Urgent help with monitor please

[ntel]

Just tried to use my computer but realised that the monitor was not working. Thought the monitor had packed up so swapped it with a spare one I had lying about. This comes up with the message "cable not connected". I've checked the connections and everything is OK. Do you think the Display card is Kaput?

[PJ S]

Sounds possible - only one way to find out for sure though.
Equally, the motherboard may be at fault.

[mattyb123]

I'd go with display card. simple enough if its a pci one but its going to be a basta**d if its built into the motherboard.

[Zod]

could be the cable. Do you have another to try?

If the graphics card is dead, you would normally get coninuous intermittent beeps from the motherboard at POST.

[jimmyjimjim]

Depends how dead.
I've seen a couple that would post, but wouldn't display anthing.
Basically would work on 80 column mode, and that was about it.
Try pulling the card, blowing away any duust, reseating, power up. Repeat about 5 times; you might get lucky and finally see something - managed to get a completely dead card up to the windwows loading screen (in corrupt orange text!), and proved it was the card, rather than anything else...

[ThePassenger]

If the cable is the same try changing it. If the system has a PC speaker built in (most do) listen for beeps when you turn on; four long beeps is the norm for 'no video device' and is a pretty good indicator the board is fine but the card is knakkered.

If you can change the GFx pick up a chepo one, or speak to the nearest geek or if you place of work has one the IT department, they often have spares kicking around and will lend you one to test. If this works then you're laughing, just buy a new card.

If you have an on-chip system (i.e. Intel Extreme Graphics) then you'll be looking a new motherboard as you can't change out the parts.