Computer help needed boooooooo

[byronkincaid]

I have 2 monitors. I have 1 connected with a cable with blue plugs and 1 with white plugs that I think is called DVI? I cannot get either monitor to work with the cable with blue plugs. I can get both of them to work if I use the DVI cable.

I guess this means that my video card is busto as it is unlikely to be the cable at fault?

I have a NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE videocard. If I have to replace it I would prefer not to have another NVIDIA card as I have had a lot of windows blue screen of death problems with it (the drivers I think). Can anyone link me to a videocard that will work in my Dell computer? I think there are (or used to be) different sorts of videocard depending on what computer you have? I would be happy to have one that has two DVI outputs if they're not zillions of quid.

Is it as simple as unscrewing the case pulling out the old card and putting in the new one? I have never done anything like that before with a computer. Is it best to take it to a shop or is it something that even a buffoon like me could do?

Many Thanks for any help

[Raindogs]

Is your monitor a Dell ?  The cable with the blue connector on the end is an analog cable and the white a digital.  Is there a socket for the blue cable on your video card or is it 2 DVI sockets ?

If there is an analog socket your monitor is probably set up to use the digital input not analog.  To change this press the leftmost button on the monitor (assuming you have a flat screen monitor).  The button should have a symbol with a rounded rectangle with an arrow entering from the left.  Pressing this toggles between analog and digital input.

[byronkincaid]

sry m8 shoulda said I've been using them for 2 years now, it's just stopped working this morning. I have 1 blue and 1 DVI socket on my videocard and 2 dell 2001fp's. when I first got my second monitor it took me ages to work out I had to press that left button

[AndrewT]

I have 2 monitors. I have 1 connected with a cable with blue plugs and 1 with white plugs that I think is called DVI? I cannot get either monitor to work with the cable with blue plugs. I can get both of them to work if I use the DVI cable.

I guess this means that my video card is busto as it is unlikely to be the cable at fault?

Don't see how you've come to the conclusion that the cable is OK by not getting a monitor to work with that cable. It's either the cable or the analog output on the card. To know which it is you need to test with either a new cable or a new card. It's more likely to be the card as there's not much to go wrong with a cable unless you have it all twisted up to break the wires inside, and video card/monitor cables tend to be quite thick and strong.

If it is a card then, yes, it is as simple as taking out the old card and slotting a new one in. You may need to uninstall the old drivers first but the new card will have instructions about that. I'm assuming you don't use this computer for games, as the Geforce 7300 LE is in no way cutting edge at all. If you're not going to use it for games then any old video card would do. Dual DVIs are available and there appear to be a couple for under £100 on dabs.com which look to be better than the card you've got.

[byronkincaid]

Thanks Andrew

If you're not going to use it for games then any old video card would do

This is definitely the case now? I remember when I got a video card replaced in my old computer it was an AGI or something instead of some other type. I suppose things have moved on since then

cheers

[AndrewT]

If you're not going to use it for games then any old video card would do

This is definitely the case now? I remember when I got a video card replaced in my old computer it was an AGI or something instead of some other type. I suppose things have moved on since then

Er, yeah - when I said 'any old card', that wasn't strictly true

New computers will require PCI Express cards, whereas those with older motherboards will still be AGP. I don't know what yours is, so couldn't tell you which you'd need.

[Raindogs]

You need to check whether your existing card is AGP or PCI-E as you can only replace your card with one that uses the same interface as your existing card.  If it's a 7300LE I would guess it's PCI-E.  A replacement GE is £38 here ... http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/121150 (GE is slightly more expensive than the LE)
Or a Dual DVI card here .. http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/113729

Asus are a good brand (don't know much about MSI but they seem a cheapo brand)

[byronkincaid]

the computer's just over a year old i think so prob a PCI-E I guess

thanks guys

[byronkincaid]

lol found out the computer's less than a year old so I rang dell technical to get them to fix it. he tells me to reboot the computer and check the plugs are in securely, I'm like wtf do you think I'm stupid or something? Both monitors started working when I turned it back on.

surprising just how much I missed having 2 screens, I think even if I stopped playing online poker I'd still have to have them.

[AndrewT]

In my first reply I nearly said 'make sure the cables are plugged in properly' but thought 'Byron's not that stupid.'

Note to self: Byronkincaid is that stupid.

[Indestructable]