Monitor Goes Into Power Save Mode - But its not what you think...

[voodoo_ca]

Ok,

So here is a rundown of the problem:

At random times after starting the computer (2min, 5min, 6min, etc) the moitor will go black and a message from the monitor will come on saying "power save mode".

First instinct - Monitor Problem!
Change the monitor with an old CRT one that I know works - Same thing happens.

Second instinct - Video Card Problem!
Found an old AGP card that I know works - Same thing happens.

Third guess - Change the cable (video)
The new card happens to have DVI along with the old VGA port - Using DVI cable - Same thing happens.

I have turned off all of the power saving features in windows and searched on the BIOS for any kind of power save features that might be causing something like this.

I am never able to get the screen to come back on when this happens, but nothing seems to change with the CPU itself. I dont think (but cant prove) that anything happens with the OS when this happens.

I dont know what else to try - Anyone have ideas?

Chad

 

[hell_storm2004]

You have mentioned your problem but you did not mention your specs, monitor model and other critical details.

 

[voodoo_ca]

Monitor is a 20" LG LCD - I swapped that with a 18" SENIX CRT
I dont know the exact horsepower of the computer (its my best friends Grandmothers computer) but it shows its age with the fact that it has an AGP card in it.
It is running windows XP.
Original video card was a Nvidia RIVA TNT2 and I swapped that with another Nvidia card that work with the same drivers that were already installed.

I tried upgrading the drivers for the video card quickly, and windows say there were no new drivers. I am hesitant to try something from the Nvidia site because of compatibility - sometimes really old cards dont like really new drivers.

Oh, and as for the clean install of windows - I dont know if I can get through a complete install with the monitor staying on. I dont think I could even get started without it going into power save mode.