-----Original Message-----


>I am assembling a new system.  Everything was going together ok.  Then the
video
>output to the monitor was lost... i.e. the monitor did not respond... even
on
>boot up.   I fiddled with it and took the card out and put it back... it
>worked... then I installed the sound card.. and the video blacked out
again..
>
>F Smith


This sounds like a bad mechanical connection (as opposed to a software
problem).
(Because the card worked after you took it out and put it back.  Also, since
the
monitor did not respond on boot-up, you never got past the bios to the os.)

You can try cleaning the contacts with pure (99%) isopropyl alcohol; you can
check the
cables for bad or bent pins; generally check everything you can.  If you are
fortunate,
you might fix the problem.  It could be a bad solder joint or broken
connection on the
mb or video card, in which case you may be out of luck.

As a desperation measure, before throwing the mb or video card away,
you might try to re-solder the connections.  I have never, however,
heard anyone in this newsgroup say they had any luck doing that.

HTH,

Dean Kukral
Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
Wichita State University
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