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I have a problem with a Sony Vaio all in one desktop model number PCG-252L. Whenever I boot it up it briefly flashes the Sony logo for a second then quickly turns to black as if I turned the monitor off. The strange thing is that when I actually press the button to turn off the monitor then turn it back on it will post an image for a few seconds before going straight to black. Before this happened I was running Ubuntu and had no viruses to the best of my knowledge. What can I do to fix this?

Edited by valero80 because: n/a
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Short expert note: the symptom described by — the VAIO logo appears, then the screen goes black, and manually toggling the front-panel monitor power briefly restores an image — lines up with a hardware-level problem (front‑panel "screen off" control, the panel/backlight or its power board) rather than a hard‑drive or virus issue. 's Live‑CD suggestion is still useful to rule out purely software problems, but the problem occurring at the logo/firmware stage points toward the display electronics or front‑panel controls.

Suggested, low‑risk isolation steps (in roughly the order to try):

  1. Test an external monitor/TV if the PC has an output. If the external display stays on while the internal panel goes black, the GPU/OS is OK and the internal panel/power chain or front‑panel logic is the likely culprit. Microsoft guidance on external/display checks and basic black‑screen tests and vendor monitor diagnostics explain this isolation approach. (If the external is black too, suspect motherboard/GPU/power.)
  2. Do the “flashlight” test in a dark room: shine a bright light at an angle onto the screen. A faint, readable image under the glare means the LCD is drawing an image but the backlight is dead (backlight/inverter/LED driver failure). The same Microsoft troubleshooting list documents this check.
  3. Run the monitor self‑test / OSD checks and watch for odd power‑save behavior or stuck OSD options; manufacturers document self‑test and OSD resets for diagnosing monitor hardware. Dell’s monitor troubleshooting/self‑test documentation is a representative example.

If those point at the front‑panel or switch logic:

  • Power off and unplug the unit, discharge capacitors, then open the chassis only if comfortable and competent working around mains. Inspect and reseat the ribbon/connector between the front‑panel control board and the mainboard; a shorted/stuck switch or corroded connector is a common failure mode. If a tactile switch looks oxidized, a targeted electronics contact cleaner can restore contact (apply sparingly and let dry), as described in contact‑cleaner guides. Community repair threads also show front‑panel button faults producing similar “power/save” behavior. (Hackaday on contact cleaners, Dell community examples.)

Cautions and next steps: never work live on mains power; if unsure, capture a short video of the symptom and hand it to a repair shop. If the machine is under warranty or official service is wanted, use Sony support/repair channels for parts and service. Sony’s monitor troubleshooting and service resources provide model‑specific guidance.

Member Avatar for Pjieter

Have you tried booting from a CD? If that works, there will be a problem with your hard drive, what will be pretty easy to fix.
If not, you'll probably have to take your laptop back to the store, as that means your BIOS is not functioning correctly (at all).

Edited by Pjieter because: n/a
Member Avatar for valero80

Well the OS itself boots fine. The problem seems to be that the hardware thinks that I constantly have the monitor off switch pressed even when I don't and it does from the moment the Vaio logo appears on start-up so the boot CD thing didn't do much. Sounds like I'm just gonna have to send it to a PC repair shop.

Edited by valero80 because: n/a
Member Avatar for Pjieter

Well the OS itself boots fine. The problem seems to be that the hardware thinks that I constantly have the monitor off switch pressed even when I don't and it does from the moment the Vaio logo appears on start-up so the boot CD thing didn't do much. Sounds like I'm just gonna have to send it to a PC repair shop.

Didn't notice you said it was a desktop model :)
I guess just return it to the store as you say, will be fixed in no time probably :)

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