Screen goes to standby on start up :(

[BCA]

Any ideas?? On start up my computer goes through the usual screens then after the windows XP professional loading screen (black background, blue thing moving side to side in a bar underneath) it goes blank and puts the monitor to standby. I cant "wake up" the monitor, and have tried a different monitor to see if thats the problem, but the same thing happens again.

really gutted, the computers literally a month or so old, and its already. Its looked after very well with all updates and such - any ideas??

Thanks in advance,
Ben CA (on my mates computer)

[Plotloss]

Hit F8 just after the BIOS checking, get the menu and select Safe mode.

What happens then?

[scorp]

Are you sure its only the monitor thats gone into standby and not the entire PC?

I have a similiar problem with a very old PC, the fault is blown capacitors in the motherboard which causes the whole machine to freeze after 5 or so minutes. The symptoms are the monitor turning off, but also the rest of the machine has frozen (i confirmed this by trying to ping the machine on the network).

[LongQ]

Is it a notebook or a desk top?

Sounds like exactly the sort of thing that power management does when booting a notebook with very low battery charge left.

[malman]

Try the F8 thing suggested as its could be that the desktop is now set for silly resolution/refresh that neither of the monitors you have put on can support. Get to safe mode then check display settings are set to something sensible

[BCA]

Its a desktop,
Not sure whether its shutting the computer down,
Changing the resolution has no effect (possible only by going into safe mode, which works fine)

[_dobbo_]

If safe mode works fine then the monitor is surely OK?

Sounds as though you are selecting a graphics mode the monitor can't support...

[bigdods]

One of the following is likely , in order of probability.

1. Loose cable
The VGA cable is loose at either the back of the PC or the monitor - a loose cable may fail in some modes iof the signalling isnt getting through cleanly and cause the monitor to go to sleep.

2. Incorrect mode
The graphics card has somehow been set to a hi res mode that the monitor doesnt support. Monitor will just go blank when it tries to switch mode. Reboot PC press f8 when it starts booting then select Safe mode. The PC will boot into a low res mode.

3. Faulty graphics card
When the graphics card switches to the hi-res mode when starting windows its failing. The monitor will lose its signal and assume youve switched off so will go to sleep. Reboot PC press f8 when it starts booting then select Safe mode. The PC will boot into a low res mode.

[BCA]

All working now...

A friend of mine thought it was the graphics card driver being flucked... and just recommended a system restore (simple I know, im an idiot, go easy on me) so through safe mode I tried it to about a month back - all fine.

Thanks for all your suggestions!