How can I force a friend's computer to wake up from sleep mode?

Question

Computer was working fine this morning.  Then he downloaded a video game from the internet (as he has done many times before).  After the download completed, he was directed to reboot.  

And now his monitor screen will not light up (on  light comes on green, then switches to orange after a few seconds).

We switched monitors.  Same result, except the second monitor screen shows an error box that says the monitor is in Inactive Mode, and he is directed to "wake it up" using his PC.  But we cannot see the screen to do that.

I've swapped the following parts with no results:

Onboard video card with a PCI card.
Single RAM stick with another single RAM stick.
Power box
Mobo battery

I don't know what else to do.  My best guess is a mobo failure, but I am inexperienced with mobo problems and need help diagnosing the problem.  I hate to take the computer to a repair show until I am sure it's beyond my ability to fix it.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

ouch. Well it's obviously not the monitors, so focus on the computer itself. Is the power light going on at all? Do you hear the fans going? If so, it could be the video card. Do you hear any beeping? That would mean a RAM problem. No fans or anything? Then could be the power supply, try connecting to a different outlet. If changing the power supply, RAM and video card doesn't work it's the mobo.

s j · Answer

Why would you immediately suspect a hardware issue if it was running fine until he rebooted after installing software? Try starting up in safe mode and doing a system restore. The "last known good configuration" might work too. If the green light on the monitor lights up briefly then its starting to feed the monitor a signal then stops--thats a software issue most of the time if it happens right after installing software. I agree with Laid back. That probably wasn't just a video game your buddy downloaded from Limewire or wherever.

Bert C · Answer

This is a Dell Desktop, right?  The orange power light indicates either a failed motherboard or a failed power supply.  The download was just a co-incidence, not the cause of the failure.  If it is a Dell and under warranty they will replace both the motherboard and power supply for you.

Bert

Anonymous · Answer

Probably got a virus and it is stopping the screen drivers.  Have you tried to boot in safe mode and run a scan?  You can alos try to boot from a CD/Floppy and get it to at least start.  Depending on the virus, may have wiped boot block on drive.  Have you tried to get into the BIOS on boot up to make sure it works?  If the BIOS works, and gives display, then the problem is definitely in the drivers.

O Smart One · Answer

Or the game (cough Bit Torrent) came with a virus. They don't scan files for viruses sometimes.... And BTW downloading games is bad.

Larry W · Answer

sounds like you've done about everyting I would have tried.
I always suspect the power system first.
The only other things would be to try another hard diisk, and check the cables on the original one and try booting from the os disk and try repair if it boots.
good luck to you.

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How can I force a friend's computer to wake up from sleep mode?

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