Are you experiencing an empty or black display on boot-up or while using your computer? There are instances when your monitor connects to your computer fine however, you’ll end up being presented with a blank screen that displays the message there is no input or Cable not connected.
There are a variety of reasons the display of a computer can be black or blank and I’ll go over every possible option below. The majority of the time the issue is due to a piece of hardware that is the video cable, card, monitors, RAM, or motherboard.
Sometimes, it’s an issue related to software. I’ll discuss the simplest solutions first since the worst-case scenario is that you have to get an item of hardware repaired on your PC.
Method 1 – Test the power
It’s probably not the first time you’ve been through this, however, it’s worthwhile to be mentioned because it happens more frequently than you believe. Make sure that the monitor is switched on, which is typically identified by an illumination located on the power button. If it’s lit illuminated it means the monitor is turned on and you will see a message.
If your monitor is turned on and there is no display Try pressing on the menu to open the built-in controls for your monitor. If you’re still seeing no screen, it’s possible that there’s something wrong with the monitor. If you don’t have anything connected the monitor will be able to open up the menu for your monitor. Try connecting a different monitor, if you own one.
If a different monitor functions well, it could be that the power supply is not working properly on the monitor that was originally installed. Try replacing the power source and check if that resolves the problem.
Make sure your computer is correctly switched on. The primary thing to check is to find any alarms or unusual sounds when you power up your computer. In the event that the power or any in the state lights appears yellow or red, or the computer beeps repeatedly upon turning on it is a sign of an internal issue.
I have written a previous blog post about how to check your PC for bad memory that could be the cause of the soundings. The sound could also be due to your motherboard or video card, for example. It is necessary to refer to the manual for the manufacturer of your PC to determine what the lights or beeps mean.
If you’re able to turn on the power and everything is working however you’re not seeing anything visible on your screen, the computer could have been put into sleep mode or standby mode, and isn’t getting woken. Try pressing the keys on your computer’s keyboard, or using the mouse. If none of this is working, try restarting your system by pushing the power button.
Method 2: Check the cables
The second thing you should do is to examine all cables. If you’re making use of VGA, DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort to connect your computer to your monitor, cables may be prone to becoming disconnected. This is particularly true for cables that do not screw to the rear of the monitor.
Check the connection on the PC as well as in the screen. If you are using more than one graphics card it is important to be aware of in the way you connect the monitors.
If you own a dedicated graphics card ensure that the screen is attached to that card, and not to the motherboard’s video connection. In default, Windows is supposed to disable the motherboard’s graphics on the fly when you have an additional graphics card, however, sometimes it doesn’t work.
If you decide to connect your monitor to your motherboard, it could be working for a short time and then suddenly stop working. Restarting it could fix the issue however, it will repeat the issue. If you have two monitors, and you connect one to your motherboard and another to your graphics card the other monitor will be blank and now you understand the reason.
If your cables are connected, and there is only just one connection to video, you should eliminate bad cables. To accomplish this, you will must find a different monitor that you can join your laptop to. If the screen is not blank in the monitor you have, too this could indicate an issue with your video cable.
Replace the video cable with another video cable in case you have several options for connecting to your computer, such as DVI, HDMI, etc. If VGA does not work, it could indicate that there is an issue with the HDMI or DVI cable.
Method 3 – Check Resolution, Display & Source
Sometimes, if you have changed the resolution in Windows greater than the monitor can support, the monitor will just go completely blank. To remedy this you’ll need to begin Windows using safe mode..
After you have put the computer to the safe mode, please follow my steps here for fixing the blank screen issue due to of the screen resolution.
In all modern versions of Windows, it actually returns to the original screen resolution in just 15 seconds, unless you press the Keep Changes button. Additionally, Windows normally detects the maximum resolution your monitor will accommodate and displays only the options that are available.
This means that you’ll only encounter this issue if you’re using an older version of Windows or an old monitor. Another scenario where you could be left with an unresponsive screen happens when you connect your laptop to an external monitor or display, and you remove it, without notifying Windows.
This can be fixed on laptops, by using the functions keys and pressing the Monitor key.
In addition, be sure to ensure the source of input on your screen has been set for the right input. The majority of monitors automatically detect the source of input, however, at times, this feature might be disabled. Press the buttons on the monitor to open the options, then go to the input and select the right input.
Method 4 BIOS and Option for Recovery
If you are able to see the initial screen after you turn on your PC, but it disappears once Windows starts loading and loading, then you’re aware of an issue in Windows.
In the event that Windows is damaged, the only way to fix it is to restart in secure mode and then attempt to fix Windows by using Automatic Repair or System Restore or by using Reset or Refresh features. Reset My Computer or Refresh It feature.
I would suggest you try either automatic repair or system restore first. If none of them work then you can try resetting your computer. Resetting your computer will save all your data and programs however, you must reinstall the Windows System files.
Method 5 – Check Hardware
The final step is to look at the hardware. Before doing anything else, you must consider disconnecting all peripherals and devices from your computer, such as the keyboard mouse, an external drive or speaker scanners, printers, etc.
Sometimes, a problem with a different component of the hardware could cause the display to become completely blank. If this doesn’t happen, you must look at the ports on the computer as well as the monitor for any damage.
There are instances where someone isn’t taking care to correctly pull out a cable and can cause bending of the video port of the computer. Sometimes, people try to connect a cable in an unsuitable connection and cause damage to the connectors made of silver or gold that are in the port.
There aren’t many options other than sending your computer to a repair shop to repair the damaged or bent ports. The majority of the time they’ll advise you to change your graphic card.
If you’re technologically adept, you could try opening your PC and ensure that everything is connected and sitting properly. You’ve already looked over the RAM in the information I provided in the previous paragraph, but you must be sure that the fan on your video card is operating.
The only other problem at this point is the mainboard or drive. It is likely that you will need to have your computer checked out as doing a faff with these components by yourself could result in more damage. For any concerns, you’d like to ask, please leave a post a comment. Enjoy!