I think I'll be looking at new computers when I finish this post. For a few reasons, but the most recent is a problem I have seen 3 or 4 times the past month, & then 3 or 4 more times today. When I start up I get my desktop showing without the taskbar at the bottom & a long string of vertical 1/8" tall green lines at the top of the screen & an hourglass cursor. nothing can be done but hit the re-set button, & sometimes I get back to the same sh!t. Other times I get to start working & then it is acting normal. I have also seen some screen color troubles where i suddenly get a red tint over everything, so I've been expecting for some time that the monitor will be going, but today I got the red tint & flicker about 10 times worse. Also today I got an abnormal clattering noise. It seemed to be the fan (little one inside on the board, not the power supply one) & I had an extra one. Put in the new one & it seems to have fixed that noise, but with all the "signals" it's sending me, I think it must be time for a new one.
Posted by Ronald Bastian (Member # 2804) on :
Do you have another computer and have you backed up your data yet?
It could be the monitor or the videocard. make sure all the boards in the computer are in tight and not loose.
You may want to reload windows to see if the start up problem goes away.
Back up your data.
Posted by Rick Beisiegel (Member # 3723) on :
Doug
Go Dell w/Windows XP Professional. It's the only way to fly!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I'll be backing up today. I may try reinstalling the OS as well.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Just a guess. but usually color probs are video card related. either a driver, or a connection prob..
check yer cable conection into the video card. sounds like one of the pins is not touching right, maybe bent?????
Posted by David McDonald (Member # 3433) on :
Had some strange problems here a while ago with a randomly garbled screen and what "seemed" to be boot-up problems. Wound up being the monitor cable!
The cat came along, flopped down on the cable and "Wham!" it started working. Bought a replacement for 5.95 and the problem was solved.
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
I'll agree with Curtis & Dave, green vertical bars indicate video problem.
Check the card is seated properly, check/replace cable, swap out card
Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :
Doug, A couple of questions and suggestions. Try another monitor, I have come across Acer monitors giving the same symptoms you have described just before they crapped out. Are you using onboard video? Assuming your case is of the tower variety, the easiest way to determine this is to look at where your monitor cable connects to the case. If it connects vertically then you're almost certainly using onboard video, if the jack connects horizontally then its a safe bet you're using a separate video card. If you're getting a noise from inside the case and you're using a separate video card then check the fan that may be cooling the chipset on the video card. Particularly if its a TNT2 chipset as they often seem to fail at an early age in my experience. If you're using onboard video then it might be time to get yourself a new video card and disable the onboard one in the bios before it gives out altogether. There ae two type available, AGP and PCI. AGP is generally accepted to be the better of the two and is easily recognisable as it will be at the top of the available slots and will be set further towards the centre of the mainboard than the slots below it. If you can only see an array of expansion slots (usually white)set at the same distance from the edge of the motherboard then you will need a PCI card. I wouldn't consider pensioning it yet just because of a relatively simple problem as yours appears to be on the surface, unless you've depreciated the machine as much as the tax man will allow you to, therefore justifying a new one. David
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
Thanks again you guys, it's hard to keep up with learning the required knowledge for maintaining these things cost effectively, but it is clearly the right thing to do instead of throwing money at these problems. I laughed at Bob Burns idea of backing up ("get a new computer, I've got 5 now " he says)but seriously, keeping them running is a good idea even if only to sell off when an upgrade is necessary.
I'll look into that video card thing. (the new fan seems to have taken care of the noise)
Posted by Arthur Vanson (Member # 2855) on :
Doug, if the new fan starts singing again soon, whip it off the card, pull off the little round sticker (lift fan from spindle if neccessary) and pack the bearing with Molykote grease (the yellow stuff available from Radio Shack or electronics shops) reassemble and it should whisper along for years. I had a GeForce 2MX that regularly made a fearful racket until I tried the above.
