Alright, here's the down-low...

I'm running a Compaq Presario Media Center PC from 2007. AMD Athlon 3000, 3GB (cheapo) RAM, 256 mb video card. Everything except the ram is at least a year old. Windows XP, newest SP, loads of programs, last format over a year ago, keep the system clean (defrags, crap cleaning, anti-malware, etc.)

I just got an MSI Wind U100, 1.66 Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, Windows 7 on the 160GB HDD.

(on the side - Windows 7 is fantastical. It's to XP like XP was to 98 [yes, you may take that to mean it's worse if you like. If so, then it's to XP like 98 was to 3.1])

So, I'm trying to sync/backup most of my files. I realized the way to do this is NOT to create a shared network, etc, via ethernet/wireless. Instead I'm using my iPod as a portable HDD and that works nicely, though file transfers are ab it slower.

I was setting up a network between the XP Desktop and the 7 Netbook. I plugged them together with an ethernet cable. I don't know whether either computer has a smartport (?). It was a regular ethernet cable.

I activated my LAN, rebooted both computers...and while the network would have taken a lot of other squirming around due to the XP - Win 7 difference, that is not my nightmare.

MY PROBLEM: Netbook rebooted fine. As Desktop boots, my monitor maintains the orange LED which means power but no input signal. WTF, right? I check the monitor by plugging into the Netbook, monitor is fine. I plug the monitor into the integrated vid card on my Desktop, monitor works.

So, what I have is a monitor that receives no input signal when it is plugged into my video card. My brother suggested going into BIOS and changing something to do with the video settings that may have been switched for some reason when I plugged the computers together via ethernet. At present, I'm stuck with an 800x600 display. Ew.

Halp me plx. Thanks everyone.

PS - I know I need to have my full system specs on here, and I will once I get home from school. Thanks again.