Now What? My monitor went black. Help help.
@Hatley (163781)
Garden Grove, California
August 26, 2010 11:48am CST
For a long time we have known one of thewires to my monitor has been partly
broken causing strange blue lines to distract me when working here. So I just always jiggled it to get the lines away.well unknown to me the line I was juggling was the darned power cable to the monitor. It suddenly went black, my monitor screen I mwan. Panicked I phoned my son as I thought I must have jiggled that faulty wire too much and it broke completely. well aS usual he gave me step by step instructions, take the black panel off in back and on and on. well I got my monitor face down, took the panel off
and oh my G here is a big thick cable duh the power cable to the monitor
so now I spotted the place where it was to be inserted, and phone under
my chin I grabbed the cable plug and shoved it back in, taking some real strength to do it as my hands were shaking. My question is do other people , regardless of age, get nervous and shaky when trying to repair a computer or monitor when your knowlege of the animals are limited more to using them than putting them back together? I have always been able to do some of the more mundane repair things after being shown the correct steps. but I am always rather unsure of myself. lol
6 people like this
23 responses
@saphrina (31552)
• South Africa
26 Aug 10
One thing i have learned sweetie is to do things myself.
I have blown up a few things, but i learned from that mistakes and got into trouble as well.
I won't nag or beg for help.
I would rather blow it up get into trouble and so learn from that mistake.
I am glad you got that fixed though.
Maybe you should replace that power cable, though.
TATA.
I won't nag or beg for help.
I would rather blow it up get into trouble and so learn from that mistake.
I am glad you got that fixed though.
Maybe you should replace that power cable, though.
TATA.@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi saphrina I am now learning to be more self sufficent as I have always lacked faith in my electronics ability but I was spoiled as my
computer nerd son,he calls himself that, loves to repair things
but him being in one place and I in another its really so good to leaRn
how to do things without breaking the computer or monitor. The power
cable is not faulty,but a wire going into the monitor is partly brokeninside and causes blue lines to smudghe across my monitor at times. so my son always said just jiggle it well last night I jiggled the wrong thing. I think some of my problem is p;eople always seeming shocked that a person of my age can use a computer, this is silly.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
nope that would not fix it as its inside a heavy coating and all that would do is burn it outcompletly . no it has to be replaced but for
now its working,not broken so do not fix it.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
27 Aug 10
Hiya Hatley,
Without a doubt I would be fingers and thumbs too if it were me. I would probably have done it too but not without getting nervous and all flustered.
I have had to fix one or two things by myself before as well. There was no one to ask so I did it by myself. But I did it and that´s the main thing.
They were silly household things but I needed them so I fixed them up little me fixed them good and proper 
You did very well Hatley.
You did very well Hatley.1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
9 Dec 10
hiu again I think I had the strangest look on my face when my son said,mom the monitor well not work without the power source and he
laughed over the phone. "yes right of course. I got it plugged in and everything is fine now. power on." I was laughing too and a bit shaky as i get whenI manage to fix something on my computer myself.yes I often think oh I could do that but have done a lot of the could do thats sinec coming here as myson is not in the next room, my hubby and my son in their loving ways over spoiled me so now I have found I can do this and yes I can do that.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
19 Sep 10
Hiya Hatley,
When we have to we find the ways and the means most often. We think that we cannot do it or anything but we can and yes they do run on electricity. I would have thought of that last so don´t worry you´re not the only one.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
26 Aug 10
Every time I have to fix a power fuse, I feel a kind of numbness and I get a feeling that my fingers would freeze in while doing the plug in. So, you are not alone. We really are so at ease with what we are given at hand, readymade, and kind of fumble when it comes to go beyond the surface. However, necessity is the mother of invention and right now i want to thank your son who taught you that computers do need a plug in power to operate. Another life lesson!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi mimipi I think I gave my son, bless him, his laugh for the night. Mom he said a monitor will not work without the power plug. yes we get really used to our computers and monitors and leave the repair til we have to
learn it.Yes without a power source nothing will happen. Live and
learn every day.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
26 Aug 10
Learn, LAUGH and live dear. Thanks to your son. I gotto laugh after a while.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi laughter is really good for us so its okay to laugh.
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
26 Aug 10
Hiya Hatley :) yep, computers can be strange animals indeed when they start to act up and not work properly. I don't usually get scared when they act up as much as angry that they are acting up
In spite of anything my wife or daughter may say I really do not enjoy opening my computer up to play around with it. it's all lies! That's my story and I am sticking to it
In spite of anything my wife or daughter may say I really do not enjoy opening my computer up to play around with it. it's all lies! That's my story and I am sticking to it 1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Aug 10
hi fwidman I had never seen the guts of my monitor before so I did
learn something and the power cable fit nicely in its socket so once
I shoved it in I was back in business, and if I had known thats all it
was I could have saved my son the bother but he seemed okay as we do
not get to see or talk to each other much during the week.He is glory b e once more working,hurrah hurrah.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
26 Aug 10
Wow! You are marvelous Hatley as I cannot do anything like this at all. It is all a big mystery to me and although I look when the computer technician comes to my office my mind goes off into space somewhere where there are no computers. I have tried int he past and I am hopeless. I never ever had classes and go by what I have just picked up although for my work I have to use an accounting programme and sometimes I even mess this up.
