Why doesn't my desktop computer start the display?

When you power it off and back on, can you see the boot up screen? (they're should be a screen that comes up with some information about your computer...) Does this display then turn off?

Take out the battery and wait a minute, then put it back and try again.

Are you check fuses? and harnesses connections.

If everything is inverted, you may have the display orientation set for Landscape/Portrait (flipped). In this case, the taskbar will be at the top of the screen. With most Windows OS versions, click on the desktop (anywhere with no icons or running programs) and select Screen Resolution. In the drop down menu for Orientation, change the setting. (Landscape is usually the desired choice for computers with Widescreen displays.)

With some laptops, you may find this under Display Properties or Graphics Options. (On my desktop, changing the Graphics Option is available but doesn't work.)

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

check to see if your vga cable is properly connected at both ends i.e. at the monitors end as well as the computers end. In case it doesn't solve the issue then your vga port is damaged.

Doesn't start as in nothing happens when you hit the power button? Or are you saying the Desktop is black, but it seems like windows started and went through the boot process?

If nothing happens when you hit the power button:
Shine a flashlight on the dark screen to see if you barelysee the icons on the desktop. If so, then the LCD Inverter is bad.

Plug in an external monitor and see if the display shows up on it. It can beany kind of monitor even the old big fat crt monitors as long as it has a vgacable to connect to your computer's vga port. If so that proves yourvideo card is ok. The video will show on most systems when you rebootwithout you having to do anything. Some systems will require you to hit the FN(Function key) + F1 thru F12. Hold down the FN key then hit the correctkey for displaying on the monitor (F1 thru F12). The correct key willnormally have CRT/LCD on it or it will have the icon of a display.

If you see no icons by shinning a flash light and the external monitor works,then your screen is bad. If you see no icons by shinning the flash lightand nothing shows on the external monitor, then most likely your video card isbad.

i had that problem two days ago the computer starts and nothing on the screen try moving you'r computer to an another screen if it worked then it might be you'r screen with the problem if doesn't then the problem is from you computer check your video card it might be loose , dirty or it's not working you might then need to change it !
that's what i think so when i changed the screen it did work and it's still working
hope it work's

Try restarting in safemode by hitting the F8 button during boot up. if you are able to get to the desktop in safemode try uninstalling the video driver from device manager by right click my computer (or computer for vista/7) then choosing manage, it should open up device manager, then click on device manager. on the left side of the screen expand the display adapters. right click on the video driver then choose uninstall. afterwards restart the computer normally. if you get the desktop then reinstall the video driver.

The power light is flashing green can indicate start/restart of the power supply due to shorts circuits or failing power supply due to bad caps, look for bad caps with bulging top first, see example of failed monitors due to bad caps: http://s807.photobucket.com/home/budm/allalbums
Post back what you see insdie so we can guide you furhter.

Actually you do want to hear one beep.
This is POST. Power On Self Test.
No display is a video problem. Swap the card for a known good video card. You should be able to get into the BIOS with that. Presario’s are quit.
While in the BIOS see if the HDD is shown. It doesn’t hurt to check the connection inside. Please keep yourself grounded when inside the PC. For the Compaq Presario S4020WM site go here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=326832&lang=en&