Monitor crashed my computer

I had added a new LCD a while back and had no problems at first. Then the other

night I had changed the cable to a DVI one. At the same time I read the manual

online, the monitor was second hand, and realized the monitor rotated.

 

So I spent the evening admiring the true digital nature of my new monitor and

rotating the monitor and the window using the Catalyst utility that drives my

ATI based video card.

 

The next day my computer would not even get past the opening screen. It just

showed the ASUS splash screen with a "Press DEL to enter setup" in the corner.

Because my keyboard was wireless I had to get a PS2 keyboard for the computer to

recognize it. With the keyboard I still got no response even after pressing

Delete. I did try starting the computer while pressing F8. The same splash

screen appears with "Loading Boot Menu" then freezes.

 

Did I create this problem with the monitor and Catalyst Utility? Any

suggestions on how to remedy this?

Thanks

You might try changing the monitor connection back to the original configuration. Don't hold your breath, though.

 

You are not getting to the actual bootup screen, so this is probably an hardware problem, probably with the hard drive. That you actually see a message on the monitor means the monitor is working. If possible, see if you can complete the bootup in a diagnostic mode. If not, look around to see if you have a bootup floppy disc or CD. If you can boot up from a floppy disc, then it's probably the main HD - physical problem or data corruption.

 

What's the "Catalyst" utility? Something you paid for or got with the monitor, I hope. Free junk has a way of biting you in the @@@.

If you can't get into the BIOS then it's not the monitor or a software problem. My guesses are Processor (overheat say a heatsink fell off or something), Power Supply, or Motherboard, maybe RAM.

well.. it is a good chance that your operating system is still there.. you are just having a problem with your BIOS .. try turning it off for about a day.. or maybe jsut an hour.. let it cool down .. completely cut the power.. then turn it on.. see how it goes. if it's still freezing.. put back the old monitor.. try it again. as mentioned above.. make sure everything in your computer is till put together right.

The Catalyst is the utility that controls the video card, its an ATI product, it controls the settings and placements of the two monitors.

It has never given me problems......until now maybe.

 

I am thinking BIOS as well but since I have only gone in to tweak it a very few times I am not sure how to get around it. I will try a bootable floppy or CD, that will tell me whether it is a hardware issue or not. Won't a bios problem also prevent a disk from powering up the computer as well?

 

I will try hooking up the monitors as previous as well. I will check the memory, CPU fan, etc as well. To check the memory, should I remove them one at a time to see if one bad stick is screwing up the rest of the system?

 

Someone suggested the things I was doing corrupted a driver for the video card or possibly the monitor did it. I believe the monitor sends a signal to the computer when it is rotated. I will try the things suggested when I get home this evening and let you know what happens.

Jordan, as other's have mentioned, if you cannot get into the BIOS setup, you have a hardware problem. Your video driver may, or may not be corrupted, but that would be a secondary problem at this point. If you are not getting past the POST splash screen, the Catalyst software doesn't even get close to being loaded on your computer.

Try removing the battery from the motherboard. Unplug the power cord first. Let the battery and power cord remain out for at least 30 minutes. This should allow all the power to drain from the motherboard. This will reset the bios to the default settings, because your settings have been deleted by the lack of power.

 

You should then be able to get into the bios via start up and the delete key on next restart. On some boards the F2 key works when the delete key dosen't. Hope this works for you.

When you switched from the VGA cable to DVI, did you start your computer afterwards or did

you change the connection on the running system?

 

There are some video cards with VGA and DVI connectors that require a display connected to

the VGA port at startup time, otherwise they won't initialize properly, halting the system's

bootup sequence. If this is the case with your video card, going back to the old connector

should remedy the problem. My work-around was to have an old, switched-off display

connected to the VGA port, and disabling that display in the graphics driver utility.

take your hard drive out and buy a mac....

i havent had to deal with any of this sh@t since the switch...

your harddrive might fit into a G5 tower..and definately fit into a ext. HD box...

 

or go the pc way and get your soldering iron and box fan ready...

I would love to own a Mac, its just not in my budget and my real job's software is not mac compatible. I owned macs for years before conversion 4 years ago.

 

The BIOS battery trick worked, thanks Michael.

 

Something interesting happened along the way though. After unplugging the power the green light remained on my MOBO. Not until I unplugged all the USB cables from the computer did the light extinguish. After 45 minutes I replaced the BIOS battery and pushed the reset button.....nothing. Not until I plugged in the USB cables did it restart.

 

Another interesting occurrence: On a previous issue my computer would not boot. Only by holding F8 and going to Boot Menu and choosing the HD with the system on it could I get the computer started up. By switching the SATA cables location on my MOBO this was solved. This happened again after the BIOS reset. I need to go in and replace the cables again.

 

See if I had a G5, I would not have all this fun problem solving.