Dead PC to LCD connection

I recently recieved a new laptop from work, a Dell D610. This morning I turned on my desktop which is mated to my Viewsonic VG175 and everything was working okay. Then I hooked the Viewsonic to the back of the VGA port of the notebook to check functionality of the notebook to LCD connection. Everything went fine.

I then hooked my LCD back up to my own desktop PC - a self built Intel MB, Intel CPU that has never given me trouble from the hardware perspective. Well, long story short, I can no longer get Windows to display from my desktop to my Viewsonic. Nada, nothining, zilch...

It's not dead all the time however. For instace, when the desktop boots I get three visuals as I would normally. First my GPU - an XFX 5700 introduces, then a picture of my Intel desktop graphics pop into view for a few seconds; finally, Windows XP professional begins to load and I can see the graphics of the introductory screen "XP" screen. Then, just as the PC is about to swith to the normal desktop view...nothing. I get a "No Signal" and then, after time, a "Testing' signal from my monitor.

I've tested the monitor connections many times as well as testing and re-testing functionality of my notebook to LCD connection. The monitor is definitely fine as well as the cables since it continues to display form the laptop without a problem

I should also note that my PC has recently been inundated with spyware/adware in spite of my Norton protection (which leaves much to be desired). This Windows based software problem has become progressively worse over time and has gotten really bad over the last couple days. I suspect, somewhat, that the problem is not hardware related but could be due to a final corruption in Windows.

Bottom line is I'm beffudled here. I've been thinking of buying a new drive and starting from scratch for some time now, maybe it's finally time. Of course, I'm wondering if my OEM copy of XP will load on a fresh drive....

Any comments?

 

Don't know if it's possible but, it sounds like the monitor has somehow reset its GUI resolution to match up with the laptop. In the monitor's OSD (On-Screen Display), is there a reset-type option?

 

I thought about that too. But I don't thinks so as the laptop was displaying to the screen at 1280*1024. As for the reset, I don't know of any but am planning on contacting Viewsonic.

 

I would say that the graphics drivers have become corrupt.

Boot into Safe Mode, go to Device Manager and uninstall the Display Adapter. When you reboot have the drivers CD for graphics card handy, although you should be able to select it from the list.

I take it that you are running Win XP, if not, when you boot to normal Windows and if the drivers cannot be found using "Have Disk ", Cancel out of the Hardware wizard and run the drivers installation program.

Any further problems, go to Add/Remove Programs and remove anything related to Graphics. Reboot and start again. If you need to completely clean away the old drivers, check the "sticky" at the top of this forum.

This is the "long way" . If you get another HDD and clean install Windows, that would be the "short way ".

Matt

 

Okay, stupid Q would be "how does one boot into safe mode? "

As I type this message the PC in question is opened running and connected to an old CRT back from when I bought a Quantex years ago. Long story short, still nothing being dispayed beyond the "Windows XP" logo. Which is good I guess since it clearly rules out a problem with the Viewsonic LCD.

I dunno, but my own cheapness aside, I'm thinking a fresh drive with a fresh XP install might be for the best. Like I mentioned, this thing seems to be horribly infected IN SPITE OF keeping up to date with Norton and running regular full system scans.

On the other hand there's no proof that a fresh drive/new install would be the fix - decisions, decisions..... Although the only other option would be a physical video card problem which seems very unlikely to impossible given the fact that the first few intro screens are still being displayed on boot.

PCs are such a pain in the ass.....

Tom

 

Nevermind I found out how to get to safe-mode. Now to find the Device Mangager...

 

Right click on My Computer>properties>hardware>device manager.

 

Okay, I've found the drivers. But before I start erasing everything I was wondering, could I make the video-card completely inoperable by doing so? I think the answer is "no" in so much as these cards are, I believe, plug-and-play out of the box. It's a XFX 5700LE and to be honest I don't remember having to load any drivers to make it work right away. Plus, how else could one ever build a PC to begin with if drivers had to be loaded (ie: something must be controlling video for Windows installation)

I probably sound ridiculous, but just erring on the side of caution here

Tomm

 

Yes, the answer is "no" , but as I described it may be a long route to get there, depending on how badly the drivers are corrupted. Graphics drivers are quite complex, I installed a new card yesterday and during installation long lists of files were written.

"I don't remember having to load any drivers to make it work right away "... You may have been running on the standard drivers that Windows has on the CD, but these are only basic and date from when the CD was manufactured. You need the graphics card manufacturer's (updated) version of the graphics drivers to make it run correctly. Manufacturers update their drivers frequently when they find ways of getting the hardware to run more efficiently, although manufacturers have generalised drivers, the best driver version for your model may have been released a few months after your model was put on the market (they just didn't have the driver software running at the same pace of putting new models on the market ).

"Plus, how else could one ever build a PC to begin with if drivers had to be loaded (ie: something must be controlling video for Windows installation) ". Windows has a standard set of drivers that run the basic functions of the graphics chips. You will see them when you run Safe Mode, the drivers that run all the extra "frilly bits" are loaded when you run "normal" Windows. The better the driver version you have, the better the "frilly bits" run.

Matt

 

I see, interesting. I'm going to get to all this over the next couple days (I need to get the original driver disk first-which is in a different location for me), I'll let you know how it works out. I may still go the new drive route, but I'd like to see if I can fix it first (for my own experience at least).

Appreciate everyone's help.

 

I went to the XFX website
http://www.xfxforce.com/web/home.jspa?set_locale=en_GB#

I suggest that you get the drivers installed from the CD that came with the card (as I described), then look up the model at the XFX website (the model may be a 5700LE or 5700Ultra). See if they have a download for drivers, these will probably be the best available.
If XFX just point you to the nVidia website, you should be able to find drivers with a version number slightly higher than the ones on the CD. Try installing and running those, you may well find your graphics have never run better.

Matt

 

It's alive. Alive!

Just wanted to say thanks guys. I was able to sit down with the PC over the weekend and, low and behold, after deleting the graphics drivers and re-installing via XFX web-site and some tweaking everythings up and running again. Wasn't hard at all really.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd swear it looks better than ever.

Tom

 

Good to hear! Well done.