Monitor or PC?

[thorlo6]

OK fellas I need help and in a big hurry. My son needs his PC for school work and I have to fix it ASAP. Here's the problem and hardware. I'm not sure if it's the monitor or PC video card. He will be watching a DVD, my son is homeschooled, and all of a sudden the picture will go out and he has ti turn the PC on and off and do the same to the monitor. Finally he will get the picture back and be able to finish watching his classes and do his school work. He's got an HP Pavilion a610n with an AMD 3000+ CPU, 512MB PC2700 SDRAM, and a 13" Sceptre X3G-Komodo V LCD monitor, running Win XP Home Edition with SP1a. Any body got any ideas? I'm thinking a defective monitor. If you need any more info, let me know. Thanks for any and all info. thorlo6

[mrmister1]

First of all, you should try reseating the video card and check all the connections.

[rjfvillarosa]

Overheating problem maybe?? you say that after switching everything on and off "eventually" it all comes back, does this "eventually" mean you are giving it long enough to cool down a bit, thus allowing it to restart? does it happen at any other time or only with the DVD player?.
Try checking bigandy's thread on power supplies and see where in the list that Enlight 360 PSU comes.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=98650

[Smidget]

Also try the Display Power options found under the "Power tab" in display properties. Set it to always on.

Perhaps it is set to hibernate??

[thorlo6]

Originally Posted by mrmister1 First of all, you should try reseating the video card and check all the connections.

Video card is part of the mobo, so can't reseat it. Also rjfvillarosa, ignore my signature, that refers only to my PC and has nothing to do with my son's PC.
Also, Enlight is one of the premium PSU's and is at the top of the good list that bigandy put out. I already knew that when I built my PC back in August.
Smidget, thanks for the info, I rechecked that and it was already set to never. Some more info I just got from my son. He said that at times he couldn't turn the power off on his monitor at all and had to power down his CPU and then turn off the main power at the surge protector. Thanks for the info guys. It's looking more and more like a bad monitor. thorlo6

[rjfvillarosa]

If it is not too much trouble why not swap the monitor with yours just to eliminate it.

[thorlo6]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa If it is not too much trouble why not swap the monitor with yours just to eliminate it.

I can't. He has an LCD and I have a CRT Monitor. He has the LCD to cut down on space for it on his desk. He is home schooled and uses his desk to do his school work on. The room that his desk is in is only 9'x10'. So space is at a premium. As a matter of fact my monitor was his until I got him the LCD.
thorlo6

[Jaggannath]

Maybe try swapping the monitor for just a day to see if it occurs again... if space is a premium swap his tower with yours and let him do his work at your desk
It'll only be for one day, to confirm whether or not the monitor is the issue

[thorlo6]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath Maybe try swapping the monitor for just a day to see if it occurs again... if space is a premium swap his tower with yours and let him do his work at your desk It'll only be for one day, to confirm whether or not the monitor is the issue

Excellent idea jaggannath, but it won't work. My PC is in my bedroom and I work 7P-7A 7 days straight and right now I'm in the middle of my work week.
That was a good idea though. I sent an email to Spectre tech support, hopefully I wil get a reply soon. thorlo6

[masonbarge]

Just a note, I had a bad experience with a Sceptre Komodo.

I would have guess an overheated video card, too, intially. You can get a second hand video card for next to nothing at the local small computer store, you should try that. If it turned out to be a heat problem, you really don't want it occurring on the MB.

[thorlo6]

Originally Posted by masonbarge Just a note, I had a bad experience with a Sceptre Komodo. I would have guess an overheated video card, too, intially. You can get a second hand video card for next to nothing at the local small computer store, you should try that. If it turned out to be a heat problem, you really don't want it occurring on the MB.

Welcome to the PCMech forum masonbarge! I'm sorry to have to meet you with my problem, but, that's what the forum is all about. Talking and comparing notes to help each other. If I don't hear from Spectre soon I just might try that. Good idea. Thanks! thorlo6