Monitor Shuts Down Computer !!!

[mparegian]

I helped out a friend recently by rebuilding an older computer for her. I installed a new 20 gig hard drive, Windows 2000 and all necessary security to keep it running smoothly. It runs great!!! As to the model, etc. - it was a custom built older computer belonging to another friend who used it daily until the hard drive went down - that's when I took it over. Recently she has been having monitor problems - the monitor fades out or just goes all one color - so I immediately gave her another monitor. The next monitor did the same thing. Thinking it might be the video card, I replaced that with a new one and it definitely made the picture brighter - but the problem persisted. The only way to make the computer come back on is to unhook the monitor from the computer and then re-install it in again to the computer - then the computer works great until it happens again. I have no further idea what could be causing this - has anyone out there had this problem before or is there anyone who can give me a clue what to look at next ???

[icecube]

It is possible to have two bad video cards, but unlikely. Check to make sure that the monitor cables are securely attached to the MONITOR. Some monitor cables screw into the monitor as well as the computer. Make sure none of the pins in each of the male sockets is bent out of shape.

After checking that, it is possible that the scan refresh rate for your monitor is set too high or to a value that the current monitor doesn't support.

Right click on a blank area of the desk top and select Properties. Click on Settings folder.

Then on bottom right click on Advanced. Click on the Monitor folder and see what it is set at. I could be wrong, but from my experience, almost any monitor will support the 65 mhz mode. Yours could be set to a value that is not supported by the monitor you are using. 65 is hard on the eyes, and 80 to 85 is where it should be. Mine has a setting for 100, but I don't need that much extra radiation.

Check that out for a start and see what happens.

[mparegian]

Thanks for your reply - I agree, it is highly unlikely that two video cards would be bad. As to attachment, we have now gone through three monitors - first an old one, next a newer one, and now an almost new Dell monitor - all three have responded exactly the same. The connections are excellent and of course the one on the computer got changed when I changed out the video card - so even that connection is new.

I don't have immediate access to the computer right now, but I could check the refresh rate the next time I'm over there. You are saying to set it to 65 as that would ensure good performance???