GPU problems or something more?

[Inziladun]

So this morning I turn on my PC, walk out of the room get distracted, come back in about 40 minutes and find my monitor unresponsive. Thinking at first this was a monitor issue I fiddle with the plugs, reboot and no cigar. I boot her up in vga mode and find that this works. I uninstall the video drivers and now she'll boot up just fine, the only problem being now I don't have a working video card. I do a driver cleanup and install new drivers, same problem as before (screen goes blank after PC startup.) Try the same thing with the drivers which came on the Driver CD and again no luck.

So now my computer works fine without any video drivers, so my question is: Is this really what I think it is? Is my GPU just completely screwed and do I have to replace it? Or could there be some other hidden problem I'm not seeing here?

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Check the refresh rate. I know that sounds crazy, but it's often the cause of problems like this.

 

[Inziladun]

Was kinda puzzled how I was supposed to fiddle around with the refresh rate when my pc wouldn't boot up with the drivers installed in anything other than the various safe modes. So I reinstalled the drivers and poked around in the vga mode and while the refresh rate was already the lowest it would go I raised the resolution to 1680X1050 for ****s and giggles and the monitor "shut off". The PC is still running similar after the operating system loads with the drivers installed. So the pc is still technically working, just nothing is displaying. So this just kinda furthers my suspicions of being the GPU simply not working.

What do you guys think?

 

[S0ULphIRE]

So does your monitor show nothing while the PC is booting, or does the screen turn off just when it finishes loading windows (e.g. when your desktop would normally start loading you get nothing)?

 

[Inziladun]

it goes blank *after* xp is finished loading(when normally I would see the login screen)

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Yeah, I'd say in that case it might be the monitor more than the gfx card that's the problem.

Your monitor will only support certain resolutions and refresh rates, and if you set it to an unsupported size or rate it'll go black.
Boot the PC into safe mode (keep tapping F8 while the PC is starting) and change the res to something standard (e.g. 1024x768). Then restart and boot normally.

 

[Inziladun]

Keep in mind that this monitor isn't new and has been working fine at 1680x1050 for a little over 2 years now. I did try out what you suggested though and I was still experiencing problems when I reinstalled the vga drivers regardless of what resolution it was at. For extra ****s and giggles I tried lowering the color quality too, and that didn't help at all.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Ok, could be the monitor or the gfx card that's to blame, but I reckon whichever it is the problem lies with the refresh rate.
First thing to try:
When the screen goes black after xp finishes loading, unplug the DVI cable (or vga, whatever you're using) then plug it back in again. If your screen loads properly after that the prob is def the refresh rate. Change it asap.
OTHERWISE do this:
Boot the PC normally (I know you won't be able to see anything). I'm gonna assume you usually boot straight to the desktop (not to a login screen).
1. Right-click on the desktop (just drag your mouse so that the cursor would be at the bottom right of the desktop then move it up just a little to get past the taskbar and recycle bin. Or wherever you know you have no icons.)
2. Press Up then Enter
3.Press tab 4 times
4. press Right 4 times
5. press tab 4 times then Enter
6. press tab 5 times
7. press Right twice then tab twice
8. hit the Down key a few times then Enter
9. hit tab 3 times then press enter

At that point you'll have set your refresh rate to the lowest possible setting and applied it. If it works your screen will turn on, otherwise you may post back and inform me that I'm a retard

 

[Inziladun]

You're certainly not a retard and I appreciate you taking the time of helping me out. But i'm afraid it didn't work. I'm pretty sure it's my GPU, I can't imagine it being my monitor.

My only question is what I should upgrade to now?

 

[MindoverMaster]

You don't, by chance, have another monitor or PC, do you?