Screen black but can see cursor & Hear apps running?

[speekez]

Hi All

I am trying to help my parents with their Imac. Here's the issue:

1. Black screen but can see mouse cursor on screen when the use the mouse
2. Can hear application sounds (mail receiving, etc.)
3. Still black after power down & turn back on
4. Screen went black when they were using it with grandson using an app and he hit some keyboard keys. When they turned machine back on, arrow looked magnified.
5. Mom says she tried restarting with CD in drive holding down "C" key but that did nothing.... though not sure if she held it down right.

If the screen was dead, you wouldn't see a mouse cursor right? And if computer was dead, you wouldn't see a cursor or hear apps running.

What would keep the screen black, even after a restart? Is this a Universal setting? Ideas?

 

[bpeeps]

Checking the brightness might not hurt. I've been confused on my MBP a couple of times because the brightness is off, although I don't know if you can turn an iMac screen off using it. Plus you can see the cursor...

 

[Psilocybin]

Hi All

I am trying to help my parents with their Imac. Here's the issue:

1. Black screen but can see mouse cursor on screen when the use the mouse
2. Can hear application sounds (mail receiving, etc.)
3. Still black after power down & turn back on
4. Screen went black when they were using it with grandson using an app and he hit some keyboard keys. When they turned machine back on, arrow looked magnified.
5. Mom says she tried restarting with CD in drive holding down "C" key but that did nothing.... though not sure if she held it down right.

If the screen was dead, you wouldn't see a mouse cursor right? And if computer was dead, you wouldn't see a cursor or hear apps running.

What would keep the screen black, even after a restart? Is this a Universal setting? Ideas?

reformat...i believe i have seen this when my mba wakes up from hibernation for 10 seconds before the login screen pops up...sounds like a software issue