Computer monitor - basic question

50 replies
If the power light on a monitor is on but the Menu button on
the monitor (which allows various settings) does not do
anything when pressed would this signify that the monitor is
not working ?

In other words (I think) should the monitor menu work even
if it is not connected to the PC ?

(It's a second monitor on my PC where the screen has now gone blank)


Harvey
#basic #computer #monitor #question
  • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
    Originally Posted by Tom Borowski View Post

    Probably depends on model and manufacturer. With my Dell, the menu shows up even if there's no signal coming from the computer.
    I see

    This a HANNSG HX191DP if that helps

    Harvey
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    You said, "It's a second monitor on my PC where the screen has now gone blank."

    That sounds like something other than the monitor. Does your computer use a video card, or is the video "card" an integrated part of the motherboard?

    First, try using that monitor on another computer. If the monitor does not work on another computer, the problem is in the monitor.

    If it works on another computer, the problem is in your computer.

    If the problem is in the computer, and your computer uses a video card (instead of integrated video), the video card may have come lose. Turn off the computer, unplug it, then try unplugging the video card, then insert it back into the motherboard. See if that helps.

    If that doesn't help, try installing another video card. If the problem is in the computer and the computer has an integrated video card, you can still add another video card and try it. (You may have to turn off the integrated video in the computer's setup menu.)

    Is your computer a notebook computer with an external monitor plugged into it? If so, then there will be a way to choose, laptop screen, or external monitor, or both. Maybe the computer is set to "monitor off."

    Just some thoughts about where to troubleshoot your machine.

    Don
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    • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
      Originally Posted by Tom Borowski View Post

      Doesn't help I meant that some monitors may show the menu while others may not. I don't know which models behave in what way specifically.
      Yep I knew what you meant, Tom, I was just listing the model in case
      anyone else might know


      Originally Posted by Tom Borowski View Post

      or swap the monitors on your PC
      That's what I planned to do but seeing the myriad of cables
      packed in a hard-to-get position behind my computer I
      chickened out and thought I'd ask here first.

      Don, thanks for the great advice.

      Originally Posted by Don Schenk View Post

      First, try using that monitor on another computer.
      I will try that on a laptop (I assume that is possible)

      Harvey
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      • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
        OK, I have now swapped the monitors on the PC.

        And the second monitor works !

        However, I've reverted back to monitor 1 so I can continue
        to investigate and that now has a blank screen.

        This this does not make sense to me as I should
        be back in the situation I was a few minutes ago.

        I'm assuming a reboot is not required


        Harvey
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        • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
          Originally Posted by Tom Borowski View Post

          If I understand you correctly, you're basically saying that both monitors physically work, right?
          Tom, yes in that

          - Monitor 1 was fine prior to this posting
          - Monitor 2 was blank but on swapping monitors it now works

          On going back to Monitor 1 it is now blank, my immediate
          thought was that in swapping around I might not have secured
          it properly or a cable might have come loose but on checking
          it seems OK

          Your suggestion that maybe 'Windows somehow got the graphics
          driver messed up' therefore sounded good however I have now
          rebooted and the screen is still blank :-(


          Harvey
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          • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
            Tom

            At the moment I have monitor 2 connected to my PC
            and I have disconnected monitor 1.

            Control Panel/Display/Settings shows 2 monitors

            1. Plug and Play
            2. Default

            When I click on Identify it says "1"

            Harvey
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            • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
              What kind of video card are you using?

              Is it a dual port video card... as in 2 different connections for the monitor?

              Or are using a splitter?

              Has this worked in the past?

              Also did you tell "Display Settings" to "Extend Your Desktop"?

              Have you tried reinstalling the drivers that come directly from the manufacturers website for your video card?

              If you are seeing Plug and Play and "Default"... then it isn't detecting the second monitor.

              What kind of monitors are they? Flat Panel? CRT?
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              • Profile picture of the author jackmrk
                Can you check the situation while booting on screen 2, pressing F8
                right before windows start loading, choosing "Safe Mode" and then plugging screen 1. If it works this means there is a driver/setting issue.
                If it doesn't work, maybe it is a screen issue (unless I missed something).
                Let me know...
                Can you test screen1 with another PC/laptop?

                Yours,

                Jack.
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              • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                Let me provide some background which I deliberately omitted
                in order not to confuse the situation and also because I
                already asked it on a Warrior post a few days ago but got no
                reply.


                I have two monitors working with Ultramon.

                While closing down my PC for a reboot there was a problem
                trying to terminate Ultramon (not responding).

                On restarting the 2nd monitor was blank.

