Can you identify this error

Hi all,

The other day I experienced a massive failure from my hp media center m7580n.

Turning the computer on, I noticed right away, a strange pattern of colours on my screen.
This pattern of colours changes as the computer boots, but the normal screen does not return. After a few minutes my monitor powers down, saying there is no input source. Normally, my monitor is set at 1280x1024, but for some reason is set at 640x480 with this desktop. When I hook the monitor up to a laptop the resolution changes to match the laptop.

I originally thought and hoped that this was the graphics card, but I have noticed some things which make me think it is something much worse.

I tried turning on my computer and then accessing my hard drive through my home network, but now, my media center does not appear on the network.
I also switched monitors on the desktop, with no change.

The only recent changes I had made were to my security. I was originally using avg2012, but found it was clogging my system. I then uninstalled successfully, and installed avast. Avast gave me a blue screen at start up, and would reboot the computer, at which point everything was fine. So I uninstalled that, and installed Pandacloud, 2 days before this started, but didn't notice anything indicative of this.

I'm hoping someone can identify this before I am forced to take it to a tech, who could claim all sorts of things.  100_2830.JPG   473.76K   11 downloads

Does this happen during boot or can you boot into safe mode by tapping F8 during boot up / bios screen?

This occurs right from boot.

I cannot access safe mode by tapping F8.

Normally, I get a motherboard control screen after hitting the power button, then the bios, then windows loads.
None are visable. The technicolor show begins immediately after power is activated.

This is why I initially thought it had something to do with the graphics/video card.

But the computer still remains unavailable to my network, no matter what.

Check the following Monitor, VGA or DVI or HDMI cables,

Can you switch out the parts to make sure its not the monitor or cables

Its sounds like overheating to me

I don't have a spare vga cable, but I hooked up my original monitor using the vga cables to my spare laptop
and was able to get the laptop screen on it.
I then hooked up a spare monitor to the laptop using those vga cables, and also got the laptop screen.

I then hooked up the spare monitor to the desktop using the vga cables, and got the technicolor show.
So, the 2 monitors and the vga cables are good.

I only have vga, s-video and composite video outputs. Only ever used vga.

As for overheating... it's possible. I normally vacuum all the dust out of the computer, when I clean the house, but
hadn't gotten around to it for a couple months.

I was planning to tear the computer down, after this happened, and vacuumed out the dust from the fans. Quite a bit had built up.
I tried booting again, but no success.

I then decided to try here, before tearing the computer down.

I am curious as to whether it might have something to do with the monitor resetting to 640x480 on the desktop, and not the normal 1280x1024.

Bad RAM Module(s), Cable, Video card/chip or Monitor are the only things to check here first.

Well, it's not cable or monitor related, as we've established they are working.

I don't think the video card explains the other symptoms.

So, I'm guessing from your opinion, it's most likely the RAM module.

Would that affect the desktop from loading properly, so that it fails to connect to the home network?

Clean out the gold contacts from each RAM stick and your Video card and use a white eraser or better yet find another video card you could borrow. Use each stick again to troubleshoot.

Thanks Jhayz.

I'll try cleaning the contacts on the modules.
As for the video card, I have an integrated card on the mobo. How does that affect me?

Ivan

Sorry for the delay,

lots of work to do.

So, I pulled the RAM modules and cleaned them with a white eraser.
Then tried booting the computer with only 1 chip at a time. I did this trying both modules in both slots A and B.
Still getting the multiple verticle bars of color on the screen, as soon as the computer starts.
Bars were a little different this time.

I did notice that my activity light only lights up a few times in the first 10-15 seconds, then stops.
It used to be constantly flickering on start-up for the first 60 seconds or so.

Any ideas?

video card and NIC card sound like they not working

Remove all RAM modules and check the difference this time. This will rule out the sticks.

I removed both RAM modules and started up...
No screen or activity light whatsoever

There should be atleast a screen display (no signal). Can you try borrowing a compatible RAM stick for your HP Desktop?

yes, no signal.
I'll see but don't think so. Atleast not for a while.