Had my Win10 startup drive repaired, now my Intergraph monitor won’t work

[Dcpmark]

Had a perfect MAME setup running for years until my startup SSD drive started going into a startup loop. I tried to self-fix but I’m a PC noob, and ended up taking it in. They fixed the bootup drive issue, but now Win10 won’t run the 21” Intergraph monitor past the bootup screen....it’s just dark. I can see the Gigabyte Startup Bios/Boot screen, then the Windows icon, then the white spinning wheel for a few seconds, then it’s all dark. I think the issue is that they used a modern monitor to facilitate the repair, and now Win10 is no longer picking up the old monitor. I don’t know how to get Win10 to fire up the old monitor again......please help!!!

[thorr]

Assuming you have more than one video connection on the motherboard/video card, hook up another monitor to the other output and right click on the background and adjust the Display settings to try to get the Intergraph monitor to work using the other monitor to see what you are doing.  Or, just try hooking the Intergraph monitor to the other video connection.  I assume the actual issue is the refresh rate and/or resolution configured in Windows is too high for the monitor and it is showing a black screen.  Also, if you only have one video connection, hook up another monitor to it and reduce the display settings down and hook up the other monitor again to test.

[Dcpmark]

Assuming you have more than one video connection on the motherboard/video card, hook up another monitor to the other output and right click on the background and adjust the Display settings to try to get the Intergraph monitor to work using the other monitor to see what you are doing.  Or, just try hooking the Intergraph monitor to the other video connection.  I assume the actual issue is the refresh rate and/or resolution configured in Windows is too high for the monitor and it is showing a black screen.  Also, if you only have one video connection, hook up another monitor to it and reduce the display settings down and hook up the other monitor again to test.

Thanks so much for trying to help! I did indeed connect an LCD monitor, and that works fine. I tried to adjust the resolution to different ones to see if that helps computer startup with just the CRT connected, but nothing gets gets me past the screen where Windows is starting to boot up.

After booting up ok with the LCD screen, when I attempt to connect the CRT in the Nvidia Control panel OR the Windows Display Setting screen, it seems to connect, but then nothing comes up on the CRT and the LCD begins to flash on and off before the whole computer freezes snd won’t accept keyboard or mouse input.

So frustrating.....everything was working fine before I sent the computer out to be fixed.

[thorr]

The 94 kHz / 75 Hz on your screenshot is a clue.  You need to use settings that the CRT can handle.  If your monitor is a fixed frequency monitor, then you need to set it to exactly what it wants (94kHz at 75 Hz).  It's not much help, but here is a thread with a similar issue: https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1399565

One thing you can try is completely removing the Nvidia drivers and switch to the SVGA driver that comes with Windows and use a resolution like 1024x768 at 60 Hz as a starting point.  Do that on your LCD, and then try using the CRT.  Hope this helps.

[Dcpmark]

It’s not a fixed frequency monitor, as far I know.....when it was working I used a number of different resolutions. I found these specs about my monitor.....does this help you help me more?

Resolution Maximum 1,600 x 1,280 @ 80 Hz
Recommended 1,280 x 1,024 @ 85 Hz
Scanning frequency Horizontal 30 to 107 kHz
Vertical 50 to 160 Hz
Video bandwidth 230 Mhz

Thanks again for all your help, and I’ll read the link you provided,

[thorr]

Thanks.  I would try removing the Nvidia drivers like I said so it uses the Windows drivers instead.  If it still detects and tries to use Nvidia drivers, "choose" the driver from a list and make it a Microsoft SVGA or similar driver.  Then plug in the CRT monitor and see what happens.  Also, if you are using RGBHV BNC cables, you may have the cables plugged into the wrong ports, and sometimes you need to use only 4 out of the 5 cables (RGB, plus one of the other two).    Hope this helps!

Edit: I am tired so I am not thinking straight.  Obviously the cabling must be fine because it works during the initial bootup.  Another idea I had is if you have a video card you are using, and the motherboard also has a VGA output, you can try hooking it to the motherboard VGA connector and removing the Nvidia card.

