Specs:
- CPU: Intel Pentium 4 Processor 506, LGA775, 2.66 GHz, 1MB Cache, 533 MHz FSB
- mobo: Intel 865GBF
- RAM: 1 GB (256MB x 2, 512MB x 1)
- GPU: Nvidia GFX 5200 256MB
- OS: Windows XP SP2
My monitor just came back after repairs (some ICs replaced on its board). Now the monitor works just fine (when I connect it to a laptop for instance), however when I hooked it up to my machine, I'm seeing some pretty weird symptoms. It used to work without any problems before the monitor was sent for repairs.
- Bootup is unpredictable
- The monitor doesn't turn on every time. Sometimes hitting the reset button causes the display to come back on, but intermittent... most of the time (the monitor just sits blank with a blinking cursor at the top-left)
- When the display does come on, half the time it just sits there with a blinking cursor at the top left
- Sometimes I'm able to reach the boot screen and select Windows XP. However the machine just restarts midway (I seem to see a BSOD, but before i can read it, it restarts). I tried getting in via safe mode, however it pauses for a while after loading agp440.drv and then reboots again.
Any suggestions or a usual suspects checklist I could cross of... Things I tried until now:
- Removed all the dust inside.
- Tried the RAM chips one by one.
- Checked for loose connections between cards and mobo, connecting cables.
Update:
- As per the suggestion below, I removed the NVidia card.. no sign of any components blowing up. Conn the display to the onboard Intel accelerator. Same deal. 1 in 3 or 4 bootups have visual output on the display (else the monitor led just keeps blinking). And the few times it did come on, it froze within 10 secs (twice after the boot selection and once in the bios configuration that I was trying to tweak)
- The RAM chips look okay. I have another tiny AMD machine.. I swapped the RAM chips into the AMD and it works ; making this post from this machine. The repaired monitor is also working nicely with this machine
This leaves the processor and the motherboard. Do you have any suggestions?