Our taxes are due on the 15th, and since John obviously won't be home in time to do them. All of the tax records and templates from previous year are on John's ancient desktop computer, so I have to use that computer just to get to the information I need.

I sat down last night, turned on the computer only to find that the screen has died. I've looked at every square inch of it looking for a power switch and have finally come to the conclusion that there isn't one.

What that means is that I cannot access the files I need. I don't think any of it is backed up anywhere else. I've looked at every single thumbnail drive I can find in his office and none of it is relevant.

Bearing in mind that this is a 12 year old desktop, is there a way for me to see and transfer the files onto another computer? I'm in a real panic here, and John just can't help me.

Can I assume you can tell that the computer has booted up? Does it make the appropriate noises if any and the light on the desktop flashes off and on? It's hard to know if the video chip has croaked or if it's the monitor. Do you know of anyone who has a monitor you could borrow?

If you disconnect the monitor from the desktop and just plug it into a power outlet, does it at least show it has powered up? It might show the brand name or maybe just turn gray.

It could be possible to connect the video on the back of the computer to your laptop, but the chances of the port on the desktop being anything but the ancient old VGA type are slim and none.

Bottom line is to be able to "see" what you need, you must have a monitor of some kind. If it's something else inside the computer, but the hard drive is still good, it is possible to retrieve the files from that drive. But that would take special equipment to transfer to a flash or exterior drive which you could then access on your laptop.

Shoot.

The computer boots up just fine. It makes a horrible racket because of the ancient fans, but it still works.

None of the lights on the monitor are lit, so I'm fairly certain it's the monitor that has died. I don't think there is anywhere in town where I can just walk in and buy a monitor, either.

I'll try plugging it into the wall and see what happens.

This may sound stupid but there may not be a "switch" that you can feel. I have a Dell monitor that turns on kind of by touch. There is a little icon that is very hard to see so I just sort of rub the side of the monitor (not the edge, but the frame part next to the screen) to turn it on.

Thanks for the suggestion. There is a little "power" icon, really tiny, that isn't a raised button, but it doesn't work. I've tried hovering over it, leaving my finger on it for a few seconds, tapping it -- everything I can think of. I think the monitor is dead.

I'll see if one of my neighbours has a monitor I can borrow.

If not a monitor you can borrow, ask around for a TV that can take a computer video plug, my friend has his computer plugged in to a TV that he uses as a Monitor, just something else to try, mind you his computer is fairly new and so is the TV.

And herein would lie the problem, Starcom! The video port on the computer is going to be VGA and I don't know of any new TVs that have VGA ports.

Yes, the computer is a dinosaur. I'm going to back it all up and buy a new one. I've dug up an old monitor from the basement, about the same vintage, I bet. I have no idea if it will work, but I'll see if I can hook it up.

Keep up posted, hagatha! Fingers crossed that it will work.

Hagatha, any luck with another monitor?