[Dawndd]

Hi All-

I posted this previously and I suppose it was really too boring or there were so many other posts or whatever - so I got no answer, but I may have a bit more info this time. Ever since I totally crashed my computer months ago my monitor will not shut off. I had to completely wipe the computer and then reinstall the OS. I am very sure that I installed all the drivers and looked for updated ones. However, in the device manager area I don't show a monitor. I do show a big yellow question mark (3 of them actually) saying "unknown, Video controller, VGA compatable." Oh, I have a Samsung SyncMaster 151v on a Sony Vaio and they are approximately 5 years old. I'm running XP Pro. I have the CD with the driver and it won't let me install, simply giving me an error code of (259). I went to Samsung and found that their driver was a year younger. I downloaded and unzipped it and got the same error code when I clicked on it. I really know little about computers - I don't know what video card I have, if I have one, etc. I could get all that from Belarc or HiJackThis I guess. My problem is that I set the thing to shut off at night and it won't do it. I set the timing after the screen saver and the screen saver will just go all night. I also tried it without the screensaver and it didn't help. Maybe someone can tell me where I may go elsewhere to get a driver , or, I'm guessing , this problem is probably more serious that that.
I appreciate any suggestions - just remember I'm not very educated on this stuff
Dawn

[Rich-M]

You need to first solve the video card driver. Download and install this to see what video card you have:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html
You will also need motherboard drivers as well....which if you havew no cd for you can download from motherboard mfgr site.

[Dawndd]

OK. I'll follow your instructions right away. I'll be back.
Dawn

[Dawndd]

I guess if it doesn't come right out and say "video card" then I'm not too sure of myself. Under display it says "PCI/AGP video". I found nothing else I'm sure of except that I know in my device drivers a have things called IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers and SIS PCI IDE controller. There is no VGA driver, which I assume is the monitor. Sorry if this isn't the information that you were looking for. Since I'm so green at this I think the Belarc Advisor might be more for someone like me. I'm not sure if it lists all the drivers or not, but it does list all the components which you are telling me I'll need drivers for.

[Rich-M]

Vga driver is not the monitor, it's the video card. I think you need to see a professional.

[bigbear]

Is this a desk top pc or a laptop?
I thought A sony Vaio was a laptop but your discription implies a desktop

[Dawndd]

Never had anyone give up on me that quickly. It's a bit disconcerting. It's like "why bother posting?" Anyway, sorry Big Bear. It's a desktop. Hence the seperate Samsung monitor for a Sony VAIO. I'm stubborn and I'm intelligent and I'm a long way from going to a professional for this problem. If I could get through law school and through much worse problems with this puppy in the past then I'm going to be fine, help or no help from this forum.
Thanks for your question.
Dawn

[Rich-M]

Sorry not giving up completely and belarc is fine toi use though it is seldom as thorough as Everest. Finf the video card in whatever you like then Google the name of it with driver i.e.
"Nvidia5200 driver" is the best I can offer you. Once you get the video card then the monitor should show up but a specific monitor for monitor is not important anyway as basic "plug'n'play" monitor driver is fine. You also can Google the motherboard name for driver as well and have to.
I only meant there are "rent-a-geeks" who will come to the home for nominal fees and do this in a few minutes whereas it could take you days back and forth on a forum, especially without much hardware knowledge at all.

[Dawndd]

I agree that Belarc isn't as thorough as Everest but if I can't read Everest then it doesn't help, although I appreciate the suggestion. I have a couple of rent a geek cousins - Well, actually they do tech support for the Illinois Department of Transportation in real life. I see what they make in their little part time venture when making service visits and we are going to have to disagree about the word 'nominal". Beside that, I like to learn and to work on the computer so that sometime I'll be independent with it as I am with most other things - that's just my stubborn streak. I use to build Mustangs and then I was off to do death penalty cases. So it takes a lot for me to call in someone to actually "fix" something that I can learn from.
NVIDIA did come up with Belarc and I'll just go from there.
Thanks
Dawn

[bigbear]

Have you tried the Sony website for the drivers?
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...t.isml#product

[Rich-M]

I see what they make in their little part time venture when making service visits and we are going to have to disagree about the word 'nominal".

You mean they make as much as you in court?

[Dawndd]

In Court $200/hr, out of court $150, with way too much pro bono so that I'm going bankrupt and can't afford a new computer. Actually I set my rates very reasonably compared to the Chicago market. I'm a softy. Problem is that you're comparing apples and oranges. In order to do a good job in court I have to spend many hours preparing. One time I figured it out and the case came down to $12/hr in court and out.
Thanks for the Sony site. Sony is tough to deal with when your computer is 5 yrs old. Also, I had all the info on all my drivers on my computer, I didn't know it. I have a program that is better than Belarc that watches my temps and fans and all of my system for me. It's PC something. Sony doesn't make any of my drivers. My video card is : SIS650/1/GL/GX, 740 GUI 2D/3D Acceleration. A scan shows that it is there but out of date. The missing driver is the monitor driver. I went to Samsung's site and I'll call them tomorrow. I have the original driver and they have one a year younger, but they will not install and give me an error message. I still don't understand why I have to do anything with the motherboard; or even the video card at this point but update it. I don't play games on here or need a major card.
Thanks,
Dawn