer is 6 years old. I used to be a competitive gamer and played all the time on my computer, I haven't used it regularly for a little over a year. Initially I thought it was a virus, but I'm not very knowledgeable in this sector of technology. I have a hp pavilion media center m7334n, with an ati radeon video card (no idea which one, I forget.) The computer will randomly work. It will randomly work for 5 minutes, screen will dim, then go black. But 90% of the time I will boot it up and nothing will happen at all. The computer will make noise like it's turning on, regular noises, nothing weird. But the screen will stay black. Nothing will pop up. Not even the windows logo on the initial booting up process. It's not the monitor, I've tried three different ones. I've opened up both sides of the tower to clean out the dust,(waiting on the lady to get home with the spray air..) The most interesting thing, where I think the problem lies, is that when I first turned it on and it worked I typed 'dxdiag' into run to check out my specs and the Display tab said n/a for all the graphic stuff. Name, Manufacturer, Chip Type,etc.- all n/a. So I don't know if that's saying my computer thinks it doesn't have a video card? Which it does, when I open the tower I can see the ATI logo in the back. I don't know how to make sure it's all the way plugged in either. (the video card) Welp..that's everything I think would be helpful to resolve my problem. I'd greatly appreciate any help, thank you.

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Welcome to Geeks to Go

If you have not already try a boot to F8 and then select VGA mode
If that does not work go back to F8 andf try a boot to safe mode with networking

[Macboatmaster]

Welcome to Geeks to Go

If you have not already try a boot to F8 and then select VGA mode
If that does not work go back to F8 andf try a boot to safe mode with networking

[mycompsuxxx]

Thank you macboatmaster. But would that work if I can't see the screen? I can't select or do anything because the screen is black.

[rshaffer61]

Is your video onboard or a addon card?

[mycompsuxxx]

Well I bought it and the best buy geek squad installed it. So add-on? Right?

[rshaffer61]

Yep so I would say either faulty power connection, faulty card or simply take the card oout, make sure the slot is clean and then reseat the card. Does it work then?
BTW do you have onboard video also?

[mycompsuxxx]

I'm not sure how to take the card out. I googled how to open the tower and I can see all the stuff inside lol.
Did you ask me the same question twice? Sorry not trying to be rude, but I believe the video card is add-on. When you say video, that's the same as graphics card correct? ATI Radeon something. I completely forget.

[rshaffer61]

What I was asking is does your motherboard have a built on video also?
Some motherboards do but folks want a better video so they install a add on card. This disables the onboard while that card is plugged in.
Is there anyway you can take a picture of the back of your computer where all the plugs go in so I can see if there is a onboard video please?

[Macboatmaster]

Just to come back in

The computer will randomly work. It will randomly work for 5 minutes, screen will dim, then go black. But 90% of the time I will boot it up and nothing will happen at all. The computer will make noise like it's turning on, regular noises, nothing weird. But the screen will stay black

My suggestion to boot to F8 and see if was the same in safe mode was based on the fact that, it may have been an occasion when it randomly worked.

Also if there are integrated graphics, there will be a VGA DSub- connection on the I/O plate area near to the mouse keyboard and LAN cconnectors, occasionally this is covered with a black or grey plastic cover, screwed onto the two connections where the VGA monitor lead would screw to, if the plate was not there.

With a card the connection will be on a separate area away from the I/O plate

It may be the graphics it may also be a power issue, or of course other hardware.


It does not have to look like this exactly but I am sure you get the idea

[Macboatmaster]

mycompsuxxx

It is now some 7 days since you last posted

Did you make any progress, please do update your topic

We always like to know the result and if help is still required you only have to ask