Mini-PC issues

[jnelsoninjax]

I have a mini-pc  (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B099KJWGFQ) that I only use for monitoring my CCTV system. This morning I come out to it being off. I traced the issue to the monitor power cord, but upon restoring power to the monitor there was no GUI. So I power cycled the PC and I get as far the initial Windows splash screen, then the monitor indicates no signal. I have tried numerous times to recover from this, but each time it only loads as far as the windows splash screen, then goes to no signal. I am at a loss as to where to even begin troubleshooting. All the cables are tightly secured, and the PC itself is getting power (NIC lights are the only indicator). Where/what else could be causing the problem?

[Brandon H Supervisor]

sounds like maybe a bad gfx driver update or something. see if you can get into safe mode to try and roll back or maybe load a USB with a windows ISO to try and repair the install from that environment

[jnelsoninjax]

On 13/06/2022 at 09:50, Brandon H said:

sounds like maybe a bad gfx driver update or something. see if you can get into safe mode to try and roll back or maybe load a USB with a windows ISO to try and repair the install from that environment

Thanks, I have updates disabled on that PC, so it should not have tried to update any drivers. The thing is the PC is getting power, and the monitor appears to be powered as well, it's just that something happened overnight and now either the monitor is bad (which is very hard to diagnose) or something is wrong with the PC itself, since it is an integrated graphics. The system is only ~1 year old, so I don't know what else I can do to test it. The way its set right now would be very difficult to try another monitor on (it is using HDMI my other two monitors are DP) I would have to do a lot of juggling to get the mini over towards my other monitors, would that be the best thing to check?

[Brandon H Supervisor]

could still be the driver went corrupt or something.

 

you stated it gets as far as the windows splashscreen before losing signal; that's when the driver loads so it lines up. I don't think it's an issue with the monitor itself.

 

an easier test; throw a linux distro on a USB; if you're able to get to the live desktop then that rules out the monitor and computer hardware as well.

[tmorris1]

Try plugging it into another monitor or TV with HDMI input.

[jnelsoninjax]

On 13/06/2022 at 12:56, Brandon H said:

could still be the driver went corrupt or something.

 

you stated it gets as far as the windows splashscreen before losing signal; that's when the driver loads so it lines up. I don't think it's an issue with the monitor itself.

 

an easier test; throw a linux distro on a USB; if you're able to get to the live desktop then that rules out the monitor and computer hardware as well.

Good idea, I'll try that

On 13/06/2022 at 13:03, tmorris1 said:

Try plugging it into another monitor or TV with HDMI input.

That is the issue, I don't have a long enough HDMI cable to reach from where my PC is vs where the mini is. I'm not sure if I can wrestle the mini close enough to my current setup to try.

[jnelsoninjax]

So I climbed under the desk to reach the power strip for the monitor and I simply moved it over one outlet on the strip and suddenly the monitor came to life, even though it clearly had power (the light was on) but once I did that and hit ESC on the keyboard, I was at the login screen, so maybe that was the whole problem.

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

On 13/06/2022 at 16:56, jnelsoninjax said:

So I climbed under the desk to reach the power strip for the monitor and I simply moved it over one outlet on the strip and suddenly the monitor came to life, even though it clearly had power (the light was on) but once I did that and hit ESC on the keyboard, I was at the login screen, so maybe that was the whole problem.

Could have had a fuse.. Power outlets can go bad on anything.

[nekrosoft13]

On 13/06/2022 at 11:56, Brandon H said:

could still be the driver went corrupt or something.

 

you stated it gets as far as the windows splashscreen before losing signal; that's when the driver loads so it lines up. I don't think it's an issue with the monitor itself.

 

an easier test; throw a linux distro on a USB; if you're able to get to the live desktop then that rules out the monitor and computer hardware as well.

go into, safe mode, or recovery then safe mode

remove the GPU driver and reboot

[jnelsoninjax]

On 13/06/2022 at 21:00, nekrosoft13 said:

go into, safe mode, or recovery then safe mode

remove the GPU driver and reboot

It has successfully completed 3 complete shutdown and restart cycles, so I am fairly certain the issue was/is the power strip. I will keep an eye on it, it also doesn't help that the cats like to climb on and lay on everything, despite the CPU being mounted on the side of the entertainment stand, but the power strip and the monitor (even though it is pushed back) are still fair game.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

On 13/06/2022 at 21:52, jnelsoninjax said:

It has successfully completed 3 complete shutdown and restart cycles, so I am fairly certain the issue was/is the power strip. I will keep an eye on it, it also doesn't help that the cats like to climb on and lay on everything, despite the CPU being mounted on the side of the entertainment stand, but the power strip and the monitor (even though it is pushed back) are still fair game.

oh weird so it ended up not being the computer OR monitor but the power strip you were plugged in to? glad you got it figured out at least