Computer/Monitor Help Needed (modem, monitors, screens, installing)

[prango]

I need to know where to go here on this forum to ask a question about my computer/monitor....

the white on monitor screen is turning colors from white to off pale green, blueish color...flickers back and forth doing this...I need to know if monitor is dying or if my color card is dying...

windows 98
96 mb ram
browser ..IE 6
Gateway computer

Thanks for any help.
Prango

[ColoWeb]

Check the connections in the back of the computer where the monitor plugs in. Often times if it is not connected tightly, this will cause such issues we well.

[AksarbeN]

I’d power off the monitor and allow it to cool down for a while. Then when turning it back on see if the trouble continues or not. Also there maybe a monitor "selftest" on the monitor menu?

[prango]

I don't see a "selftest" on the monitor menu...
I turned it off, and unplugged it for about 2 hours, when turning back on, everything seemed ok, until I logged on, then the white went blue again, now it is back to normal white background here again.
My computer and monitor is about 8 years old...so I probably need a new monitor, the thing is, it was just fine last night...
could the video card be going haywire?..

[AksarbeN]

Sorry to hear that it’s still acting up. However,,,,, you have a valid thought about the video card possibly going out. Is there someone else that you could swap monitors with temporarily? Some of the 2nd hand stores in town have some dirt cheap monitors as well as pc shops. You could try finding something like that. There are lots of monitors that have been replaced with the new flat screens and they’re just sitting around getting dusty.

[BrianH]

Mine does that too because I got mad one day and pulled the cable out of hte back of the monitor. If it is loose it will go Red Green Blue colors etc etc. Try that, ifnot its a vid card problem.

[Bones]

Shutdown and unplug from wall, remove and reseat video card. Clean out the dust and cobwebs while you have it down.....

[da jammer]

Have you been installing all driver and software updates over all of these years? I have a feeling it's the monitor but have you ever pulled the side panel and cleaned that puppy out? A whole bunch of dust bunnies get inside the case and can wreak some havoc. Have you had any recent electrical storms and is your equipment protected? The latest storm here just took out my cable modem!

Frankly with an eight year old puter I'd be looking to buy a new one as that is a great run for any computer. I would prefer a new one with XP installed rather than Vista if there are any left out there as I hear many peripherals aren't making whoopie well with Bill's latest and greatest OS. I have an old zip drive and a couple of printers that still work great with XP but wouldn't with Vista.


BTW I'm guessing that it is an onboard vid card as most factory units ship that way??

[prango]

I can unplug and reseat the video card....vacume the monitor...and I always unplug everything when I see that we are in for bad storms, learned the hard way 3 years ago, when lightning took out my modem.
Yes, onboard vid card, pc came with it...
Oh, well, I guess it is time to shop for a new pc...(like I have alot of money for that , LOL)....

Going to shut her down now,
thanks to everybody, I will return (hopefully) tomorrow.

[brokencrayola]

Our monitor did the same thing before it went out.