                I assumed this was a software problem needing
                reconfiguration or re-install of Ultramon as it would seem a
                coincidence that the monitor hardware failed as I was
                closing down.

                But when I saw that pressing the Menu button did not have
                any effect I wondered if it was hardware.

                And so - as you can see - that was the question I asked at
                the start of this thread.

                Now once I discovered the 2nd monitor was OK I thought fine
                - I'll focus now on the software set up but the failure now
                of the 1st monitor to display threw me.

                However I would think that, in similar fashion, this monitor
                is reallly working OK and it is in fact a software problem.

                So I need to think how to proceed
                e.g it might be best to ignore the current problem with
                monitor 1 not showing and get back to the situation I
                started with (with both monitors attached to the PC) -
                monitor 1 working, monitor 2 not working with the advantage
                that I know monitor 2 does not have a hardware problem.


                Harvey
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                • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
                  Harvey,

                  When you say the monitor was blank, do you mean a black screen as if it were turned off, or do you mean a light color on the screen but no icons?

                  These could mean two different things.

                  Did your monitors come with their own drivers on CD?

                  Or did your video card which lets you plug in two monitors come with its own driver on CD?

                  Don
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                  • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                    Originally Posted by Don Schenk View Post

                    Harvey,
                    When you say the monitor was blank, do you mean a black screen as if it were turned off, or do you mean a light color on the screen but no icons?
                    ... a black screen as if it were turned off

                    Originally Posted by Don Schenk View Post

                    Harvey,
                    Did your monitors come with their own drivers on CD?

                    Or did your video card which lets you plug in two monitors come with its own driver on CD?
                    Monitor 1 came with my PC - without drivers on CD I think.

                    For monitor 2 I have a USB 2.0 VGA Adaptor.

                    (Hope that answers your question - I'm not too knowledgable
                    about hardware)

                    Harvey
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                    • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                      That helps a lot. Check the device manager and make certain the drivers for the USB to VGA adapter are installed and don't have any conflicts or issues.

                      Assuming you are using WinXP...
                      1. Right Click on "My Computer".
                      2. Left Click on "Properties".
                      3. Click the "Hardware" tab.
                      4. Click the "Device Manager" button.
                      5. It should be under "Display Adapters"... I believe.
                      6. Look for any icons like a Red X if it is disabled...
                      7. Or a Yellow Circle with an Exclamation Point if there are issues with the driver or conflicts of some sort.
                      This might be the problem... Trace back the monitor cable from the USB to VGA adapter and see if that is the monitor which isn't functioning properly. My guess that is the culprit.
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                      • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                        Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                        Assuming you are using WinXP...
                        [LIST=1][*]Right Click on "My Computer".
                        ...
                        Dennis

                        There are 3 entries

                        - Graphics Controller
                        - USB 2.0 VGA Device (Diplay)
                        - USB 2.0 VGA Device (Mirror)

                        The 'Properties' tab for each says they are working properly

                        Harvey
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                        • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                          Was I correct? Is it the monitor hooked to the USB to VGA adapter that isn't working properly?
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                          • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                            Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                            Was I correct? Is it the monitor hooked to the USB to VGA adapter that isn't working properly?
                            In order to swap monitors I removed the adapter from monitor 2.
                            That works.

                            If I revert back to monitor 1 that does not work

                            Harvey
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                            • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                              Ok. Are you saying that neither monitor works with that adapter? Or only one of them doesn't work with that adapter?

                              If neither works with the adapter... re-install the drivers to the adapter... and reboot the computer.

                              If only one of them has an issue with the adapter... then look at the monitor connection going into the adapter. Make certain there are no bent pins or missing pins.

                              If the pins look okay on that end, then check the end connected to the monitor. This is only applicable to flat panel monitors. Most CRT's don't have the option remove the monitor cable from the monitor side of the cable.

                              Also if there is only one monitor having an issue with the adapter... then connect that monitor which is not working directly into the main video card...

                              Let me know if any of these steps worked for you.
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                              • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                Dennis

                                Currently I am just using one monitor.

                                It is monitor2 and is connected directly to the PC without the adaptor.

                                I have now tried to connect it with the adaptor and am
                                getting the other type of blank screen that Don mentioned
                                above viz "a light color on the screen but no icons"

                                Does that prove something ?

                                Harvey
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                                • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                                  Let's eliminate every possible issue. We know the monitor works fine. Just not with that adapter.

                                  This could be either an issue with a driver... the adapter... or the UltraMon software you are using.

                                  Completely uninstall the UltraMon software and reboot the computer.

