Dual monitors blanking

[Guest]

Using a known good nVidia FX5200 Ultra with nVIdia reference drivers, version
61.77 on a dual monitor setup at work.
Soyo SY7ADA mobo with Athlon 1.2gHz cpu

Caveat: My monitors at work are old used pieces of crap.

Intermittantly, I will hear a small click from both monitors, and they both
will blank.

Windoze is still running, but as I can't see anything it's (ahem) impossible
to reboot-which will fix the prob for a while. A hard reset is the only way
out.

Has anyone had similar behaviors with this card, or do I just need new
monitors?

 

[Jerry]

If you run one monitor at a time does the problem still occur?

Did you swap either monitor with a different one to see if it would still
happen?

Did you try a different dual-video card?

All simple troubleshooting techniques that should have been tried first so
you could tell us what hou had done to try to fix your own probkem. (Learned
fixing F-4C/D/E/F/G Phantom II as opposed to P-51D Mustang)

 

[Guest]

No probs as a single monitor setup with the nVidia or an ATI 9200 SE
Same behavior with the ATI card
I've tried 3 different monitors we have on hand-same prob
WinXp is up to date with patches.
I took a shot in the dark today and reinstalled the mobo drivers as they had
an AGP related update.

5 years USAF accounting, 3 years air cargo The Pony just happens to be the
sexiest aircraft ever designed....

 

[Jerry]

OK - you installed the mobo drivers - did it make a difference?

If things are ok with one monitor but not two then I would suspect the video
card can't handle two - even though it's designed to do so. Swapping video
cards negates that unless both cards draw excessive power when two monitors
are connected; causing an overtemp? Is your power supply providing enough
power for everything? Were you using the same video cable(s) between the
video card and monitor or was the cable changed when the monitro(s) was
swapped?

WinXP's condition should not mean anything - it is a hardware issue.

27+ years in aircraft maintenance, spent over half overseas.

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately no help form the drivers. I think you have a good idea re the
PS-this one is a 250w which is minimal....I'll swap in a new 350w and see if
that settles things down.