Well, I installed Linux on my old computer, collecting dust in the closet. It''s an old HP Pavilion (yeah, I know...) with a Pentium 234 Mhz and a 3dfx Voodoo 3 2000 PCI card, which I installed myself a long time ago. Linux has worked out perfectly on that machine (right now, I''m using my newer Athlon computer, because this one has internet access). I haven''t had any problems on it. Until today. For some reason, when I turn on my computer and monitor, the computer goes on, but my monitor does not. The little LED indicator light on my monitor''s power button just blinks. It keeps on blinking after I turn it off, and slowly dies. There is no static shock on my monitor''s screen, which tells me it may be a power problem. Yet I don''t know why. I would like some help on repairing this.

i had the same problem with my computer a little while ago, only it was a compaq, i had a built in graphics card and it turns out the card fried or something because i had to buy a new video card, after that it worked fine, so its probably something with your video card, try changing the slots on it or buying a new one

Edited by - samosa on February 11, 2002 5:38:35 PM

No, I don''t think it''s my video card. It''s my monitor.

I plugged in the monitor from _this_ computer into the old one, and it worked just fine. Also, the other day I tried to set the resolution a tad too high (1024 x whatever...) and it started making a *hissssssssssssssssssssssssss* noise. Yesterday it worked fine, at 800x600 with a 16-bit color depth, and today it didn''t work at all. What does that tell ya?

Alright. Problem solved. I''ll either have to buy a new monitor (probably a flat panel for the size) or get this hunkajunk repaired, which I''ve been told is about worthless. In any case, the computer is old, so I want to start build a new one in a matter of months.

Computer Repair Lesson: When you turn on the monitor and computer, and the monitor''s LED light is blinking, the video card or the monitor itself is usually to blame.

Thank you.

From reading about old dos vga hacking I''ve seen a lot of warning that trying to get your monitor to do certain things can sometimes kill it. I think it is Xvidtune even has a warning about it. I always thought it was pure myth, but i guess your story proves that it can happen.

Odd though, ive tried to set monitors to resolutions that they couldnt hanndle before but ive never fried one.

I think a lot of has to do with the brand of monitor. Some companies like Mitsubishi (I''ve heard) make better monitors and tubes than others. Smaller companies often combine the parts from the better models with cheap parts from crappier ones, just like the car companies. But what would you rather have? A Corvette Stingray? Or a Hyundai with a Corvette engine? Hmmm...

Im kinda partial to cammaros (even though i probobly spelled it wrong) ...

what you said makes sense though because ive bought a lot of cheap computer components and i regret it now when the motherboards burn out for no reason and stuff like hat.

Edited by - antistuff on February 11, 2002 12:39:45 AM