Monitor E172FP only fashes on then turns black.

I guess your monitor needs some maintenance.
Have it checked by a technician

More likely to have problem in the inverter circuits, check for short between Emitter and Collector pin of the four transistors as shown in the pictures.
http://s807.photobucket.com/albums/yy352/budm/Dell%20E173FPb/

Native/max resolution for this Dell is 1280x1024, try this setting.

dpelrod727, Yes, the "switch-mode-power-supply" is in "partial" or "full" SHUTDOWN mode. Reconnect E172FP to a fully booted KNOWN good PC with the win-desktop as the displayed screen. Check with flashlight to see if your LCD panel is both BLACK and BLANK, or just BLACK by holding a bright flashlight 1" from screen at different angles even though the screen appears to be blank. If very faint image of desktop is seen then your SMPS is still half alive. Here are your options in either case. 1. Trade in for new. 2. Try Dell for a cash+old swapout for a Refurbed unit. 3. Check out www.ccl-la.com/badcaps, www.badcaps.net, www.lcdparts.net, and YOUTUBE long video clips dealing with LCD monitor disassembly and LCD repair. could be helpful in making decision on what to do. I'm 12fixlouie If this was helpful rate on fixya.

If your Dell monitor still under into warranty, better to call Dell technical support and have them replace your monitor coz there is no way you can fix on it.

If the monitor is beyond with the warranty already, better to but a new one than taking it repair that will cost you much.

Thank you.

check the power if 110 volt or 220 volt

Your display is having problems with the Inverter that generates high voltage to lit the lamp.

This issue is explained (including how to fix it) here:

http://josepino.com/?howto-repair-dell

Good luck

It is one of three things, One is that it's not recieving a signal, mine flash when the computer is shut down, several monitors do this now. The second is that the either the video card is in need of service, or if you don't have a video card in your machine, it is either a connection that is intermittent, check the other end of the cable, or the monitor is in need of service, there is a circuit board that gives it a boost on start up. How old is the monitor and what brand? all the info is needed to go any further, thanks, if it is 5 years old more or less it is the monitor gone bad, more than likely

i have the same issue before with my DELL 2001FP, I replace the 3 capacitor on the board that look like defective because the top is look like swolen, it should be flat. I replace it with the same value and now the it works better.

i hope this might help .

You will need a new monitor screen. I have had two screens go on me recently and what you describes normally happens