How do I get a new video card working?

[Eric Weir]

Are you sure that you've connected the monitor correctly *physically*? It sounds as if it's disconnected.

I'll double check. But I've connected and disconnected the cable several times, now. I believe at least once I've screwed both screws down almost tight. Will check again, though.

Thanks,

[Eric Weir]

I'll double check.

Nope. Being careful to make sure the connector is fully seated, screwing the screws down tight, still no display.

Called the shop that made the machine -- in 2002 -- and sold me the card -- a couple weeks ago. They pointed me to the place in the bios to change the primary graphics processor setting to agp. It was already set to agp.

They suggested leaving the card in but connecting the monitor to the onboard processor, then download and install the driver, then rebooting after connecting the monitor to the card.

Even with the monitor connected to the onboard processor, with the card in, there is no display.

Their fall-back option after that is "Bring the machine in." May have to do that.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

[Metaleks]

I actually had a problem with my monitor not too long ago. It turns out that some fuse blew (or something) and that that was the reason it wouldn't turn on. If you can, test the monitor on another system. That way we can see if the problem is the monitor itself, or your current system. I'm betting it's the monitor.

[Eric Weir]

If you can, test the monitor on another system.

Thanks, Metaleks. You lose. The monitor works fine if I use the onboard processor.

I've spoken again with the shop that made my machine. They think now that the motherboard may not be able to work with a video card with more the 64 Mb of memory. The one I'm trying to install has 128.

I should just give in and buy a new machine. It wouldn't be that expensive. But I want to get a decent installation of Linux running on the machine I have -- p 4, 1.6 ghz, 512 mb ram; not state of the art, for sure, but it should be able to handle it; so far I've only been able to get a very sluggish installation; graphics processing has been a suspect -- before I make even that investment.

I appreciate the suggestion though.

Sincerely,