I'm not sure if this is the problem or not, but monitors are commonly shut off to save electricity. It appears that you're more sophisticated than simply forgetting this, but I thought I'd point it out just in case.
If you right-click on the "desktop" (somewhere in the middle where there are no icons) and select "Properties", a window will pop up labeled "Display Properties". If you click on the "Screen Saver" tab and then on the Power button near the bottom-right (above the "Apply" button), You come for a Power Options Property window. This window lets you configure when the monitor will turn off and when the hard disk turns off. It also lets you configure when the system goes into standby.
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