Monitor suddenly behaves as if the computer's off

[topix]

Three times in the past few weeks, the monitor would appear to shut off with the power light still on, as if the computer were shut off, out of the blue. Each time, I could only get everything to work properly through re-plugging the computer.

I noticed that, each time once again, the light around the hard drive area was off (Dell desktop that I removed a side panel of). It would turn back on for a restart attempt, but no monitor response. Ctrl-alt-delete wouldn't restart the computer. I spoke to a friend who worked in software troubleshooting that got me to recall blue screen failure logs, but there weren't any logs of the events in question. The first two times, there were certain static sounds through the speaker that went off right before and briefly during, kind of like when moving the prong connecting to the computer in or out.

One last thing to mention is that the system's over seven years old. I don't like to get rid of working things, heh. I have a laptop ready to go when this thing dies, and I save most of the important stuff regularly through e-mail (haven't bought an HD stick yet). I'm just waiting to join this guy.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[mrr1999]

I had this problem with my Samsung monitor although 3 years old it had clock up many hours.

My problem and thinking is that the power supply unit inside you monitor is going or gone - it is the plug type thing that in the back of your monitor where you plug the power lead/cord in

There is a quick test.....have you tried another monitor from another computer - you should have no problems with it turning off.

Being 7 years old it probably cheaper to buy a new monitor then get the old one repaired that if you can find the parts - also your computer is at end of life - you going over the expected life of the components

Also as an important side note I would save all your data onto another thing away from the current computer- eg to a USB stick(s), CD,DVD or a cloud base service (Amazon or drop box) - due to the age of your computer your monitor just broken what can be next?

Mark

[topix]

The light going off on the hard drive really made me think it was on that end, but I'll play around with the monitor if it happens again. I don't think it's happened since I last wrote this thread. Thanks for writing, Mrr1999.

[Red Lenin]

Your monitor is about to die. Basically the power input is starting to fail.

[eclaire]

Is the light by the hard drive actually inside the computer on the circuit board thingy as you have the side off? If it is and it goes out when the monitor goes off its the main desktop box not the monitor that is the problem. Just because the screen goes blank it doesn't mean it must be the screen thats faulty.