cannot display this video mode

I am working with a friend's computer. She was up and running on a compaq using a small dell lcd monitor. She was trying to change skins on the media player and it started acting up. On boot it displays cannot display this video mode. I got it into safe mode and tried changing things, but it isn't even showing refresh rate or display options. After some various tries, I did get it up in safe by activating the VGA setting. However later it would start the Windows welcome screen, but then go blank.

I considered it may be the video card. I brought the machine home with me and after a couple of times it booted up just fine on my samsung monitor. However it showed a line that it was using a registry file from elsewhere in the system I reset it to a restore point before this problem started, ran antivirus, CCleaner and it was sailing along fine. I returned it this morning and got a call that when they hooked it back up to the Dell monitor, the machine showing the same message.

Right now I am seeking another monitor, but still would like to have some suggestions. I have tried everything I know.

 

Oh and I did not change the video card. the video is part of the motherboard.