                                  Then re-connect the monitor you used above to the adapter.

                                  See if it works. If it works... then it is an issue with a setting in the UltraMon software.

                                  Let me know how this works out.
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                                  • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                    Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                                    Completely uninstall the UltraMon software and reboot the computer.

                                    Then re-connect the monitor you used above to the adapter.
                                    Dennis

                                    I have now tried this and I get the same result - a screen with no icons

                                    Harvey
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                                    • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                                      Ok. Connect Monitor1 to the onboard or internal video card... and connect Monitor 2 to the adapter.

                                      The go into the Display Settings make certain you have "extended the desktop" to the second monitor. You will have to click each monitor to make certain the settings are setup this way. You will get to choose a primary display and an extended display.

                                      Let me know if you get both displays working...
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                                      • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                        Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                                        Ok. Connect Monitor1 to the onboard or internal video card... and connect Monitor 2 to the adapter.
                                        As before
                                        If I connect Monitor 1 to the internal card I get a blank screen

                                        If I connect Monitor 2 to the adapter I get a screen with no icons

                                        Harvey
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                                        • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                                          It sounds like this is just a software configuration issue. What kind of internal video card are you using? ATI? NVIDIA?

                                          Sometimes the video settings have to be set with these companies software programs. ATI tends to be a little weird about that sometimes.

                                          It is also possible that for some reason it is disabling one video source or the other when you use that adapter.

                                          The no icons part is where the desktop has been extended to that monitor. The primary monitor will show the icons... which happens to be the one you are getting the blank screen on.

                                          The monitors are not the problem. It is a software issue... we just have to track down what is causing that problem.

                                          So let me know what model and brand video card you have... and also what model and brand adapter you have.

                                          This way I can see what kind of software each of the companies use and can tell you what needs to be set and how.
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                                          • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                            Dennis,

                                            By the way - a big thank you for the help you are providing.

                                            Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                                            The no icons part is where the desktop has been extended to that monitor. The primary monitor will show the icons... which happens to be the one you are getting the blank screen on.
                                            Ah - that is interesting



                                            Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                                            So let me know what model and brand video card you have... and also what model and brand adapter you have.
                                            How do I find these out ?

                                            Do I look as before in the Display Adaptors section ?


                                            Harvey
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                                            • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                                              For the internal video card... under display adapters it should say something like ATI or NVIDIA or something along those lines. For the adapter it will also be under Display Adapters but I don't recall what it might be called... find that selection and Right Click and then left click on properties.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Giannetti
    Harvey,
    my monitor wont work unless its connected to the computer.....
    not even the menu functions....
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    • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
      Originally Posted by Joe Giannetti View Post

      Harvey,
      my monitor wont work unless its connected to the computer.....
      not even the menu functions....
      Hi Joe

      Yes - I realised that that is also true of my monitor
      once I had it working again

      Thanks
      Harvey
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      • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
        It used to be that Windows would install a generic driver for video if it didn't find the correct driver. This might be what is happening with yours. Look on the adapter itself and see if you can find a name somewhere...

        This will help me to find the correct driver for your device.

        Also see if you can try a different USB port. While the computer is on and logged into Windows unhook it from its USB connection with the monitor still connected... and hook it up to a different USB port.
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        • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
          Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

          Look on the adapter itself and see if you can find a name somewhere...
          The name on the physical item itself is the same, viz USB 2.0 VGA Adapter


          Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

          Also see if you can try a different USB port. While the computer is on and logged into Windows unhook it from its USB connection with the monitor still connected... and hook it up to a different USB port.
          I'm not clear what you mean by 'with the monitor still connected'

          I've removed the monitor's direct connection to the PC,
          attached the adaptor and tried a different port to the one
          before. But I still get the blank screen with no icons

          Harvey
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          • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
            That means to unhook it from the computer directly from the USB connection... and not from the Montior cable connection. I wanted to make certain the monitor was still connected when you tried a different USB port.

            Have both connected... when you do this to see if you get a video signal on both. If you are only using the adapter you will need to disable the other video card so it knows to get the video signal from the adapter... and not the onboard video.

            You say blank screen? Black screen as in no signal? Or just an empty desktop?

            Ok. This relay posting is not working...

            Do you have a spare computer you could do an Instant Messenger session on? So I can walk you through some troubleshooting steps on the monitor issue? Or is this the only computer you have?
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            • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
              I'm still confused. Maybe it's because it's 1.00am here
              so I'll make it my last post today.

              >>That means to unhook it from the computer directly from the USB connection..

              I currently have the one monitor connected directly to the PC (ie. not by a USB connection).

