Mom Needs Help Fast With Rpoblem

[Positiveedge]

Hi Everybody!

My son is usually here to fix all the problems. but he moved out. I need HELP FAST. The picture on my screen started going bad yesterday. So I found someone giving away a monitor and hooked it up, BUT that can't be the problem because it's still there.

I have FOUR VERTICAL strips/bars whatever they are going on spaced about five inches apart on the screen. They change colors.

AND the word are starting to fade behind a white fade.

Thank you for your help. I really need to get this fixed. Starting a new job now and need my computer.

God bless

Wanda

[kb.net]

Hi,

Sorry to inform u that u may need to get a new monitor. But first try changing the frequency of your screen through:
right click desktop >> properties >> settings >> advacnced >> monitor >> set screen refresh rate to 60 Hz.
Or Check you VGA cable if correctly pluged, restore manifaturer settings (if this option is available in monitors menu).
If above didn't work you will have to go shopping.

[hollystyles]

Yes Kb not all monitors support all resolutions and colour depth. Right click your desktop (all programs closed or minimised) Select properties, on the settings tab drag the screen resolution down a notch, and the colour quality. Click apply. If that doesn't work go back into the settings tab and click the advanced button, click the monitor tab and choose a lower Screen Refresh Rate. Click Ok. Click apply

If none of that works:
It could be the graphics card instead of the monitor, you need to test the monitor on someone elses PC to eliminate it as a suspect. Then try their working monitor on your PC if the problem is evident on a monitor that works on another pc then the graphics card is shot.

[jbennet]

Yes, do as hollystyles says.

Right click on the desktop and choose properties (you can also go control panel -> display) and change the selection box and slider highlighted in the attatched picture down a notch and see if it helps.

SECONDLY, DO YOU HAVE ANY MAGNETS NEAR YOUR SCREEN? (speakers?)

[Positiveedge]

Okay! Hi thanks everybody, but I may not have explained it correctly. I changed monitors and it's not the monitor, otherwise when I hooked the new one up that I got the other day it was still bad. THANK you so much for your help.

I will go through the steps you told me to.

Thanks!

Wanda

[Positiveedge]

I am thinking it might be the graphics card. Now what do I do? Can I get FREE download and what kind, etc.

I dont need it for GAMING! JUST regular simple stuff.

THANK YOU SO MUCH

[hollystyles]

A graphics card is hardware not software. You can't download one it's a physical card with electronic components on it. It will slot into the motherboard inside your PC in an AGP slot or a PCI slot. Your current graphics card/chip maybe a permanent part of your motherboard if it's a cheapish PC.

Judging by your requirements and knowledge level I recommend a PCI slot graphics card, you can buy these pretty cheaply online or in a computer store. I recommend you go to a larger retailer that offer a fitting service.

[Positiveedge]

Thanks Hollystyles

I know I don't know too much much as you can tell. Now I do know my son bought a really good card not too long ago. WHAT IF IT'S NOT the graphics card either?

:)

[Positiveedge]

By the way. When I got up in the middle of the night I thought I had a miracle because the screen was perfect, BUT after being on a little while it started up again with the four verticle bands. NOW at this time the verticcal bands are there and the screen is starting turn whitish.

[jbennet]

Then i dont know what it could be.

The fact that its a "really good card" makes me feel even more storongly that its a bad card. Good, powerful games cards need a lot of power and cooling and if they overheat/brown out they tend to damage (permanently) and lead to odd symptoms like you are describing. What you said about it only happening after a while (takes time to heat up) greater supports this theory.

A non-gaming card will cost you under $30

[jbennet]

:) we posted at the same time. Check the above post

[hollystyles]

Ok it's looking more like you need to get someone in the know to run some diagnostics on your PC. It could be the card isn't seated very well in it's slot. There's good reason to believe as jbennet suggests that heat is a problem. An additional case fan may solve the issue. But then again lack of power could be the problem and a new PSU is the solution.

[Positiveedge]

My son added an extra fan. :)

God bless you all for trying to help. I really appreciate it!!!

Say! I remember when we first got the computer many years ago (Compaq) that something like this started happening and somehow I found something to download and it fixed the problem. At the time we had Windows ME. Now I have Professional XP.

:)

[jbennet]

Thats wierd. Has the extra fan helped?

