Monitor Not Starting...tried many solutions...

[ZyCzech]

Hey Everybody,

I'm new to this forum, so any help you could offer would be appreciated.

A couple weeks ago, my monitor would randomly shut off during computer use. I had no new hardware. It just started.

I have a:

Several year old, yet upgraded Dell 4600
ATI Radeon x700 Graphics Card AGP 256mb
1 GB Ram
I could provide more info if necessary.

I switched the monitors...same issue. I switched my video card to an older NVidea 128 card I have. It worked fine, yet I couldn't play the games I did with my other card.

After searching the internet I figured the problem could be my several years old 250 watt power supply. Maybe it was failing. I borrowed a 500 watt and a 400 watt power supplies.

Neither of them are fixing the problem. Now the computer starts yet the monitor doesn't, no matter what power supply, monitor, or video card I use.

I have no idea what's wrong, unless it's something with the mother board itself...which I hope isn't the case.

Thanks.

[patio]

It actually sounds like that new vid card is failing.
Do you get any other graphics issues in other programs ? ?

[ZyCzech]

Yes, I suspected the same.  Everyone I talked to said that that was very unlikely though.  

Plus, I'm now getting the problem with both video cards...

Thanks.

[patio]

Whoa they are both doing it now ? ?

It very well may be a power issue. Dell PSU's are different though. You sometimes cannot use just a stock PSU...

Have you entered your service tag info at Dell's site to do some more checking ? ?