Computer help forum: What causes a blank screen when I turn on my computer?

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/windows-7-getting-stop-error-0x00000101/f35da596-20f3-4d0a-a7ca-3b8e884467dd is interesting and typical.

I find folk that overclock machines run into this a lot. I have yet to find a cure for overclockers. The rest we swap parts as noted and run the parts at the rated speeds.
Bob

I did check with google, that is how I got to this forum. No overclocking

We are left to swap parts and reinstall Windows. There are not enough clues here to determine what is amiss and asking if there is a CPU test would have us chatting about we do that by swapping out the CPU.

These machines were not designed for diagnosis (most) but for swap this and that part.
Bob

Several weeks ago, when the computer started acting strange, I did reinstall windows. That really didn't help very much. I have also swapped parts with those that are known to work. I have removed everything except the video card, a hard drive, and one stick of memory. I was using 4-2GB sticks, so I tried each one.

"PNY video card"

It seems a shame that the details are hard to find. Age factors in here and more.

Just sharing I'm seeing a lot of video cards that do what you noted. But then again we've been changing boards, CPUs and more.
Bob

What does the 0x00000101 STOP error mean? Also, I have an ATI video card I tried also. Not sure if it works, but if it didn't, I would probably thrown it away.

That is, the error code is just a clue there is something wrong. It does not mean it's this or that.

Some owners take longer to figure this out. New PC repair techs seem to catch on in a few days. One tech was still learning this months later and was very frustrated. We gave him time to ponder it but they finally caught on.
Bob

I'm left with an uneasy feeling you didn't read

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/windows-7-getting-stop-error-0x00000101/f35da596-20f3-4d0a-a7ca-3b8e884467dd

There are specific suggestions there and they claimed to have solved it.

Once in awhile a member will not read supplied links. I get the feeling you didn't because you wrote nothing about the updates they did there.
Bob

I did check out the page, but didn't scroll down far enough.

I don't get to the BIOS screen. I press the power button, fans start, lights come on, but the screen is blank. Nothing

First, try the old generic reset. Remove power then wait about a minute then press and hold the power button for 60 seconds. Release, apply power and test.

If no BIOS screen, look for other video connections and retry.

Since there is no BIOS screen we are not looking at a crashed OS but bum hardware or something silly like this one -> A while ago a misprint had folk plugging in the LED in the reset pin. The manual was incorrect and about 50% of the boards were being returned.

It happens!
Bob

As I look at it, this could take some time to track the problem down. I checked my records as to when I built & found that it has been almost four years. I use my machine hard, so maybe it's time for another rebuild. What are your thoughts?

It could be another simple issue. One of the recurring finds at the shop is an EXTRA mounting post. Customers are known to scoff at this since "it worked for years" but it doesn't remove the fact that we find extra mounting studs that wear through that thin paint and short out years later.

Very common issue with self and custom shop builds.

Just tossing it out there.
Bob