Monitor cant find signal!

Amongst this and many other problem's i've had with hl2 since release date this remain's to be the real back breaker!

15 minute's max into HL2 OR CSS the monitor goes blank"as in sleep mode"with the message MONITOR CANT FIND SIGNAL leaving no option but to hard reboot?

I've not yet being able to play this game properly since day of release AND infact i've got used to owning HL2 and not being able to play it but hey if there is a fix i'm not going to say no.

Which bring's me to my point IS THERE A FIX :rant:

Surely i cant be the only one left whose suffering this problem and if so what did everyone else do to fix it?

Here is a rant free list of what i've tryed already.

2 monitor's,
bought new hdd and psu,
turned fastwrite off,
agp to x4,
updated all system driver's,
flashed to latest bio's,
changed refresh rate's,
reformatted x4?
turned texture's,resolution,etc down,
on a fresh install of window's turned onboard sound off just installing the relevent driver's to play the game but still random black screen with cant find signal message?

Is there anything else left to try?

Any help or suggestion's would be greatful even if there along the line's off"forget about it...it was'nt meant to be"

amd 3500+,
asus av8 rev 2,
1 gig ddr3200 corsair twinx,
36 gig wd raptor,
80 gig diamondmax p9,
radeon 9800 pro 128 mb,
enermax noisetaker 470 watt

Originally posted by 3izzarre@Jan 6 2005, 01:51 PM


Any help or suggestion's would be greatful even if there along the line's off"forget about it...it was'nt meant to be"

Guess it were'nt meant to be?

I figure it's something only a patch will address if ever there is one?

Oh well Back to c.o.d it is then :bangin:

I have not heard of this exact problem. Where exactly does your screen go black. Do you get past the intro movie, or??

Also, do you have problems with any other games?

What version of ati drivers do you have?

Is your game on DVD or 5 cds? Is it the U.S. version?

I am not an expert but this information might help us find a solution.

Another website to check is www.megagames.com Go to their forum and look for the link for "no cd/patches" or something like that. Look for the "official Half life 2 crack" thread. Everyone is trying to work on a way to play HL2 without steam or the internet. There are a lot of sharp computer people there. They might be able to offer you more assistance than I can.

Originally posted by RocketV8@Jan 7 2005, 04:46 AM
I have not heard of this exact problem. Where exactly does your screen go black. Do you get past the intro movie, or??

Also, do you have problems with any other games?

What version of ati drivers do you have?

Is your game on DVD or 5 cds? Is it the U.S. version?

I am not an expert but this information might help us find a solution.

Another website to check is www.megagames.comÂ* Go to their forum and look for the link for "no cd/patches" or something like that. Look for the "official Half life 2 crack" thread. Everyone is trying to work on a way to play HL2 without steam or the internet. There are a lot of sharp computer people there. They might be able to offer you more assistance than I can.

I can get up to 15 minute's into the game but sometime's the monitor goe's into sleep mode on the menu screen?

I have tried catalyst 4.8,4.9,4.10,4.11and im using 4.12 at the moment also it's a similar storey for my mobo,sound driver's and bios's *tried so many*

I have the euro dvd retail edition,

As for my other game's*farcry,doom3,mohpa,cod,etc*i've not had a single problem with them it's kinda weird that hl2 throw's soo many prob's at me also my proc and mobo temp's at full load are 48-52c and 26c respectivly so i would'nt think it's a overheating issue.

It is a rare problem which is more baffling then anything else maybe it's worth seeing if the retailer will exchange it?not that i can see it making much difference but i've read off peep's exchanging their copy's to find their new version problem free?

Anyway thank's for reply and i'll check the link out you gave me[finger's crossed]

[EDIT] I also forgot to mention in the list of thing's i've tried is sp1 and sp2 but to no effect

It might be the card overheating. Although I would think that Far Cry and Doom 3 would cause some problems. You didn't mention what size monitor and what resolution you are playing at. Lowering the resolution may help??

In the Megagames forum, it seems that there are some differences between the Euro version and the U.S. version. I think it has to do with the languages. This difference seems to be noticed as people are trying to crack the game. Some euro versions seem to need extra patches because of the different languages.

Have you checked with Valve or through Steam support. Although Steam support is like saying jumbo shrimp

Anyways, more things to try. Keep us updated.

I have this problem also, except for a graphics card I use a GeForce4 Ti4200. Maybe it's the same problem. Slinky helped me out on this one a long time ago for Doom3 because he had the same problem which is: it could just be your graphics card overheating. This means... you should try taking your tower out of your desk or whatever, popping the side panel off, and maybe pointing a floor fan into it. If the game runs for much longer after that, problem solved. You'll just be a little cold from that point on because of the fan sitting right next to you and all.

Originally posted by RocketV8@Jan 7 2005, 07:35 AM
It might be the card overheating. Although I would think that Far Cry and Doom 3 would cause some problems. You didn't mention what size monitor and what resolution you are playing at. Lowering the resolution may help??

In the Megagames forum, it seems that there are some differences between the Euro version and the U.S. version. I think it has to do with the languages. This difference seems to be noticed as people are trying to crack the game. Some euro versions seem to need extra patches because of the different languages.

Have you checked with Valve or through Steam support. Although Steam support is like saying jumbo shrimpÂ*

Anyways, more things to try. Keep us updated.

Mikeeegeee i have a pretty decent airflow going on in my case and i slide the side window panel open during long game session's*hell it's even open now*but didnt think off pointing a floor fan in"my cousin actually does this for any game 24/7 but his air flow suck's and he has a 3.2 presscott"anyhow back on topic i dont own a floor fan but do have 2 spare 80mm fan's which i can try under my grfx card so thnx for that.
I'll try this tomorrow and post back*to tired now*

Rocketv8 I have 2 monitor's both crt one 17 inch and one 15 inch ive actually went back to using the 15 inch dell trinitron*i know very old*but the picture quality/sharpness far out perform's the 17 inch plus i can put up with the eye strain a little longer untill i save my pennie's for a decent 19/22 incher.

I alway's use 1024_768 res on all game's no more no less but as i stated i've tried all resolution's across both monitor's but still no joy?

Since the build of my pc Ive never had a single prob with any game*apart from this of course* which lead's me to believe it's either the grfx overheating or my pc just aint compatable with steam or the source engine which is kinda ironic since hl2/source is one of the reason's i upgraded if this is the case though surely valve will release a patch somewhere down the line...wont they?

Also if i get to play upto the 15 min max before it bomb's out i have texture's,etc,etc all to high and no af/aa 1024_768 and it play's smooth as glass but as i stated i've tryed every res and all option's to low for texture's,etc,etc but still the same thing happen's?

I'll try the two fan's under the grfx tomorrow and keep my finger's crossed.

Thank's again for your help.

i get that same problem except when i turn on my computer i can just restart my computer a once or sometimes a few times and then i'm fine it's not todo with the game swithch your cables between the D - sub and the DVI might help

you seem to think that every word with the letter 's' on the end must have an apostrophe. i found it so annoying that i was unable to get past this and help with your problem. sorry.

Originally posted by Jdub22@Jan 8 2005, 09:00 AM
you seem to think that every word with the letter 's' on the end must have an apostrophe.Â* i found it so annoying that i was unable to get past this and help with your problem. sorry.

Force off habit i guess but it show'S what a shallow wanker you are if you couldnt get past this to help some one with a problem you 'S'S'S'S' prick!

On another note the 2 fan'S seem to be working a treat*up to now*so cheer'S Mikeeegeee,Rocketv8,LoserII for your help :thumbup: