NEC Monitor Problems with Compaq

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lisa
  • Start date Start date
L

Lisa

I just purchased a Compaq Presario AMD Athlon 3500+, 512mb, 200GB, and I
cannot get my NEC 19" monitor to work. The Compaq logo appears but Windows
does not come up. A smaller monitor came with the PC and I am currently
using it. Someone suggested the resolution on the NEC needs to be changed.
It's currently set at 800 X 600). Does anyone know if this is true and if
so, what should it be set at? Thanks!
 
If the monitor in question is an LCD, it will run poorly ,if at all, at 800
X 600. LCD monitors have a 'native resolution' at which they are supposed to
be run. For a 19 inch LCD that would typically be be 1280 X 1024.
 
800 x 600 is the smallest resolution that XP can do. Try this:

While the small monitor is connected, access the Device Manager, under
Displays, uninstall all the displays but do not Reboot when requested. Then
Shutdown the PC. Replace the monitor and see if XP will detect the monitor.
 
It's a CRT: mutlisync 97 clear flat screen.I don't understand why it
displays the Compaq logo and function keys so distinctly and yet will not
display Windows?
 
Thanks. I'll give it a try.

Yves Leclerc said:
800 x 600 is the smallest resolution that XP can do. Try this:

While the small monitor is connected, access the Device Manager, under
Displays, uninstall all the displays but do not Reboot when requested.
Then Shutdown the PC. Replace the monitor and see if XP will detect the
monitor.
Click to expand...
 
That didn't work. I tried setting the resolution to 1280 x 1024 on this
monitor and I really can't see well enough to use it. It's just too small.
I've never had this problem before. I'm ready to return the Compaq because
I want to continue using my NEC but now I'm wondering if I will have this
problem no matter what I purchase.
 
Yes, it's compatible. I've been using it on XP since I purchased it. It's
not old. That's why I don't understand what the problem is. I could
understand a blank screen better than one that displays a clear logo as well
as key functions??? I check the link you gave though. Thank you!
 
First determine what the monitor does and does not see.
Think of your computer as the TV transmitting station. Your
monitor as a TV receiver that automatically looks for the only
channel on cable.

What does monitor display when not connected to computer AND
when connected to computer? What does monitor display when
computer is powered off and is powered on? For example, does
the monitor see any signal or does it go into a power down
mode? Power down mode is often indicated by an LED that goes
from green to orange - or something equivalent. After maybe
30 seconds of no signal, the monitor should go into power down
mode. Does it ever see a signal and remain out of power down?

Second, any VGA type monitor will receive the 800x600 'TV
channel'. However not all monitors will receive the 1280x1024
'TV channel'. If the computer can output 800x600, then the
control panel for Display will show that option. Same applies
to color. Any monitor will receive even as low as 16 colors.
Try setting computer to transmit 'lower' parameters.

Look inside the VGA cable connector. Are all pins intact,
not bent over or broken? Just one reason why VGA monitor
'receiver' might not detect the TV station known as your
computer.
 
Lisa said:
That didn't work. I tried setting the resolution to 1280 x 1024 on this
monitor and I really can't see well enough to use it. It's just too small.
I've never had this problem before. I'm ready to return the Compaq because
I want to continue using my NEC but now I'm wondering if I will have this
problem no matter what I purchase.
Click to expand...


With the smaller monitor in place, change the refresh rate
of the video card to 75 MHz (preferably 72 MHz) or less. The
reason why the POST screen shows is that these monitors were
designed in the VGA era but, as multi-synchronous monitors,
could also be used for SVGA, provided that the refresh rate
did not exceed the frequency of that particular time period,
which was typically around 75 MHz. POST is displayed in VGA
mode and all video cards, by convention, can emulate it. But
once Windows kicks in, then the card shifts out of VGA mode.
 
An Addendum:

I forgot to write that after changing the refresh rate on
the smaller monitor, replace it with the NEC. The NEC should
work quite well at 75 MHz or slower, and up to 1024 x 768.
Anything smaller than this resolution, its touch-and-go,
depending on the video card.

(BTW, is this one of the NEC FG series? Really good, true-
color fidelity monitors.)
 
The monitor displays a bright red/orange COMPAQ logo in the center and three
function keys in white across the bottom. It never goes into power down. It
locks up. The function keys are not recognized. The computer can receive 800
x 600 because that's what I have it set on now. I've set it on both extremes
( 800 x 600 and 1280 x 1024) as well as tried settings in between. I've also
checked the connector pins. In fact, that's the first thing I did I used the
NEC monitor on my previous PC, which was less than 3 yrs old.
 
It was set at 60. I've changed it to 72. Now I'm going to try my NEC. It's
not an FG series. It's a multisync 97. thank you!
 
It worked! Thank you so much for you help.

Ghostrider said:
An Addendum:

I forgot to write that after changing the refresh rate on
the smaller monitor, replace it with the NEC. The NEC should
work quite well at 75 MHz or slower, and up to 1024 x 768.
Anything smaller than this resolution, its touch-and-go,
depending on the video card.

(BTW, is this one of the NEC FG series? Really good, true-
color fidelity monitors.)
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top