I have been following this thread - a NEC monitor apparently shorts
out the computer when connected.  Everyone seems to assume that it is a
VGA monitor - does it have three rows of five pins on the socket?

One possible conflict is an old EGA video card puts out the Red signal
on pin 2 (of nine/one row of five plus one row of four), but a CGA
monitor is grounded on pin 2 (same style connector - pin 7 *may* be
missing). Another is a MDA monitor is also grounded on pin 2 (same
style connector, but pins 3,4,5 *may* be missing.

Either of the older monitors will ground out an EGA video card, and
may damage a chip on it.   Connecting the monitor after the system
is turned on is not recommended - at the least, it can result in
an incorrect video setting, as the system reads the monitor type
on booting up, and could even damage the card or monitor.

Once something is blown, it could be either open or short.

Can you try the original monitor on the video card to see if it still
works properly?  Can you test the monitor on another system?  This
would tell us if the problem is in the card or the monitor.  Check
any labels on the video card and monitor -  the FCC ID can be tracked
down if the type and model are not clear.

Boyd Ramsay

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