this makes no sense.

but i can only conclude that the DVI connector interface to my samsung
and the DVI output (there are 2, with no VGA) on the video card ... are
incompatible and should not get married.

i did a search for "LCD monitor DVI connector problems" on the web and
newsgroups and have been finding occasional similar reports.

i'm surprised, it's not exactly like i was the first to jump on the DVI
bandwagon.

i have both a DVI cable and a VGA-DVI adapter.

"if the computer's posting, the monitor's not even ghosting"

the monitor's not doing NOTHING when it's attached to the system with
the ATI card. Asus p5gd2, 3.6 p4, 300 GB maxtor. even got a zalman
copper heat sink.

i tried swapping out the power supply. the Mobo has a 24 pin, i had an
antec 480, which has 20 pins, going through an adapter.

i switched to an antec phantom 350, which has the 24 pin built-in,
along with the 6 pin connector for the video card.

i tried the system with a samsung 171V monitor, which has only VGA
input, so i used an adapter. still no image on the video screen.

questions ...

* does the ATI X850XT require a particular LCD monitor ?

guess my next stop is, buy a cheap PCI-express card with both VGA and
DVI, install the OS if that works.

i would be installing XP but with no image on the monitor (which works
fine with a 3 GHz p4 system) i'm about ready to take the system to a
computer store to call in the cavalry.

help !

thanks !

wwswimming