Monitor issues...

[ihopeyoudontmind]

Hi guys. I have a question about monitors, if anybody can help me. I can't get a monitor to display with my computer. I've used two separate monitors so far, and the same thing happened with each: I'd connect the monitors, and they'd both show the monitor's brand name, etc, while the computer loaded...but then they'd go to a blank screen. I know that they are connecting to the computer, because they recognize when they aren't connected to a computer. The computer itself seems to be working fine; I can hear the hard drive run, and all the little lights that normally show up inside the computer (I have a see-through cover) are showing up. Could it be the graphic card? I've made sure it's connected, and even gone to their website, but I haven't had any luck with supprt from them (it's an ATI Radeon 7000). I'm just looking to see if there are any other suggestions before I go out and buy a new graphic card. I'd appreciate any help that anybody out there can give me. Thanks!

-Amber-

[patio]

Shut down completely and unplug your Power Supply at the rear of the machine...open the side panel and or remove the case and check to see if the VidCard is all the way in...
Restart and see if this changes anything.

patio.    8-)

[patio]

P.S. Do you know anyone who you can borrow a vidcard from to see for sure it is not the monitors fault ? ?

patio.   8-)

[ihopeyoudontmind]

Hmm...the video card's in there, all right. I don't really know anybody well enough around here to ask for there vid card, lol. I'm new to the area I live in. I'm pretty sure it's not the monitor...like I said I tried two monitors on it. I just recently acquired a flat panel monitor, and I tried using both that one and the original monitor.

I just remembered that when I was getting this all set up after the move, my cousin was with me (he helped me move out here and unpack and stuff). He said that he tried to plug in a new speaker (it's a logitech), and the screen went blank. It was after that when I started having all these problems. I wasn't present when this happened (was unloading dishes and various kitchen appliances) at the time. Of course, he didn't mention it to me until after he was gone and headed back home.

Do you think that was enough to mess the video card up? It has an S-video connection that connects in a different spot, so I didn't think it was enough to mess with the card. However, the computer was working fine before he decided to go ahead and add the speakers to it. The speaker is no longer connected to the computer, of course.

Thanks for all your help so far. I really appreciate it!

[ihopeyoudontmind]

This might be irrelevant to the issue, but I just noticed something when trying to reload the computer: I get a series of beeps. Before I had these problems, I'd usually just get one beep. I read a couple of other posts on another topic, and they mentioned a "beep code." Does this mean anything, or am I reading too much into it?

[GX1_Man]

It definitely means a lot. Have a read:

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

[ihopeyoudontmind]

Hi guys. Thanks for your help. I have now fixed the problem; I thought I'd put the solution up here in case anybody might need it for future reference.

As it turned out, I had checked the inside of the computer, but I hadn't thought to check the other side of the motherboard (where it's all bolted down). Turns out that because this was a custom built computer, the motherboard wasn't screwed in as tightly as it should be - there wasn't a place to tighten it to, really. So it wasn't so much the graphics card being loose, as it was the motherboard being loose.

Also, as it turns out, the graphics card I used (the ATI Radeon 7000 series) fit a lot better into the slot above it than it did in the very bottom slot (the manual stated that it would only fit there, but it works a lot better in its new place).

Hope this helps anybody else who has a similar issue. Thanks to you guys who helped me!

[patio]

Great to hear you got it solved...we love success stories...and thanx for lettin us know.

patiio.    8-)