Computers tend to need cleaning every year or else the fans and heatsinks clog up with dust

[Positiveedge]

Well, I haven't had ANY problems until about three days ago is when it started messing up. So the fan has helped.

You think something needs to be cleaned? and where is the video card located? Can I press it in to make sure it's secure? I won't touch it if I shouldn't though.

I did get a headset with microphone around the same time for Skype, but have unplugged that to see if that was it.

PLUS when all this started to happed my internet company was doing something in the building/outside and internet was going on and off. ??

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

Wanda

[hollystyles]

Say! I remember when we first got the computer many years ago (Compaq) that something like this started happening and somehow I found something to download and it fixed the problem. At the time we had Windows ME. Now I have Professional XP.

That was probably updating the driver. You could try that. Right click My Computer Properties -> Hardware tab -> Device Manager. Expand display adapters. Right click your graphics device and choose properties -> driver tab -> Update driver. XP will attempt to get an updated driver over the internet. If you download one from the manufacturer of your cards website you can point it to it.

and where is the video card located? Can I press it in to make sure it's secure? I won't touch it if I shouldn't though.

Trace the cable where the monitor connects to your pc, that's where the card is inside. Turn off everything open the case and gently but firmly bush along the edge of the card. You should have an antistatic wrist band if you want to mess about inside your PC really though.

[Positiveedge]

There are TWO Display Adapters

RADEON 9800 PRO
RADEON 9800 PRO SECONDARY

Which one?

[hollystyles]

Which one?

Sorry my crystal ball is at the office :)

Is one enabled and the other disabled? (Got a red X over it)

[Positiveedge]

They are both enabled

[hollystyles]

Gah!

Ok. Right click desktop -> select properties -> settings tab -> advanced button -> adapter tab what's it say in there?

[Positiveedge]

The first one :)

RADEON 9800 PRO

I went through the whole shabang trying to UPDATE ADAPTER and it wouldn't let me go any further than insert CD :(

AM I like the most beginner beginner ya ever ran across!?!?! Am I like a toddler? a pre day care IT baby??? LOL

God bless you for your patience!!!!
Now you know why my son didn't teach me much! He didn't slow down enough to put up with me so I have had to learn all stuff on my onw.

BUT HE always fixed stuff!!!!

God bless you!!

NEXT??? :)

[jbennet]

NO!!!! I made an awesome post and it crashed :(

Here is a picture of what a graphics card looks like in a PC by the way (in my PC - its circled)

[Positiveedge]

Thank you SOOOO much!!! For all your help! I will check it tomorro.

Hava a good evening!

:)

[jbennet]

Yeah, your PC will probably look diferent . The motherboard is the green bit, and the graphics card is red. I cleaned that out 2 months ago and look at the dust.

[hollystyles]

Go here:
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/radeonx-xp

and download this one:

Display Driver 14.6MB 7.9 9/10/2007 Display Driver Only

Let me know when you have it.

[hollystyles]

I cleaned that out 2 months ago and look at the dust.

Maybe you should dust the room too :) then there will be less for it to suck in.

[Positiveedge]

I downloaded the driver. But now it is different and worse in a different way. Actually the part I was saying was going whitish. Well that part when it first comes on looks like a mess screen over one half the right side of the computer screen. NOW after the display driver was installed that part moves like an ocean wave when I scroll down to see my stuff.

Should I UNINSTALL IT?

Thank you and God bless you ALL for your wonderful help.

I see you are in the UK? Cool! That is where My new Job is from.

:)

[jbennet]

Yeah im in the UK as is Hollystyles.

Right click on the desktop and do porperties.
Set it to 1024x768 at 16 bit colour and 60hz refresh rate and see if it fixes it (after installing a new driver this info tends to be reset)

[Positiveedge]

where do you find the 60 hz refresh rate?

Thanks!

[Positiveedge]

I found it!

What all of this did was to streth the half screen of garbled mess distributing it across the screen, which is better in many ways, AND I don't have the FOUR vertical bands now.

Is there any more display drivers I can install?

Thank you all so much for your genius help. Maybe I will eventually graduate from day care to kindergarden and then first grade. LOL :)

Hey! What's the highest paying job in IT business? Is it programmer? Or does that make any sense at all?

:)