Dell Dimension 2400 not recognizing monitor

My monitor light is green when the pc boots up then turns yellow with a black screen. The monitor works fine in another pc. Is it something with the motherboard? How can I troubleshoot it further?

Thanks,
Confused

Hi u6aw and welcome to Dev Shed.

Has this just started happening ? Can you see anything on screen at all when the machine is booting, like the Windows splash screen for example ?

This may not be a problem with your motherboard, but more a problem with your graphics card.

Thanks for the welcome. I've been reading another similar issue posted.

Yes, it just started happening.
Nothing on the screen when it first boots up. No Windows logo with the bootup stuff.

After my son told me the monitor wasn't working, I unplugged the monitor pin from the cpu. I noticed the screw the stays in the cpu was on the back of the plug. Then I noticed the second screw that's attached to the cpu was missing. I took a screw that wasn't being used and screwed it into the missing one. Then tried rebooting the pc. No luck. When I jiggle the monitor pin when it's screwed into the back of the pc I hear sounds that indicate power is good.

I took off the cover and I can't see the connection well because
something else in in the way.

Thanks

With the monitor working in another machine, it sounds like the monitor and the cable are both fine. To me, it appears as if your graphics card is faulty - do you know if you have on-board graphics or a PCI or AGP card ?

Ok, I have the invoice in front of me now. This is the only reason I can intelligently answer your question

It's - Integrated Intel 3D AGP Graphics

It's one way of finding it out !

I'm afraid that you are going to have to acquire a new graphics card. Although, just to make sure - the machine that you tried the monitor with, if that has an actual card and not on-board graphics you could 'borrow' the card from that to see if it works but I am 99.9% sure that's your problem.

If you were intending on purchasing one, make sure that you purchase the correct one for your motherboard, as in PCI or AGP connection. If you are unsure of what kind you have, post your motherboard make/model and I'll check that out for you.

Ok, the great thing is the second pc is exactly like the one I'm having the trouble with.

Is there an easy determine which is the graphics card when I take the cover off?

Motherboard info:

Dimension 2400 Series, Intel Celeron Processor at 2.4 GHz,
9VW9761, HVW9761

PCI slots are white and your AGP slot will be brown.

This link has some pictures which will explain it better to you ==> Clicky

If your other machine is the exact same computer then chances are it'll be the same on-board graphics.

I took the cover off of the good pc to remove the graphics card.

I see one brown or black slot. I took it out, but discovered it is the 256 memory card. Would the graphics card look similar to a memory card.

No, they are very different. Check the link that I posted above for pictures of different graphics cards.

Remember to earth yourself before touching any components inside your machine.

Is it true that you can't replace an integrated graphics card?

My son just pointed out to me that if the graphics card is similar to this one

http://www.bizrate.com/graphicscards/bfg-technologies-geforce-7800-gs-oc-256-mb-agp-graphics-card--pid403120468/compareprices.html

I should be in the place where the monitor was connected to the cpu. This this true. If so, there is on slot. Is it built into the motherboard?

Nope, if it is integrated then you cannot change it. You can fit an aftermarket card (like the one in the url that you posted) and then turn off the on-board graphics in the BIOS and everything will work fine.

The slot will be built into the motherboard and as that graphics card is AGP, it will slot into the brown port but I don't quite understand when you say "I should be in the place where the monitor was connected to the cpu" ?

He said that because the picture showed where the monitor would plug in that card. So he thought the graphics card should be located where the monitor pulled into the cpu.

Ok, I now understand I can't test the graphics card from the good pc because it's on the motherboard. I understand that I can buy one like the url I sent you.

Can you explain how I would turn off the on-board graphics in the BIOS once I purchase and install a new graphics card?

Thanks for your patience....