Desperately need computer help...

Knight said:
since you know you have power at the outlet you are plugged into the real possibility is your PC power supply is failing. If you have time to read check this out.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sym...7j33i160l5.19372j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Click to expand...
Anything is possible, as you can see I know nothing about this subject, but considering all I read online I still think the Windows 10 updates are the cause- many people have reported the same problem.
With everything going on I can't be sure of time-frame, but I think this all started around the beginning of October or thereabouts.

Like I said, I have NO tech knowledge, but if there was something wrong with the power supply wouldn't the PC have quit working or had problems during long periods of time it was on and in use?
 

Knight said:
or the PC this is a partial list some of what Janice describes is on the list.

Signs of power supply failure
Power-on Fails (system fails to start or lock ups)
Spontaneous Rebooting.
Intermittent lock ups during applications.
Hard drive and fan fail to spin up simultaneously (+12 failure)
Overheating of power supply due to fan failure.
Small brownouts that cause the system to fail and restart.
PC Won't Boot at All. As the central hub of the energy of your computer, if the power supply has died, the computer will fail to start. ...
PC Randomly Restarts or Shuts Down. ...
Random Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) ...
Extra Noise Coming from the PC Case. ...
Smoke or a Burning Smell.
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I REALLY appreciate the time you guys are putting into helping with this.

None of those issues were occurring.
The PC starts, runs, etc., but it's like the PC signal does not reach the monitor.
 
An example of what I meant: PC started up early morning Nov. 13. As start-up had become a problem, I figured the smart thing was to leave it on. So it was on from then til the idiot inspector showed up ('needed to turn off electricity') on Nov. 17 afternoon.
So, it seemed the entire system was in working order without any problems for a little more than four days. I had no problem with it during that entire time.
 

Glad to try to help. Trouble shooting a P C problem is never fun. When you said your P C wasn't starting & you were getting a blank screen when it did. You did say your P C was old so while this may be helful it is best to try to check other factors 1st. as the info suggests.

9. Computer Stuck on a Black Screen? Check the PSU
A faulty power supply unit (PSU) may cause your PC to hang with a black screen. But how can you fix a Black Screen of Death caused by the PSU?


After all, PSU issues can be difficult to diagnose. You'll usually find the problem through a process of elimination, but this can take time. If you've already checked other hardware and no components are overheating, then the power supply is a likely culprit.

In some cases, the PSU may not even be at fault. Upgrades to power-hungry new video cards or processors can impact the power supply. In short, your computer is not receiving enough power.

You can only know for sure by replacing the PSU. As this is a last resort, work through the other solutions first.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/troub...ty power supply unit,hang with a black screen.
 
Knight said:
Glad to try to help. Trouble shooting a P C problem is never fun. When you said your P C wasn't starting & you were getting a blank screen when it did. You did say your P C was old so while this may be helful it is best to try to check other factors 1st. as the info suggests.

9. Computer Stuck on a Black Screen? Check the PSU
A faulty power supply unit (PSU) may cause your PC to hang with a black screen. But how can you fix a Black Screen of Death caused by the PSU?


After all, PSU issues can be difficult to diagnose. You'll usually find the problem through a process of elimination, but this can take time. If you've already checked other hardware and no components are overheating, then the power supply is a likely culprit.

In some cases, the PSU may not even be at fault. Upgrades to power-hungry new video cards or processors can impact the power supply. In short, your computer is not receiving enough power.

You can only know for sure by replacing the PSU. As this is a last resort, work through the other solutions first.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/troubleshoot-fix-windows-black-screen-issues/#:~:text=A faulty power supply unit,hang with a black screen.
Click to expand...
I was so tired I fell asleep..

I know it doesn't help that I don't know a lot of terminology.
Hopefully this can be useful:

When the entire system is working properly, this is how it goes:
I turn on powerbar. Monitor goes on automatically, as its on/off button doesn't work- I don't know if it ever did, never used it. Monitor brand logo flashes periodically. I turn on power of PC (tower). The PC brand logo flashes on monitor screen. I hit 'enter,' and screen goes to my log-in.

However, when it's in its current state, it goes like this:
After I turn on powerbar, monitor goes on, flashes logo periodically. I turn on power of PC. But while PC seems to be operating the way it should- it's on, fans normal, etc. etc.- the PC logo does NOT flash on monitor screen. It's like the two components do not connect.

I know there's nothing wrong with cords/cables. Both power cord and the cable that connects the two are securely attached. I found I had a brand-new connecting cable, tried it, didn't make a difference. Also tried a brand-new powerbar, still no results.

Also, when it was working for a few days before this latest episode, I checked control panel, settings, etc., and everything seemed to be ok.

(Sorry, the link you included doesn't connect either- like nearly everything I try, it says secure connection failed.. example of this being a very old laptop.)
 
When I post about power supply it isn't about the cables, cords or any external input. The power cable from the wall to your P C plugs into the internal power supply. There are multiple cables coming out of the P C power supply feeding the various function inside your P C This video shows the various connections.

The real problem is it's difficult to know exactly what is causing your issues. As a suggestion you could buy a power supply from Amazon install it & use that as a way to test if that is the problem. If it isn't the problem you have at least removed that as the problem. Hint if you do decide to try this use you camera on your phone to record which wires went where. A plus is returning stuff to Amazon that didn't work is possible. When filling out the reason for return if it didn't resolve your issues choose the ----- it didn't work & don't elaborate.

Considering you say the P C is older a 600 watt power supply should work as a way to test.
 
Knight said:
When I post about power supply it isn't about the cables, cords or any external input. The power cable from the wall to your P C plugs into the internal power supply. There are multiple cables coming out of the P C power supply feeding the various function inside your P C This video shows the various connections.

The real problem is it's difficult to know exactly what is causing your issues. As a suggestion you could buy a power supply from Amazon install it & use that as a way to test if that is the problem. If it isn't the problem you have at least removed that as the problem. Hint if you do decide to try this use you camera on your phone to record which wires went where. A plus is returning stuff to Amazon that didn't work is possible. When filling out the reason for return if it didn't resolve your issues choose the ----- it didn't work & don't elaborate.

Considering you say the P C is older a 600 watt power supply should work as a way to test.
Click to expand...
I need a functioning PC to see video.. but I think I grasp what you're saying.

What I don't get, though, is if the power supply isn't working properly, why is it that the only problem is getting PC to start up (connect to monitor)? I mean it doesn't shut off or act up in any way when it's actually working.
 
JaniceM said:
I need a functioning PC to see video.. but I think I grasp what you're saying.

What I don't get, though, is if the power supply isn't working properly, why is it that the only problem is getting PC to start up (connect to monitor)? I mean it doesn't shut off or act up in any way when it's actually working.
Click to expand...
Trying to find a way to explain how the power unit takes 115 volts of a/c power & converts that into lets guess 500 watts of DC power isn't something I can do.

But getting back to basics when was the last time you replaced the CMOS battery on your mother board?

Now to try to explain the power unit has to deliver power to your mother board, your hard drive, your cooling fans, your CPU & video card if that is not built into your mother board. If the power unit is failing that could cause not enough power to be delivered until the other stuff is booted up. Kind of like when there is weak water pressure in a home. Weak water pressure drops the delivery of water to a shower when a toilet is flushed.

This might help
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_supply_unit_(computer)

But 1st. what about the battery on the motherboard?
 
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