Just an hour or so ago, my computer was working FINE. I got a notice to upgrade AVAST AV to a new version, and when it was through, it told me a system reset was necessary. Foolishly, I clicked yes and left the room. I come back after using the bathroom, and the computer is on, but the monitor is "asleep" with the blinking led in front. I don't set my monitor to go into standby, so I immediately know something is wrong.

This is an AMD Athlon 1700, with 256mg ram, and a GeForceFX5200 card I installed a few months back. I can't find my damn motherboard manual, sorry. It's one that has onboard S3 integrated video and the normal onboard audio.

Please, if anyone can shed some light on this, I'd be most thankful. My XBOX broke, my year old Philips television is out and awaiting servicing, and NOW my computer - it's all I have left right now.

It seems to boot up alright. The normal beeps and whatnot, and the drives are operable, they open and close and spin up correctly. But the monitor is in a damn coma, and I tried another with the same results. I cracked the case open and removed and reseated tje GeForce card. still nothing. Help, please...

What is your Operating System?

Does your monitor display the BIOS POST & or computer logo screen?

Can you get into safe mode?

Have you tried plugging the monitor into the onboard port?

Alright. I cracked it again, got a look at the motherboard, which is a Via chipset KM2M combo, not sure of the model, sorry again(MUST find the manual, it's usually just laying around for reference, except when needed I guess)

I puled the GeForce, dug out the ram and reseated(and that was not pleasant, I'm always surprised at how uch force it takes, always think the ram or mobo will break before it seats) closed her back u[p, plugged in to the onboard video, and got a signal.

Before, it was gettign nothing at all. It wasn't like it was unplugged, where the colour bars and no signal message come on, it was just like the monitor was on standby, and no Bios, bootup, OS screen or anything were displayed. Just a monitor with no power to the screen.

OS is WinXP home ed by the way.

So since I got it booted up, I decided to hit f8 and boot up with last known good settings.

Where do I go from here do you think? Should I axe Avast which has really saved my @$$ the last few years, on multiple occasions, or what? Maybe just revert back a few days with system restore? The video card is visually fine, it looks like it just came out of the static wrap, not even any dust on it.

Glad that I got display, but man, I'd like to know wtf is going on.

And thank you so much for the help, btw again. Nothing puts me on the edge of nervous breakdown like troubleshooting bad computer problems.

I know nothing about Avast but if that caused this issue a System Restore would be a good first option.
Perhaps the graphics card drivers were affected. Do you have the latest drivers?

If you want to try to see what happened:

Look in your Event viewer: rt. click My Computer then click Manage then Event Viewer.
Or: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or Start/Run/ eventvwr
Open the system as well as the application tabs & look for X errors. Click error line for details.
Post back the source & event id especially of errors that seem to coincide with this issue.

Also:

Also view your Error Log via:
[1] Start Menu
[2] Help and Support
[3] Pick a Task
[4] Tools
[5] Advanced System Information
[6] View the Error Log

The only errors under System were more than three days ago, and form the looks of it, they were pretty common for a few days there.

Source: DCOM Event: 10010
Source: Service Control Manager Event: 7024

I'm guessing those are unrelated, and from the looks of them, have something to do with my network and internet service.

Under Application, I found the following, from right around when the problem happened.

Warning - Source:Userenv Event: 1524
error - Source: nview_info Event: 1

Only error from the past few days in the error log was the nview_info, and no details were available. And upon further examination, the DCOM error seems to have something to do with why the automatic updates for windows won't...update, they just begin, and then feeze at 0%. But I'm not concerned with that at the moment, I can always load that stuff up manually.

You think there's any chance that I might be able to shut her down, plug the GeForce card back in, and have it boot up normally? Maybe I should post also at the EVGA forums, which is the card's manufacturer.

Did you try a System Restore?

nview_info

Event ID: 1
Source nview_info
Type Error
Description The description for Event ID ( 1 ) in Source ( nview_info ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: NVIEW : plusmpix: WAIT_TIMEOUT: (process 0x334) (thread 0xf70) (wait 0x9) (pwait 0x4) WindowManager.cpp 2861
Comments Ionut Marin (Last update 5/16/2004):
This message is related to drivers for graphic cards with NVIDIA chipsets. Try installing the latest drivers from NVIDIA, or if this problem appeared after you just installed the latest drivers try to rollback the drivers and see if it helps you to get rid of the problem.

Windows XP

Chipset or Platform driver

VIA Hyperion 4in1 drivers

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2

Jephree, thank you for the help, seriously. There's a reason I have two white hairs sticking up in the front of my head, and the computer is mostly responsible for it.

I grabbed the latest drivers from EVGA and the Hyperion 4in1 drivers from VIA. Now, if you could be so kind as to suggest what order I should proceed in? Should I install everything, then plug the card back in, or should I try to plug the card back in then install the stuff?

ANd I haven't tried the system restore yet. Should I try that first, and if so, should I plug the card in first or not?

I'm sorry I'm at such a loss. I haven't had problems like this since I upgraded my Voodoo2 board with it's twin to do SLI, way back. Talk about a pain...

I would try:

1. Put the card back & if it boots into Safe Mode try System Restore.
1a. If the monitor fails again remove the card & try System Restore off the on-board port.

2. After success or failure of System Restore install the VIA 4in1.
2a. If the card is working leave it in. If not then stay on-board.

3. If the above has not resolved the issue then try the EVGA drivers.
3a. These drivers will only work with the card in & the previous version should be removed from the Device Manager first.
Also if the EVGA driver package installed programs seen under Add/Remove Programs these should be removed before reinstalling.
3b. Also Disable the on-board graphics via the Device Manager prior to reinstalling the EVGA.

Thanks again jephree, I will go through the process and if everythign works, then you'll hear no more from me(that or I will have given up and ended it all

If I get stuck again, I'll be back.