              But if it was connected via a USB I can't see the difference
              between removing the cable from the monitor or the USB from
              the PC in that either way the monitor is no longer connected
              to the PC.

              But no doubt I am misunderstanding what you are saying


              Harvey
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              • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                Ok. Leave the one monitor connected to the internal card.

                Then leave the other monitor connected to the adapter.

                Then unhook the adapter... as in pull out the USB plug from the computer.

                Then re-plug the adapter into a different USB connection.

                When you do this it should be detected by the computer... you will even hear a sound on the computer letting you know a USB device has been unplugged... and also that a USB device has been plugged in.

                If you don't hear this sound... then there is an issue with the driver you have installed for that device. I suspect this is the culprit. It almost always is a driver problem. That is why I kept trying to figure out what brand that device is. So you could go directly to the manufacturers website and download and install the latest driver for your device.

                The driver that Windows installs may not always be the best driver.

                Stuff like this is a lot easier to explain over the phone.
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                • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                  Dennis

                  I'll pose one more question before I try to sort this out offline with you

                  Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                  Ok. Leave the one monitor connected to the internal card.

                  Then leave the other monitor connected to the adapter.

                  Then unhook the adapter... as in pull out the USB plug from the computer.
                  The current state is
                  - Monitor 2 connected to the internal card
                  - Monitor 1 not connected at all

                  So when you say "leave the other monitor connected to the
                  adapter" it is not clear to me.

                  Unless you mean that I should attach it to the adaptor - but
                  in the next line you then say remove it.

                  Harvey
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                  • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                    Leave monitor 2 connected to the internal card.

                    Since nothing is connected to the adapter... connect the other monitor to it...

                    So at that point you will have both Monitors connected.

                    Then to see if the device is functioning properly... I want you to switch the USB port the adapter is plugged into with the monitor still connected to it.

                    You should hear a sound on your computer that indicates a USB device was removed... and then another sound to indicate a USB device was plugged in.
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                    • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                      Ok, this might explain my confusion.

                      The adapter was not conected to the PC, it was lying loose

                      So I have done what you requested in a kind of reverse order
                      with the adaptor attached to the monitor.

                      1. Connect (to original port)
                      2. Remove
                      3. Connect to another port

                      The sound was heard for all 3 events

                      Harvey
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                      • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                        Did you install any drivers for this device when you originally got it? Or did Windows automatically install them for you?
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                        • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                          Device ?

                          If you mean the adaptor - it came with a driver on CD

                          (If you mean the 2nd monitor it had an installation disc which I did not need to use)

                          Harvey
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                          • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                            Sorry about that. I meant the adapter.

                            Did you use that driver on the CD or did Windows automatically install the driver?
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                            • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                              I'm pretty sure (99%) that I used the adaptor driver on the CD
                              - though it was two years ago.
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                              • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
                                The only thing I can suspect at this time... is that your adapter has gone bad. My suggestion would be to replace that adapter with a new video card.

                                You should be able to get a dual video card pretty cheap these days. Check places like Newegg.com. They usually have pretty good deals on video cards. I got an ATI Dual DVI video card for $79. Well worth it in my opinion.

                                Sorry I couldn't help you more.
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                                • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                  Originally Posted by jjpmarketing View Post

                                  The only thing I can suspect at this time... is that your adapter has gone bad.
                                  I've been thinking that this might be the reason.

                                  So I'll stop at this point.

                                  Many thanks Dennis - please check your PM box in a few minutes. I'm
                                  sending you something

                                  Thanks also to the others who have assisted in this marathon

                                  Harvey
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                                  • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
                                    So Harvey, are you saying that the light is on, but there is nobody at home?

                                    Pearson and I noticed that years ago!

                                    Martin
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                                    • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                      Originally Posted by Martin.Avis View Post

                                      So Harvey, are you saying that the light is on, but there is nobody at home?

                                      Pearson and I noticed that years ago!

                                      Martin
                                      How nice to kick - or should I say kickstart - a man when he is down.

                                      Would I make fun of you if your male connector got chopped off ?
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                                      • Profile picture of the author alteredskin5
                                        Hey everyone! I am new here to Warrior Forum and I can't figure out why I can't edit my signature. Can someone please help me out on this.

                                        Kristi
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                                        • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
                                          Originally Posted by alteredskin5 View Post

                                          Hey everyone! I am new here to Warrior Forum and I can't figure out why I can't edit my signature. Can someone please help me out on this.

                                          Kristi
                                          Of all the threads in all the forums he walks into mine

                                          (Humphrey Bogart)
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