[Dcpmark]

Thanks.  I would try removing the Nvidia drivers like I said so it uses the Windows drivers instead.  If it still detects and tries to use Nvidia drivers, "choose" the driver from a list and make it a Microsoft SVGA or similar driver.  Then plug in the CRT monitor and see what happens.  Also, if you are using RGBHV BNC cables, you may have the cables plugged into the wrong ports, and sometimes you need to use only 4 out of the 5 cables (RGB, plus one of the other two).    Hope this helps!

Edit: I am tired so I am not thinking straight.  Obviously the cabling must be fine because it works during the initial bootup.  Another idea I had is if you have a video card you are using, and the motherboard also has a VGA output, you can try hooking it to the motherboard VGA connector and removing the Nvidia card.

You’re a GD genius. Being a PC noob I bypassed the removing Nvidia drivers route, took out the Nvidia 660 card, and hooked the monitor directly to the VGA output on the motherboard. The old CRT fired up perfectly.

So, now that I’m here, what do I have to do to restore the CRT functionality while connected to the Nvidia 660? It used to work perfectly before they repaired my startup SSD, so this must be an Nvidia driver issue??

[thorr]

Glad it is working this far.  The next step is to completely uninstall all the Nvidia stuff, drivers, software, everything.  You might want to use this utility to get everything: https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

Then reboot just to clean up anything remaining.  Then shutdown.  Then install the Nvidia card again and plug the CRT monitor into it and start up the computer again.  Hopefully at this point it will work.  Then you can try installing the latest Nvidia drivers.

Good luck!

[Dcpmark]

Glad it is working this far.  The next step is to completely uninstall all the Nvidia stuff, drivers, software, everything.  You might want to use this utility to get everything: https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

Then reboot just to clean up anything remaining.  Then shutdown.  Then install the Nvidia card again and plug the CRT monitor into it and start up the computer again.  Hopefully at this point it will work.  Then you can try installing the latest Nvidia drivers.

Good luck!

You are AWESOME! 

The CRT is working again with the GTX 660 once I used the DDU....then I reinstalled Nvidia GFE, updated the drivers. and it still works!

Much appreciation for all help! 

[thorr]

Awesome!  Glad to help.  Your cabinet looks great! 

[Dcpmark]

Awesome!  Glad to help.  Your cabinet looks great! 

Thanks! Not bad for something a complete MAME/PC noob pieced together 2 decades ago..... The only thing that made it possible for me was the pre-built HotRod control panel that fit perfectly into the $50 arcade cabinet. The only thing even slightly complicated was building a frame for the CRT after I took out the old broken arcade monitor.

[thorr]

That is an amazingly fantastic idea that I had never thought of - using a broken arcade cabinet that you can get with very little money.  I will have to look into this!  I already have a CRT monitor just collecting dust in my garage.  I just got done making my own control panels (two of them) and an enclosure for my trackball (just finished it yesterday and I love it so far), so I am getting good at making this stuff and could make a control panel for the cabinet if needed.  If anybody is reading this that lives in the San Diego area, I would be interested in buying an inexpensive broken arcade machine from you as long as it is in good physical shape. 

[Dcpmark]

That is an amazingly fantastic idea that I had never thought of - using a broken arcade cabinet that you can get with very little money.  I will have to look into this!  I already have a CRT monitor just collecting dust in my garage.  I just got done making my own control panels (two of them) and an enclosure for my trackball (just finished it yesterday and I love it so far), so I am getting good at making this stuff and could make a control panel for the cabinet if needed.  If anybody is reading this that lives in the San Diego area, I would be interested in buying an inexpensive broken arcade machine from you as long as it is in good physical shape.

It's a bit of a drive, but there is a regular arcade auction up in Anaheim. You just missed the last one on Saturday, but it's great place to get cheap cabinets.

https://captainsauctionwarehouse.com

[thorr]

Thanks!  It looks like I can bid online so I wouldn't have to drive unless I won (at least I hope that is the case).  I will keep it in mind and check it out regularly.  There is also craigslist and ebay.