PC won't recognize monitor

[Rick]

I think the monitor port on my desktop computer is broke. Somebody pulled
on the monitor cable, and I think it damaged something. The screen display
went out and won't come back. The computer powers up okay, the hard drive
light flashes, and the DVD drives flash. But then it stops, and nothing is
displayed on the monitor. I've tried multiple monitors with the same
result. Without a monitor, the system won't boot up. It's a Windows XP
machine.

Any ideas?

 

[Paul]

I think the monitor port on my desktop computer is broke. Somebody pulled
on the monitor cable, and I think it damaged something. The screen display
went out and won't come back. The computer powers up okay, the hard drive
light flashes, and the DVD drives flash. But then it stops, and nothing is
displayed on the monitor. I've tried multiple monitors with the same
result. Without a monitor, the system won't boot up. It's a Windows XP
machine.

Any ideas?

Well, put a video card in it, and see if the machine is
still alive. You could use a PCI video card, a PCI Express
or an AGP, depending on what slots are available. Check the
Newegg video card page, select the interface type you have
available, and you might find something for $50 to fill a
slot.

You can also look at the pins on the VGA connector, and see if any are
broken, shorted together, or pushed back into the body of the connector.

You've provided no details about the computer, so it is hard
to comment further.

Paul

 

[GT]

I think the monitor port on my desktop computer is broke. Somebody pulled
on the monitor cable, and I think it damaged something. The screen
display went out and won't come back. The computer powers up okay, the
hard drive light flashes, and the DVD drives flash. But then it stops, and
nothing is displayed on the monitor. I've tried multiple monitors with
the same result. Without a monitor, the system won't boot up. It's a
Windows XP machine.

From your description, there is a physical fault in either the screen, cable
or PC. If you have tried different monitors then that leaves the cable or
PC. With the different monitors, did you use the same cable or a different
cable. This test will rule out the cable, leaving only the PC. A physical
pull of the cable should not really damage anything, but clearly the PC is
not working. Pulling on the cable should not have damaged the electronics
(chips, memory) on the graphics card, so this should be fixable, so open the
computer case and check the graphics card hasn't been pulled loose - could
be just out of the slot a little bit. If it is definitely 'seated' OK, then
perhaps the card has been damaged - examine the connector that the cable
plugs into - has it been 'yanked' off the graphics card board? It should be
pretty solid and not move, if it has been pulled off, then a very, very,
very delicate repair is called for, or a new graphics card!

 

[Rick]

From your description, there is a physical fault in either the screen,
cable or PC. If you have tried different monitors then that leaves the
cable or PC. With the different monitors, did you use the same cable or a
different cable. This test will rule out the cable, leaving only the PC. A
physical pull of the cable should not really damage anything, but clearly
the PC is not working. Pulling on the cable should not have damaged the
electronics (chips, memory) on the graphics card, so this should be
fixable, so open the computer case and check the graphics card hasn't been
pulled loose - could be just out of the slot a little bit. If it is
definitely 'seated' OK, then perhaps the card has been damaged - examine
the connector that the cable plugs into - has it been 'yanked' off the
graphics card board? It should be pretty solid and not move, if it has
been pulled off, then a very, very, very delicate repair is called for, or
a new graphics card!

I used different monitors and different cables, so the problem seems to be
inside the PC. The video adapter appears to be soldered directly to the
ASUS motherboard. It's hard to access, but everything seems to be connected
properly. I don't really see a separate card for the video. It's a fairly
small computer, and the only separate card I see is for the internal modem.
Everything must be integrated into the motherboard. There is an empty slot
where I could install a new card, but I don't know how the computer would
know to recognize it.

 

[GT]

I used different monitors and different cables, so the problem seems to be
inside the PC. The video adapter appears to be soldered directly to the
ASUS motherboard. It's hard to access, but everything seems to be
connected properly. I don't really see a separate card for the video.
It's a fairly small computer, and the only separate card I see is for the
internal modem. Everything must be integrated into the motherboard. There
is an empty slot where I could install a new card, but I don't know how
the computer would know to recognize it.

You have what is called 'on-board graphics'. I would expect it to be very
unlikely that the graphics chip or anything else on the motherboard would
have been damaged by the VGA cable being tugged. Most likely that the
connector has been partially 'uprouted' from the motheboard - how fine is
your soldering iron?!?

 

[Rick]

You have what is called 'on-board graphics'. I would expect it to be very
unlikely that the graphics chip or anything else on the motherboard would
have been damaged by the VGA cable being tugged. Most likely that the
connector has been partially 'uprouted' from the motheboard - how fine is
your soldering iron?!?

My soldering skills are, shall we say, less than optimal. Is there any way
I could just install a new video card in the empty slot, or would the
computer keep trying to look for the old card?

 

[GT]

My soldering skills are, shall we say, less than optimal. Is there any
way I could just install a new video card in the empty slot, or would the
computer keep trying to look for the old card?

If this is truely the problem, then installing a video card in the video
slot (AGP or PCI-e) should solve it. If this is not the problem, then
another video card won't make any difference.

As far as recognising the card - check your manual, but there may be a
jumber on the motherboard (2 pins with a black removable connector) to
enable/disable on-board graphics - you will need to set this before using
another card. Alternatively you might do it in the BIOS, in which case
installing a video card should give you a picture immediately.

 

[Paul]

If this is truely the problem, then installing a video card in the video
slot (AGP or PCI-e) should solve it. If this is not the problem, then
another video card won't make any difference.

As far as recognising the card - check your manual, but there may be a
jumber on the motherboard (2 pins with a black removable connector) to
enable/disable on-board graphics - you will need to set this before using
another card. Alternatively you might do it in the BIOS, in which case
installing a video card should give you a picture immediately.

Some motherboards will disable the onboard, when a video card is detected.
You might get lucky. Check the Asus downloadable manual, for available
details.

Paul

 

[DaveW]

If your computer uses a video card, then it's time for a new video card due
to the current one's apparently broken socket. If your computer uses an
onboard video chip on the motherboard, then I'm afraid you need a new
motherboard OR an add-on PCI or AGP video card depending on what video
sockets your motherboard has.

 

[kony]

Some motherboards will disable the onboard, when a video card is detected.
You might get lucky. Check the Asus downloadable manual, for available
details.

AFAIK, all boards do disable the onboard video if it's PCI
Express or AGP, only when a PCI card will it still be
active.

 

[mhaase-at-springmind.com]

If your computer uses a video card, then it's time for a new video card due
to the current one's apparently broken socket. If your computer uses an
onboard video chip on the motherboard, then I'm afraid you need a new
motherboard OR an add-on PCI or AGP video card depending on what video
sockets your motherboard has.

Dave -

Do you ever bother to read ANY of the replys that are posted to the
OP's question hours, and sometimes DAYS before your responses?

It's almost like a game for me - I'll read everybody else's posts,
then wait and see how long it takes DaveW to make a post that a)
either repeats exactly what everyone else has said much earlier, or b)
is entirely wrong. It's always one or the other,

M

 

[ProfGene]

I think the monitor port on my desktop computer is broke. Somebody pulled
on the monitor cable, and I think it damaged something. The screen display
went out and won't come back. The computer powers up okay, the hard drive
light flashes, and the DVD drives flash. But then it stops, and nothing is
displayed on the monitor. I've tried multiple monitors with the same
result. Without a monitor, the system won't boot up. It's a Windows XP
machine.

Any ideas?

Try putting a graphics card on the motherboard either AGP or PCI and see
if you can get an image.