Any one know how to tell if my monitor or video card went out? While working in MSWORD the monitor went blank and refreshed itself, only on the bottom half of the monitor is now in use. I can slide the mouse up to the black half of the screen and drag things down and reduce them to use the bottom half of the screen. A reel pain! Thanks, Wirewiz
If I've interpreted your description correctly, I'd say the adapter card in the computer is at fault rather than the monitor, unless it's a really unusual fault.
A failure in the monitor's vertical sweep circuitry would be more likely to squash and distort the whole picture down into a smaller area.
Paul, Went to the local computer store and described the situation and the kid who was there said it was probably the monitor. He suggested that I try a new video card first since that was less $$$. But since he happened to have a closeout on a new 19" monitor and they only had one left I thought I would take a chance. Took it home plugged it in and it worked perfectly. Just got lucky I guess.
Oh well -- I guess it will remain a mystery. I suppose if the monitor was a new-fangled type with digital processing 'twixt input and tube it could do it, but on a conventional "old-fashioned" type it would have to be a pretty obscure fault. Just had me curious.