[flibbityjibbet]

Hey everyone. I have seen a few questions very similar to the one I'm about to ask, but mine has a couple of, I guess you'd call them "variations". I'm not much of a tech, so if I leave out any vital info, let me know and I shall do my best to answer.

I have a Gateway 19" Widescreen monitor running DVI. Randomly, my monitor just goes blank and says "No Signal". Like others I've seen, it sometimes takes multiple turn-offs, sometimes it just takes one.

Now here are the things I've observed over the last month of this problem occurring:

1. It used to happen just while I was playing a game. Now it happens at desktop, as well.
2. The "Warm up monitor" theory does not work, as this only happens after it's been on for awhile.
3. This is not a problem with the monitor, nor the cable. I also have an HP 17" monitor that runs VGA, so I use that (with a VGA-to-DVI converter) with my GeForce 7900 (dual monitor inputs). So that's two monitors, two cords, and I've tried all combinations, it still happens.
4. After experiencing some speaker difficulties, I noticed, while wearing headphones, that when this problem occurs while listening to music, as soon as the monitor goes off, I hear a stutter, much like that of a scratched CD in a CD player, for about 10 seconds, before it stopped. So the computer, in some way, is causing this.
5. If it were the video card, then the sound wouldn't have been affected (correct me if I'm wrong, here).
6. When I restart the computer, and it says "No Signal" again, I noticed that, after sitting in frustration for 2-3 minutes before trying again, that the Vista "start-up sound" plays. So the computer continues to run.

My instinct tells me it would be an over-heating issue, but #6 makes me iffy on that.

I've exhausted every single thing I could think of, short of opening this sucker up, which is something I'm not comfortable doing, nor do I have the money to pay someone else to. I could take it over to my tech-friend's house, if necessary, but I would like some advice pertaining to that before unplugging all 20 things and lugging them. Just a hassle. I'd like to make sure it's my only option before doing so.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. And if your help leads to a solution, I just might develop a crush on you.

-Josh

[VB_2008]

Cables are fine, and the moniter re-opens... then it's the processor speed, it cannot process gaming graphics as they are TOO much to handle, go to your Tech-friend and see what he can do for you...

[Scleros]

Yer going to have to open that puppy up. Given #2, #4, and #6, I would be checking the processor (if computer shuts down when it happens) and video card itself for heat related issues and perhaps the power supply. You might find significant dust buildup inside the case on all fans and heatsinks.

Short of that, you can disconnect all other external peripherals and see if it has any impact on the problem to try and narrow down things it isn't.