Many congratulations!
Many congratulations!1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi cynthiann well it was simply a matter of just replugging it and boy did I want to catch up on my my lotting so worked as late as I could last
night. wow I would be lost on an accounting program as I am awful
in math. lol lol lol.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi it pays tol have a friendly accountant for sure and
just keep on plugging.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
26 Aug 10
No one could be a sbad at math as I am.I am awful. At the U.K. equivalent of High School I did not sit the Math paper! In those days you could get into college by having a science subject and I had BiologyOtherwise I would not have had a college education. I get my knickers in a twist and make so many mistakes that I have to keep going over what I have done. Thank God our accountant really likes me and he covers my errors discretely so my boss doesnnot know how bad I am!
Otherwise I would not have had a college education. I get my knickers in a twist and make so many mistakes that I have to keep going over what I have done. Thank God our accountant really likes me and he covers my errors discretely so my boss doesnnot know how bad I am!1 person likes this
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
26 Aug 10
LOL, sorry, had to laugh.........you are too much like me:)
Yes, I get shaky ;) I am fairly good with fixing most anything but when it comes to this brain box, GET REAL .........I am not COMPUTER FIXING INCLINED !!!
Just send someone over, fix it and let me get on with it LOL
I think I am afraid that I'll mess the whole thing up and I'm so addicted to this computer what would I do??
I know ! when it went out during the ice storm I couldnt' wait to get another one :)
And, so it goes.....maybe we should take a class on computers????
hugs, quita
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi quita oh dont worry we laughed to as all it was was the powere source was unplugged. like one day in the library allthe big shots were all huddled over one of the kids computers. "It quit, just quit." Okay
I walked over looked under the desk the computer was on, and there
lay the cord pulled out of the floor socket. I plugged it back
in and told the branch manager, it works now, and she said what on earth how did you fix it. I giggled. I just plugged it in. lol lol lol
yes I think a class on compute and monitors would really help us.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Sep 10
hi quita yes it was hilarious as they were all standing there wringing their hands when all it was was unplugged he he Nope you are not too lld to take a class on computers and monitors.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
29 Aug 10
No Sweetie I don't as over the years I have learned a lot about them
I have to reformat my Laptop in the next few Days which is annoying as I have to back everything up then reformat then get the Laptop back to what it is now so that will be some job lol
I am glad though that you got it all working again
Big Hugsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Sep 10
hi gabs I remember in some earlier discussions you told how'you repaired it and I am thinking wow I wish I knew how to do that
and you made it sound so easy,.yes I could see it was the power cable to the monitor and saw the socket so all I had to do was shove it back
in a nd voila!! there was light and my monitor lit up; and all was good to go again.good luck on your reformatting. my son just bought a new laptop and i am curious to see it. love ya hugs
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi kalave oh I am a wuss when it comes to delving into the guts of computer and monitors as I am so afraid I am going to really louse something up. but it did not take a brain to see that the empty socket and the fat' cable did belong to each o ther.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
31 Aug 10
Hi Hatley...the idea of something going wrong and ....
a) being without my computer and/or
b) being up for a lot of dollars for a computer repair, scares the pants off me.
Trying to do things myself though is a must because it's such a long way to go to have it fixed and it's possibly going to cost me regardless of what option I choose.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Sep 10
i am so lucky MsTickle that my son has such a wealth of knowledge of computers but I have learned a douple of things like resetting the monitor and the router if the electricity goes off so I can getback on the net. For me too a huge repair bill is out of the question.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
1 Sep 10
I get cold all over when I think there's
something really wrong with my computer.
I've had so many computers crash and die over
the years.
Just yesterday, my spouse turned on the computer
and accidentally pushed the little green power
button too hard and it stuck.
So now, it turns on and stays on for three seconds
and then goes off.
Luckily, I was able to get in there and wedge out the button
a little bit.
We still can't turn off the computer using the button.
But, I just unplug the computer and plug it back in and it
automatically comes on.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Sep 10
hi beauty queen I too get panicky if my computer does not
work. I had the same thing happen with the button too but
finally got it back out and never did know how I did it.
I also found that the reason my ,music was not playing waI had the
little plug in the wrong hole, so pulled itfout and put it in the little hole under the green mark and voila, music again.the little
hole under the red mark is for the cord to the lo ud speakers instead.
