I can't tell if my monitor is the problem, or if its my graphics card?

[joeyhoang25]

I have a Samsung Syncmaster S23B300 monitor. My Graphics card is a nVidia geforce GT 610.

The problem is that when i turn on my computer, my monitor does not respond. It's just black. I hear the windows booting up because i hear the sound. I took out all the cables and put everything back in and tried everything. My mobo has a vga port. I plugged in the VGA port cable into the mobo and into the Samsung Syncmaster monitor because it has both VGA and DVI-D ports, and it worked. Then i tried using the DVI cables, and it did not work.

*Note, the graphics card is dual DVI-D port. It has no VGA port

So i'm like 50/50% sure the graphics card is faulty, but im here asking for help or what advice on whether or not i should buy another graphics card. Or if I overlooked something or missed something.

 

[Chicano]

You need to check the BIOS... it probably is set to use Onboard VGA, so set if to use GPU DVI.. Even if you had it set on the GPU it may have changed on it's own to VGA.. If you switched monitor cable from DVI to VGA that must have changed the BIOS setting,

The video setting can change in the BIOS if the coin size battery is dead or low, the BIOS can revert to the default VGA setting. Other times it can be the PSU causing the blank screen... if it's weak, cold weather can affect it... If the GPU is lose or there's dust in the socket, etc... clean the GPU pins with a dry soft cloth. Sometimes all it takes is a few passes trough the GPU pins with a clean soft cloth.. the same is true with RAM modules and PCI cards.. even when you can't see the dust, these things are so sensitive to dust that even the smallest amount can affect them.

If for example; cold weather, weak PSU or a combination of both made the screen stay blank and you switched the cable trying to get display, that could have caused the BIOS setting to change... So change the VGA to DVI setting in Control Panel > Display > Settings > Display (1 - 2). Next restart the computer, change the monitor cable from VGA to DVI and next change the BIOS video setting from VGA to DVI.

If all else fails to get DVI display: If you want to test the monitor DVI port all you need is a VGA to DVI port adapter so you can connect the VGA mobo port to the DVI monitor port.. if the monitor DVI port is OK you should get the screen to display.

 

[assasin32]

Unplug your GPU and turn on your monitor. I know with every monitor I have ever owned it will display something along the lines of "No input" or something like that. Should help narrow it down a bit.

Remove GPU and reseat it, and try again after plugging it back in. Or if you can hook up your computer to a TV and see if you can display a picture.

 

[Cons29]

it may also be a bad dvi port, try to find an adapter and use your igp