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Monitor cable is fine.<br />
<br />
Is there a diagnostic program you would recommend?<br />

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The monitor light does flick on and off. Nothing happens if I try and click it. The comp sounds like it is still running OK.<br />
<br />
Is there any way of seeing a log in windows perhaps where this could show the error?
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Also, it might be worth noting that I had this problem quite a while ago and I cleaned out all the dust inside the case and made sure everything was seated properly. This fixed it for some months until now where it seems to be resurfacing again.
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Are you working in a particularly dusty environment? &nbsp; Even if you're not its certainly worth having a look inside the cabinet again.<br />
Check fan operation, and for dust around the CPU &amp;&nbsp;heatsink.
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You can use speedfan for monitoring temperatures&gt; : <a href="http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php" rel="ugc">http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php</a>&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Other possibilities ... you could check for latest Graphics driver, from the appropriate manufacturer.
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It isn't a dusty environment but looking at my processor and the heatsink, that does look a bit dusty.<br />
<br />
I had a look in the event viewer and the error appears as the following:<br />
<br />
Source: ati2mtag<br />
Description: CRT invalid display type<br />
<br />

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Are you using a CRT display, not an LCD? Make sure your display properties don't exceed what the monitor can actually cope with. LCD's normally have a refresh rate of not more than 60Hz, while on CRT's the refresh rate depends on the resolution used. Check the monitor's specs for more details.
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Do the Caps lock/num lock keys light up when the screen is black?<br />
<br />
Can you ping it from the network (if applicable)?<br />
<br />
Can you read shares from it when this happens?<br />
<br />
Will explain if it is just the monitor/display adapter, or if the whole system is locked up.....<br />

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If you're still not resolving the problem you could try temporarily adjusting the graphics card &quot;Hardware Acceleration&quot; ... or even turning it off. &nbsp;This at least should help confirm the cause.<br />
<br />
Right click Desktop &gt;&nbsp;properties &gt;&nbsp;settings &gt;&nbsp;advanced &gt;&nbsp;<br />
then ... select 'Troubleshooting'.<br />
Adjust hardware acceleration to a lower setting.<br />
Reboot, and monitor the situation.
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ati2mtag refers to the miniport driver, so try updating it -<br />
what system is this?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.file.net/process/ati2mtag.sys.html" rel="ugc">http://www.file.net/process/ati2mtag.sys.html</a>
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&quot;Do the Caps lock/num lock keys light up when the screen is black?<br />
<br />
Can you ping it from the network (if applicable)?<br />
<br />
Can you read shares from it when this happens?<br />
<br />
Will explain if it is just the monitor/display adapter, or if the whole system is locked up.....&quot;<br />
<br />
Id like the answers to these, as it will offer us insight to more specifics of whats happening....
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@ Eternal_Student ... have you been able to make any progress with this black screen problem?
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Strange as this sounds but when I lie the computer flat so that the motherboard is flat everything works fine and I dont get this problem!<br />
<br />
How does that figure?
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If you're convinced its nothing to do with air cooling around the motherboard, then it could be a dry joint, or H/R (high resistant joint), on a motherboard connecting wire or connector. &nbsp;Suggest resoldering connections, as appropriate.<br />
<br />
Or, the weight of a wiring loom 'pulling' at a motherboard 'dry joint' connection, when you have it lying flat.
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In that case a line on your motherboard is broke, so it will only work correctly when the motherboard is absolutely flat or bend in a certain way. Or, your processor is not firmly seated in the socked. Or a pci/AGP/PCI-express card is not seated correctly and gets seated correctly becease you lay down your case. Or there is a cable or metal thing that rests on the motherboard when the system is up.
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haha ... crazy, all I know is it's working!
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Just wanted to say thanks everyone for your help.<br />
<br />
I think I need to upgrade my machine fairly soon, so I don't think I will attempt to address this issue just now.<br />
<br />
I will award points accordingly in the near future.
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you may find that disassembling everything, and reeassembling it cures the problem, since it was probably a bad contact
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&quot;Strange as this sounds but when I lie the computer flat so that the motherboard is flat everything works fine and I dont get this problem!&quot;<br />
<br />
Going out on a limb here......<br />
<br />
Maybe a bearing is going out on the fan, and an angle is making it stick.... &nbsp; ????&gt;&gt;&gt;???&gt;&gt;&gt;???
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Lee,<br />
Although Eternal_Student stated that ...<br />
&lt;quote&gt; I don't think I will attempt to address this issue just now &lt;unquote&gt;, some good advice had already been offered, and may well have resolved the problem.<br />
<br />
Therefore may i suggest that if he doesn't reply, the question is archived and points distributed equally between dmeeren, rindi, edbedb, nobus, Jonvee, johnb6767, and marksitwell. &nbsp; <br />
Thanks.
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This question has been classified as abandoned and is closed as part of the Cleanup Program. See the recommendation for more details.
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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
Occasionally, it seems once a week my computer screen just goes black and I have to reboot.<br />
<br />
It will do this 2 or 3 times then be OK.<br />
<br />
What is the problem here ... how can I diagnose what the problem is?<br />
<br />
I've had a good look inside at everything and it seems fine, everything seated properly, nothing is over-heating. &nbsp;
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Occasionally, it seems once a week my computer screen just goes black and I have to reboot.

It will do this 2 or 3 times then be OK.

What is the problem here ... how can I diagnose what the problem is?

I've had a good look inside at everything and it seems fine, everything seated properly, nothing is over-heating.  

Computer screen goes black

Microsoft Windows XP is the sixth release of the NT series of operating systems, and was the first to be marketed in a variety of editions: XP Home and XP Professional, designed for business and power users. The advanced features in XP Professional are generally disabled in Home Edition, but are there and can be activated. There were two 64-bit editions, an embedded edition and a tablet edition.

Windows XP

A personal computer is a general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities and price make it useful for individuals, and is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer time-sharing models that allowed systems to be used by many people, usually at the same time. Personal computers may be connected to a local area network (LAN), either by a cable or a wireless connection, and through that to the Internet. A personal computer may be a laptop computer or a desktop computer running an operating system such as Windows, Linux or Macintosh OS.