How do I determine if my Monitor and/or Video Card is dying?

[Angel Tarragon]

My monitor has been doing some funky things of late. I lost the video signal a while back while the cable was plugged in to the monitor and the video card and the computer restarted. I detached the cable on both ends and then reattached. It took a couple of tries, but I got it working again.

Last night my monitor blinked. Meaning the image was there, but then went blank for a second and then came back. This was fairly common when I first got my computer, but it eventually stopped happening. Until last night it hadn't happened for several years.

So, are these signs of a dying video card/monitor?

 

[Shayuri]

Could be signs of SOMEthing.

If you have a "spare" monitor, try hooking it up and see if it still happens.

 

[Steel_Wind]

The most reliable way to test for this is to get ahold of three components known to work: another monitor, another vid card and another cable.

Test em out and by process of elimination - assuming the problem is not frustratingly intermittent - you should be able to identify your flakey hardware.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Could be signs of SOMEthing.

If you have a "spare" monitor, try hooking it up and see if it still happens.

About a week before these symptoms came up I gave my second [non-functioning much, much older] computer + CRT monitor to Goodwill. :\

 

[Ranger REG]

About a week before these symptoms came up I gave my second [non-functioning much, much older] computer + CRT monitor to Goodwill. :\

Then get your old monitor back, or find a cheap monitor elsewhere. If you have a friend, ask if you could hook up his monitor to your PC.

Or just send your PC and monitor to your computer store's tech support.

 

[xmanii]

I often see monitors for free on Craigslist.