I have just been looking at a machine which, at apparently random times, seems to stop completely. The screen goes completely blank, but both screen and system unit power lights stay on. Pressing ctrl-alt-del does nothing. The only way to get it back to life is to power off and on, when the screen comes straight back to life.

This can happen at any time - typing a letter, playing a game, browsing files, anything. The user told me that it tends to happen 15-30 minutes after switching on, but then again it can also run for days without it happening.

So far I have checked all of the power-off settings, and replaced the graphics driver, but it is still happening.

The machine is a Medion (?), running XP, with a GeForce Ti4600 graphics card, and a Benq screen.

All ideas welcome!!

It could possibly be the power supply your using or the wire that goes from the tower to the screen may have a broken wire in it that if moved or twisted into the right spot may keep it on and then if disturbed may shut it off. Try replacing the wire and see if that works.

Thanks - worth a look. Seems odd that the screen comes straight back on when the machine is re-started though. I would have thought a faulty cable would have stayed faulty, at least until it was moved again.