# Yet Another Computer Problem \[Long\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2009, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-computer-problem-long/498788 "2009-06-05T06:19:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-computer-problem-long/498788/21 "2009-06-07T18:40:12Z")
Take your add-in graphics card out and try the motherboard video. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-computer-problem-long/498788/22 "2009-06-07T18:56:59Z")
How would one go about doing this? Small words please. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-computer-problem-long/498788/23 "2009-06-07T19:46:46Z")
First things first: turn your computer off! There are two main types of video cable with corresponding connectors: VGA which is blue, and DVI which is white. We’ll not go into HDMI and Displayport. On the back of your computer, you’ll see where there’s a cable that goes from the PC to the monitor. It’s likely plugged into an add-in card, separate from the rest of the connectors. You should see a blue connector with 15 holes in 3 rows in with the rest of the connectors. Plug the monitor cable into that. You may need to use an adapter or change from a DVI cable to a VGA cable. Then open the machine up, taking care to keep yourself grounded and remove the graphics card. You may need to unscrew it and unplug a power connector. Then close the machine up and power it back on and see. However, I note that your error message is monochrome. When I’ve had video card errors of that ilk, they’ve been multi-coloured. I’m wondering if you have a corrupt CMOS instead. There should be a jumper on the motherboard to effect this. It will be detailed in the manual. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-computer-problem-long/498788/24 "2009-06-08T22:25:08Z")
With regard to the keyboard issue, which is the active input language? You can check this by bringing up the Language Bar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-computer-problem-long/498788.md?page=1)