How To Troubleshoot A Computer Monitor?

We are a do it yourself kind of country. That being said, there are some things we should leave to the professionals. One is any hardware fixes with a computer monitor.

A computer monitor or screen is a pretty sophisticated piece of technology and repair enthusiasts should not try to open one up, if it stops functioning. First, they can try to go through the steps below to see if they can get their computer monitor working. If not, it is best advised that they take the monitor to a service station that will know what they are doing.

How to troubleshoot a monitor? Basic Steps to Follow

Is it turned on? - Believe it or not, some people make the mistake of leaving the monitor turned off and think that it is not working. Some monitors have a couple of power switches, one in the front and one in the back. Both need to be turned on.

Check for loose cables - Check the VGA cables and power cord that are connected to the computer monitor. They need to be secured properly. Often times, a loose cable is the culprit behind a monitor that is not functioning.

Check with another monitor - If you have another computer in the house, use that computer's monitor on your computer to see if it will work. If the other monitor works, you know that something is wrong with your monitor rather than the computer.

Check video card - For this, you will have to open up the computer cabinet. It is pretty easy to do although you will need to know how to locate the video card. If you don't know which one is the video card, just follow the connection that leads out to the monitor. That will be your video card. Make sure that it is firmly in the slot as any loose connection will result in loss of data, leaving the computer monitor blank.

Brightness settings - Sometimes, it can so happen that the computer monitor's brightness and contrast settings are so low that one cannot see anything. If the monitor has manual knobs, you can try adjusting the brightness levels to bring it back to life. However, most of the latest monitors have digital buttons that you can adjust only by looking at the screen. In this case, you might have to fiddle around blindly with the settings. If you do not want to risk that, just take it to an authorized service center.

Faulty VGA cable - Sometimes, the VGA cable might be faulty. A VGA cable should also not be longer than 5 feet for best transmission. Replace the VGA cable if you have to.

If these simply adjustments don't do the trick, you probably have a fundamental problem with the monitor. Don't start taking it apart. It is very sensitive. Take the monitor in to a shop to get some professional help. Just make sure it doesn't cost more than the monitor itself!