Video issues

[lillydoll]

My boyfriend's computer started acting odd yesterday.

He uses Windows XP, but I don't have a lot more info than that at the moment, I'll get more information soon.

The problem,

His monitor basically stopped working last night. We have no idea what the problem is, but so far this is what we've discovered. Plugging the monitor in both the graphics card video port, and the video port on the motherboard does nothing. The monitor will flicker on for 2 seconds and then go black. Grabbing a second monitor (To rule out the monitor itself) it won't even flicker being plugged into either port. However, the second monitor has a default hdmi? plug, so removing the video adapter, we're able to plug it directly into the hdmi port on the graphics card, and it DOES work there.

Any idea what would cause that?

[patio]

When the PC initially starts up and before Windows starts loading is there any video at all such as a BIOS or manuf. splash screen ? ?

[lillydoll]

Sorry it took so long to get back....

It's definitely a monitor issue, so I don't think there is anything that can be done aside from getting him a new monitor.

I plugged the monitor into my computer and it did the same thing where it flickered and then shut off. I also swapped both cords with my cords to test if it was just a bad cord, and the same thing continued to happen.

Thanks for taking the time to look at this problem.

[Transfusion]

Wait hold on...

His monitor basically stopped working last night. We have no idea what the problem is, but so far this is what we've discovered. Plugging the monitor in both the graphics card video port, and the video port on the motherboard does nothing. The monitor will flicker on for 2 seconds and then go black. Grabbing a second monitor (To rule out the monitor itself) it won't even flicker being plugged into either port. However, the second monitor has a default hdmi? plug, so removing the video adapter, we're able to plug it directly into the hdmi port on the graphics card, and it DOES work there.

So you used 2 different monitors, you plugged them into the VGA port on both the motherboard and the video card, and no picture shows up. The second monitor evidently works from its HDMI port, I wouldn't throw it away, monitors are pretty expensive where I live, and it may be handy as a backup.
Did you plug the monitor into the VGA port of the motherboard after you removed the video card? Motherboards usually automatically disable the built-in video output once it detects a separate graphics card plugged in... So there still remains the possibility of a damaged VGA port on his graphics card. Take out the graphics card and try again with the motherboard video, or you can use either of these converters to test if you don't want to (plug them into the graphics card so as to create another VGA output):


The most I ever pay for such converters is $5.