I've been having a strange recurrent issue with a Dell G5 5090 desktop. When trying to boot my system, the computer will turn on, play the Windows start sound, and I'll even be able to navigate the system if I use narrator. However, there is no video signal at any point. I see no boot splash screen and nothing after boot. I get similar results when trying to enter BIOS. I still have no video signal, although I can imagine the menu is opening, as this prevents windows from starting (I do not hear the windows startup sound).
Interestingly enough, I have had this issue multiple times before. After messing around and performing a variety of reset steps (sometimes just restarting, sometimes re-seating memory, sometimes holding power button for 15 seconds). Each time, I have been unsure what exact thing causes it to work. The issue appears to occur after leaving the computer on and having it automatically hibernate or something. Usually, I leave it on overnight, and I come back to find it turned off completely. When I try to boot it, regardless of whether or not I drain capacitors and then boot or boot immediately, I get the described issue. This state persists until it is fixed; each boot will have the same results until whatever fix is performed, and then it does not happen again.
Currently, the video is not functioning. I'm pretty confident that this is not the result of (at least not completely) dysfunctional hardware, as this issue is recurrent, and is divided by periods of completely normal functioning. The two monitors I use are plugged into a discrete Nvidia graphics card. There is no port for integrated graphics.
I would like help diagnosing/resolving this issue, and preventing it from recurring.
System Info:
- Windows 11
- NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti
- I don't know the rest off hand, and can't easily find it out without having access to the PC with video
To clarify something: I'm not certain that hibernation is actually occurring. All I have observed is that after leaving the computer on overnight, I will come back to it completely turned off the next morning with the described behavior when I try to boot it.
Another note: after unplugging the PC from power and plugging it in again, it will automatically start, and then fail to boot, shutting itself off. Booting it again after that creates the behaviour I described.
Using narrator, I'm able to access device manager, and the entry for display drivers is entirely missing.