# Computer works but no picture on monitor



## Joditb (Jun 26, 2006)

You have to understand I am just a beginner with computers first off........Ok here is my problem, our house was hit with lightening at both ends during the same storm, yes lightening does strike twice LOL The computer was unplugged but there was still an old phone line still plugged in that my son never unplugged, when the lightening hit the one end of the house it came into the house through the phone line, but all the phones worked it was the jacks that got fried, the lightening bolt that hit the other end of the house bounced off the tree right next to the house, and when we got the surge of power , it messed up my cable booster, and splitters but my computer is fine, it didnt mess with it at all, but my sons computer works and he gets no picture on the screen, his computer is hooked up to the TV but the TV is fine, we changed out the monitor cable, ( a geek told us that was our problem) but it still isnt working, what else should I try ?????? Please help, son is driving me crazy with no computer


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

When you say "his computer works and he gets no picture", how do you know that the computer is actually working?

Unless you hear the startup beep, and the Windows loading music you cannot assume its "working".

A simple and effective test is to tap the Caps Lock key, and observe the Caps Lock light on the keyboard. If the computer is "working", then the light should toggle from off to on to off each press. If that does not happen then the computer is not "working" at all, it probably has serious damage.

If the keyboard light indicates it is working, then it may just be the video card that has died in the computer.

But try the simple test and post back....


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## Joditb (Jun 26, 2006)

you can hear the beep and the music and hear the motor but there is no picture, if you put in a disk in either drive the light on the tower indicates it is reading it but nothing shows up on monitor, tried another monitor and same thing, blank screen


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

Thats a good sign, but at the very least I would suspect the video card or the PC input to the TV has fried. Until a replacement is tried, you will not know however. 

The problem is, if you buy a new video card then find that the problem is in the TV input or the PC motherboard, it may be money unwisely spent. Perhaps a trip to the computer repair shop would be a wiser investment, as at least you would not have to end up buying hardware that was unrequired, even though you may have to pay for the labor.

As an aside, the survival rate for computers that have damaged components from lightning is not great long term. Very stressful on other parts which often fail prematurely.

If it were mine, I would be thinking replacement.


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## tedwinder (Sep 7, 2005)

is the blue pin-plug in properly on the back of the monitor?


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I'd open the case, remove, and reinsert the video card....assuming that it isn't onboard video.


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