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
26 Aug 10
It has happened to me before and I was darn shocked out of my mind. Little did I realize that it wasn't my doing but rather, the whole building had a power failure. Ha, I think we need a good laugh at ourselves once in awhile. It must have a shocking for you. Nice to be able to answer you, Hatley.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi zed that reminds me of a joke my son told about. this man called the help; line ant told the person his c omputer woujld not work, so the help p;erson said did you check it in back to see if its turned on, yes I did and no its not on, well did you check at the wall outlet to see if its plugged in, uh no I cannot do that, and the helper asked why not? oh the man said . we have a blackout on our electricity and I cannot see the wall. uh duh. that about how I felt last night.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
26 Aug 10
Hi Hatley,
You are a amazing lady, me? I panic, I'm no good at these things and thank goodness I have a husband that can, even though he moans about it and I have to wait till he is ready to do something about it, lol! I take my hat off to you.
Tamara
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Aug 10
hi tamarafireheart oh yes I panic too and called him before I really
trouble shooted and I am not good eitherat that but my son talked me
through it and I was back on line in a few minutes. lol lol
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
27 Aug 10
I am a complete idiot when it comes to trying to repair my computer. I'm just very lucky that I have a techie geek for a husband so every time that I have problems with my computer, he is able to help me. That said, there have been a couple of times that I have picked up viruses from whatever, and I will go to the other computer and do the research that it takes to be able to get rid of that. However, when it comes to the actual hardware (including all of the hundreds of wires) I am just completely stupid.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Sep 10
hi dorannmwin I am just like that and get so shaky and nervous
as its all greek to me the innards of the monitor and computer yes the hardware is where I cannot go so depend on my son for that. I am totally lost when looking inside the thing., wow.
yes the hardware is where I cannot go so depend on my son for that. I am totally lost when looking inside the thing., wow.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
30 Aug 10
I've never been 'handy' with fixing stuff, myself. I think it was because my dad was. On weekends, he would go around fixing stuff in the house, and I would always be the helper. I hated it.
That's why I don't think I could fix anything in and around the house. Even computers! I'm never sure of myself, yet I try. I sometimes get lucky, and then I pretend that I knew it all along.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Sep 10
hi yes my dad and grandpa and e v en my son did all the fixing'of anything electri]cal so I always had just depended on them.
Yes indeed when You get lu cky just smile and say thats just what I thought was wrong and take that bow.[
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi dawn it was because I was checking all the wires and without being able to see back of the monitor I was jiggling the wrong thing, the fat cable to the monitor. when I got my flashlight and took the panel off I had the
plugend of the power cable in my hand and the flashlight in my mouth so I just shoved the plug back in hard and was so relieved to see the little blue light flashing again. No, my son told me to take the panel off and when I did here was the culprit the unplugged cable.I felt so stupid and it took about ten seconds plug it in. wow.
in my mouth so I just shoved the plug back in hard and was so relieved to see the little blue light flashing again. No, my son told me to take the panel off and when I did here was the culprit the unplugged cable.I felt so stupid and it took about ten seconds plug it in. wow.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
26 Aug 10
I panic if anything at all goes strange with my pc because sometimes i feel like its my whole link to the outside world
it usually takes up my whole day and just this morning my pc started that virus invation thing again after being on myspace. needless to say i may stay off permenently myspace from here on. yes, im not only shakey but i freak over it....@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi bunnybon you just described me and my son just does not
understand why I get like that, its just Iam always afraid
I will do the wrong thing and louse up something, but this
was so evident it only took seconds to plug it back in too.
I feel too that my computer is a link to the outside world
as I do not get out very often and miss that so much.
@Humbug25 (12540)
•
27 Aug 10
Hi ya Hatley
I wouldn't touch the computer at all if I have a problem. I either phone someone to come around and sort it or take it somewhere. If it is a small problem then I would phone around a few friends and see if they can help but I don't like to fiddle with it myself because I would probably make the matter worse haha
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi vandy I was shaking and holding a flashlight in my mouth so I could
see the socket and then plug it and voila the lights came on the monitor
was just fine. I did quit shaking as I stared mylotting again. lol lol
@Kumar1232009 (1215)
• Spain
26 Aug 10
Ms Hatley,
you are so brave.
i'd like to add that even you turned off your monitor, make sure that you also turned off your CPU if it is connected through it as there is a tendency for eclectric shock there. I've experienced this many times and of course i don't want to see you in trouble.. this could really hurt you just in case. so make sure everything has turned off before fitting and re-establishing your power connections.
i'd like to add that even you turned off your monitor, make sure that you also turned off your CPU if it is connected through it as there is a tendency for eclectric shock there. I've experienced this many times and of course i don't want to see you in trouble.. this could really hurt you just in case. so make sure everything has turned off before fitting and re-establishing your power connections.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Aug 10
hi oh yes I sure did turn it off as I did not want to get a nasty
shock. yes my son warned me and too I had thought the same thing
as I once was trying to repair a fan and got a shock that send me
backwards. my arm was numb for several hours with a small burn on
my elbow.so now I turn off anything electrical before doing anything.
thanks for the warning.
warning.