Strange green flickering DVI/VGA display issue, help!

[iainchat]

I have two computers. Yesterday I hooked up my newer pc to my old ones monitor/keyboard etc to diagnose a seperate internet issue. I really wish I hadn't...

I had to use a dvi to vga adapter to plug into the graphics card as the old PC's monitor only has fixed VGA. When it booted it asked me to load new monitor drivers which I did. It didnt help me diagnose the problem so I took the PC back upstairs to my new PC and monitor...

BUT when I hooked my new PC (Asus P5Q Pro Turbo with msi 8600GT-OC) back up to my DVI Relisys TL795-RU monitor with the DVI cable it gives a terrible green/yellow garbled display with lines and flickering. Also it doesn't display anything on the initial post boot screen until the XP logo or if i press del and wait for bios to show (both garbled and green).

However, it works fine if i use a a vga cable with dvi adaper in the graphics card as I did on the other P.C

What's going on?? I dont want to have to use VGA as the display is not very clear. It seems as if the card has been altered to VGA and doesnt want to switch back. I've tried uninstalling nvidia and monitor drivers but it doesn't help. I think the problem is deeper than that because the messed up graphics happens even in the in bios.

I don't currently have other DVI monitor or cables to check but i'm curious whether the problem is with my graphics card or the the monitor or even windows although I get the problem in the bios too.

below is an image of the screen, it flickers constantly. When i plug in the dvi cable to it takes maybe 10-20 seconds to get this screen, the monitor seems to try to be trying to find the right settings



Thanks for any help.

[mroilfield]

When it booted it asked me to load new monitor drivers which I did.

What kind of monitor was the old one that you hooked your new PC up to? I have never heard of a monitor needing drivers.

Did you check to see if your video card might have come loose during all the moving around? Try to remove it and reseat it and see if that does any thing.

[iainchat]

The old monitor is a hp pavilion f1723. I realise monitors don't usually need specific drivers but perhaps there is a difference between the drivers windows loads for dvi or vga? Although surely faulty drivers don't explain why I get the same corrupt display in the bios. It feels like some thing changed either in the graphics card or monitors internal software (if there is any?) when i plugged in the vga monitor.

I did try reseating my video card and even tried it in my extra pcie slot, but the same happens.

I could try updating the nvidia card bios from the MSI utility but it seems a bit risky to do it with the dvi input all messed up and if i do it with the vga cable im not sure anything will change.

[iainchat]

OK it's not the DVI cable, I just tried a brand new one in.

[Aegis]

This is not especially helpful, but adapters can be problematic.  Do you have another DVI/VGA adapter you can try? 

I am also give to understand that some hardware setups don't "like" the use of an adapter.

[iainchat]

If you mean the VGA to DVI adapter, it works. That isn't the problem. The problem is that after using one with a VGA monitor I can't go back to using a DVI cable and DVI monitor. Instead I'm having to use a VGA cable with the adapter which isn't ideal.