Video Card?

Is is possible my new monitor somehow blew out the video card in my XP computer? Even if you say no, this is still what I am going to believe. If it even is my video card that's the problem.

With my old Dell monitor I had no problem when I went from one computer to the other, XP and Win 10 (not both on at the same time - just sharing the monitor). This new monitor, while nice, has been a headache for me since I got it. It did work with both XP and WIn 10 but I have to jump through hoops to even turn the monitor on.

Anyway, I've been playing the old disc version of A Weekend in Capri on my XP. I had to change the screen resolution for the game to look decent. I did this on several occasions but the last time (a few days ago) when I went to change the screen resolution back, it would not change right. It changed but I lost my task bar at the bottom and could not shut down so I had to leave it in the older resolution when I shut it down. I have been reluctant to deal with this monitor issue so have just gotten back to trying to play the game again today.

When I booted up the XP and turned my new monitor on, it got stuck in a loop showing "HDMI" and "VGA" in the top left corner. The only way to stop the loop was to turn the monitor off. So, I dug my old Dell monitor out and hooked it up to the XP even though I really don't have room for two monitors on my table. It came on saying "no HDMI input" (which is not what I use with the XP so I didn't know why it was saying that). It is set for "auto detection" of the input which I saw by accident so I set it to "VGA" and it says "no device detected" (or whatever the correct wording for all of these things is). I even tried a different VGA cable in case it was the old cable.

Is this my video card?

No, I don't think the monitor "blew out" an old video card. The monitor only renders a picture. If the new monitor started cycling like that, it makes sense that the old video card is kaput. But you did all the correct troubleshooting.

Do you have a stand alone video card in that old XP? Or is it on-board video on the motherboard?

I should have also mentioned that this was the first time playing that game with the new monitor and the first time I had trouble changing the resolution back. To me, it's the monitor wrecking my life!

I'm sure it is a stand alone video card but off hand I can't remember which one. I probably have it written down someplace and may have mentioned it in some post at some time.

I understand your frustration with the monitor, but the crappy control on the back is only a pain in the arse. I must say, I am thrilled with my new monitor!

Can you look at the back of the XP computer? How many options do you have to plug in a video card? If there is only one option, then it is on-board video that has croaked. If there are TWO options, then perhaps it is plugged into a stand-alone video card. Is it possible the old on-board video could still be OK if there are two VGA ports? You could always try plugging the VGA cable into the other VGA port if it's an option.

There's the VGA, an S-OUT, and an AV-OU.

Somewhere above that there is what looks like a VGA plug and it says "Serial" on it. I don't know what any of that means. This IS an ancient computer unfortunately.

I'm glad you like your new monitor. I was wondering if you received it as I thought maybe you would post in that other thread about it.

I've been meaning to get something posted there, but have had a lot of stuff to do on MM and here, so haven't gotten around to it.

If there is a second VGA port, it will look exactly like the one you're using. A serial port has 2 rows of prongs or holes and a VGA port has 3 rows.

I found this photo of the back of a computer that has both on-board video and a stand alone video card. The VGA port for the on-board video is part of all the other ports etc. that are on the motherboard - these are colored, yours may not be. Below it are some slots with one them having a VGA port for a stand along video card. See if your back looks anything like this.

https://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/522486010349617154/1240/10/scaletowidth

Yeah, I see now that the Serial port only has 2 rows of prongs.

I can't really say if the back of mine looks like that photo. To me it doesn't but...

There is only that one VGA port.

OK then, now we know. This old computer had on-board graphics and it has croaked. So it's either say goodbye to the computer or have a new computer rebuilt which you could install that old hard drive in. That's what I did with my old XP hard drive.

Here. I found it. NVIDIA GeForce 4MX 440 w/ AGP8X

I have so many non working computers with good hard drives and 2nd drives it's not even funny.

I am so bummed by this and I'm sorry, but I DO blame the new monitor!

Sorry, but you can't blame a monitor for an ancient video card finally dying! But it's certainly a good excuse!

Maybe being so new, the monitor zapped too much energy out of the old computer. It was absolutely fine until the very first time I used it with the new monitor.

(You won't make me believe otherwise.)

By the way - Thank You for your help!!!

That's your story and you're sticking to it! (by the way, monitors don't zap energy out of old computers! )

Hands on Hips: I SAID...!!!

I know I'm stacking but I have to make sure you see this.

I Just tried it one more time (with the old monitor) before putting everything back where it belongs and it is on now but there is an error message on the screen that says KB D.EXE has encountered a problem and needs to close.

I'm afraid to remove it from the screen for fear the screen will go out even though I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with it!

Maybe the new monitor really doesn't want to work with the XP and the old monitor didn't come on because I needed to restart the computer after plugging it in?

I cannot test it out just yet. I am eating for the first time today (starving) and I have to make room on the table for the 2nd monitor. Right now it is on top of the computer.

That's a keyboard error. Getting stranger... I'm thinking that XP motherboard is really getting unstable.

Shush please . Maybe it's because I unplugged the computer when I couldn't shut it down because I couldn't access the start menu due to the monitor not working. Getting ready now to try to get it on the table and see if it plays or not.

I'm with Draclvr regarding your New Monitor zapping your PC, newer monitors are more Energy efficient and take less power to run, If you have another PC hanging around, try your New monitor on that one and see what happens or if you have a friend or family member with a PC, test your monitor on that and then you will know for sure if it is your PC failing or not.
Also, try removing the side panel on your PC (make sure your PC is shut down and un-plugged and make sure your Video card is well seated in its slot, it does happen over time that the video card comes slightly loose that it still functions with your old monitor but when you fool around the back of the PC by moving it around then the video card even a bit looser and then.....
Good luck.

Hi Starcom. A lot of things I say have to be taken with a grain of salt, although I do believe some things jinx other things. There definitely seems to be some problem between the new monitor and the XP but I'll know more for sure in the coming days I guess.

I have the old monitor hooked back up to the XP now and finished the game I was playing with no problem. Changed the screen resolution to play it, then changed it back just fine. I'll see what happens when I boot it up tomorrow and in the days going forward. It's just a pain because I really don't have enough room for the 2 monitors but if it works (if the XP works), I'm happy anyway!

I believe the old monitor is failing, which is why I bought the new one but time will tell on that also. If it does go out, I have another old one I can use, though it is smaller - better for my table but not what I'm used to anymore.

Hi again oldbroad, happy to hear you were able to finish your game and good to know you have a backup computer, all the best of luck in your new monitor adventure, crossing my fingers and toes it eventually works out. Take care

Yay for finishing the game, oldbroad! Can I ask what it was?

I believe the game was A Weekend in Capri. Oldbroad mentioned this in her first post in this thread. Congrats on finishing the game, oldbroad.

I believe it was this: " Anyway, I've been playing the old disc version of A Weekend in Capri on my XP."

Correct Marian and Winfrey! I had played the updated game 9 years or so ago that I bought on disc direct from Gey but had never played the disc which only plays on XP and does NOT need a code. It is one very hard game to play even using the walkthrough MaG wrote. I don't know how she even wrote it.