Which component is going bad...

[ropeyarn]

....or is it a hardware problem at all?


Homebuilt Pentium 4 running Windows XP.

MSI Motherboard is 5 years old. Power supply is three years old. Video
card (dual DVI VGA) is three years old. Two LG monitors are about a
month old...which is about when this started.

OS is healthy: no blue screens or balky applications or freezing. Ever.
Other hardware and peripherals (Optical drives, hard drives printers,
scanner) all work fine.

In the last month or so, about one time out of three, the monitors
(which have an auto on/off standby feature) don't come on when the
'puter us turned on. As far as I can tell, all the other POST activities
are normal.

Restarting, either with the reset button or power supply power switch
has remedied this: usually the first time, but sometimes it takes one or
two more tries.

Video card drivers (NVIDIA) are current; they are "generic" NVIDIA ones
since the card vendor --Gainward-- isn't around any more). Monitor
drivers are current too.

Possibly related:
the monitors (LG) indicate "digital input no access") when I try to use
their the autoset button (connection is DVI). Other monitor and video
card menu/settings functions and menus work normally.


On the hardware side, I'm suspecting a looming issue with either the
power supply, mobo or video card.

On the software side, I'm suspecting the age of the card vs. the newer
technology of the monitors may be an issue.

Suggestions appreciated.

 

[John Weiss]

In the last month or so, about one time out of three, the monitors (which have
an auto on/off standby feature) don't come on when the 'puter us turned on. As
far as I can tell, all the other POST activities are normal.

.. . .

On the hardware side, I'm suspecting a looming issue with either the power
supply, mobo or video card.

On the software side, I'm suspecting the age of the card vs. the newer
technology of the monitors may be an issue.

I'd guess it's the video card. Maybe it doesn't fully/properly support the dual
monitors.

Borrow a card, or buy a new one. Be advised that you might run into power
supply issues if you get a high-powered video card and have a PS with a weak 12V
rail...

 

[ropeyarn]

. . .


I'd guess it's the video card. Maybe it doesn't fully/properly support the dual
monitors.

Borrow a card, or buy a new one. Be advised that you might run into power
supply issues if you get a high-powered video card and have a PS with a weak 12V
rail...

I'm leaning towards video card too.

Something about *starting* the new monitors it doesn't like....once
they're on, it runs them just fine

Hmmm. New video card to put into a 5-y/o mobo....

Hmmmm. Maybe it's new 'puter time