Monitor goes blank before log-in screen, stays off

[HannahH]

When I boot-up my computer, it takes about 2 seconds longer for the monitor to turn on then usual, and right before the log-in screen the display will disappear, and stay off. The PC continues working normally, as far as I can tell.

What precluded this issue? Why, I haven't the foggiest. Windows update isn't set to automatic, and I hadn't updated any programs/software etc. in two weeks.

Timeline of Events
3.24, morning: PC booted up fine.
3.24, evening: 6 hour car ride with PC in box, cushioned by clothing, buckled in.
3.24, later in evening: Upon boot-up, issue was first discovered

Here's what I've been doing to try to rectify the issue;
-Did a clean install of the newest graphics driver, twice

Both times, upon restart after installation, PC booted up normally, but I got constant 'The display driver has stopped responding and recovered' notifications.
As well, upon shutting down the computer, the next time it booted the original issue returned, and I had to boot into safe mode to use it.

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-Restore the system to it's 3-21 status

When viewing the prompt to let me do this, I was there had been no changes between that restore point and present day. The system restore was unsuccessful.
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-Tested the original cables with an older CRT monitor

Same result, the monitor blanked before the log-in screen.

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-Updated and ran malwarebytes and MSE

They didn't find any issues

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-Went into msconfig, disabled all startup processes, and restarted the PC

Again, monitor went blank before log-in screen

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-Powered down the PC, pulled out and resat graphics card, RAM, and wireless card, and checked all connections

No change

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I'd like to think the problem is isolated to the graphics card, as safe mode has no issues running. My next course of action is do another clean install of an earlier graphics driver, with all start-up items disabled. I'll also try to borrow a vga cable and dvi-vga adapter to cross off cables from the list of potential causes. From googling "windows 7 monitor turns off after booting" I've found multiple people with the same issue who solved it by either changing the screen refresh rate, or realizing their pc was looking for two monitors when they had only one, and fixing that. I dunno if their problems are relevant to mine.

Any help that can be offered is appreciated, and I'm willing to monkey around and run any number of tedious tests to determine what's going on here.

 

[benjy206]

Hi HannahH and welcome to sevenfourms.

When did this problem start? Did you do any updates or install any new hardware or software?

Is this the built in graphics or is it a graphics card? If so the type of graphics card installed?

 

[HannahH]

The problem started the evening of the 24th, after I plugged my computer back in. I'd done no updates, new installations, etc.

This is the graphics card, the evga geforce gtx 560 ti

 

[benjy206]

Ok and can you try the onboard graphics to see if the problem could be with the card itself. Just make sure to enable on board graphics in the BIOS