Graphics Card? - Emachines (Acer) EL 1850G-42W

Hello, another newbie here.

I have an older Emachines (Acer) EL 1850G-42W ( Windows 7) that I was successfully using a 32" HD monitor that has a VGA input port. I wanted at first to use the HDMI input port on the monitor. I purchased an adapter that plugs into the VGA port and electronically converts VGA to HDMI output. It didn't work and now I can't get the VGA output to work at all. I then purchased an MSI GeForce GT 710 2GB 64-Bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP Ready Low Profile Video Card and installed it. That does not work on any of it's ports either. I have been dealing with this for over a month and can't get it resolved. I am hoping someone else has had some success installing a new graphics into an older PC like mine.

//Edited the content to add model name on title.

Accepted answers

christy1

@TRJ
Did you try to remove all cables including power cord, pressing and holding power for 30sec. Now plug in the power cord and display cable and restart the computer.

All comments

christy1

@TRJ
Did you try to remove all cables including power cord, pressing and holding power for 30sec. Now plug in the power cord and display cable and restart the computer.

billsey

Are you sure the monitor itself didn't go out? The VGA->HDMI adapter you bought might have been a HDMI->VGA instead, which might explain why it didn't work. Can you test with a different monitor/cables?

TRJ

Hi christy1, I have not tried this. I will, what does this do?

christy1

TRJ said:

Hi christy1, I have not tried this. I will, what does this do?

its removing unwanted static power on the unit and also its a sequence to turn on monitor and then start the computer.

robertcrook

yes it is helpful.

TRJ

Hi Billsey. I should explain, I've been dealing with this since Jan. and so far this is how it's played out.

The very first problem I had was my then current anti-virus software was not compatible with W7. I replaced the computer with a new one. Saved the old E machines for a back up. Got the new PC running, then a few months later my design software stopped working (don't know why, all of a sudden it became incompatible with W10??). So I wanted to use the old E-machines to run my design software. Found my new anti-virus works with both W7 and W10. I wanted to run a new larger HDMI TV for a monitor so I bought a VGA-HDMI adapter plug, it only plugs in one way. The adapter plugs into the original VGA output port (male pins on the VGA side of the adapter) and then plug in a regular HDMI cable (the female on the adapter). I could post a photo of the adapter if that would help. I'm positive it is VGA out to HDMI out, with the electronics built into the adapter. I should have run the computer first, but I didn't because it was functioning fine when I shut it down and moved it. So when I went to install the new anti-virus on the old E-machines, I couldn't get the TV to work, so I connected the original VGA monitor to the original VGA port that came with the computer, the one on the back of the case. When I tried to boot up, I didn't get anything on the monitor either. All I got from both the monitor and the 32" HD TV (it has a VGA input and this is what I had been using for years) is 'No Signal On xxx' (they were not connected at the same time), that's why I bought the new video card. In my research and on advice from others, I got the GT 710 because of compatibility, physical fit and low power consumption.

I have several VGA cables and tried them all. I was thinking of removing the GPU from the motherboard to see if windows would find the new card, I thought the integrated GPU on the motherboard was removable, but I discovered it is soldered in place once I removed the heat sink.
It has been suggested to me that the North Bridge chip set might have failed.

So, I returned the GT 710, and am trying to evaluate the pros and cons of finding a motherboard, or buy a used computer. I can't use W10, must be W7 or earlier to run the design software. This is where I'm at right now.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated, thanx

billsey

My guess is the likeliest scenario is the VGA to HDMI adapter was bad and it zapped your VGA port. Your eMachines system is old enough that I don't have access to a service guide for it, so no detailed specs. What CPU does it have? Which OS came with it originally? You might be able to plug an inexpensive USB hub with video into the system to get a monitor up, assuming the system itself is actually able to boot and it's just the video that's toast. If the damage was to the motherboard and more extensive than just the VGA port it might not be booting at all. Your best bet though is likely to just find a replacement system that is good enough to run W7 but not so new that there aren't W7 drivers for it. So, something in the 10 years old range...

TRJ

Hello christy1 and all those of you that offered advice. Thank you all, all of the input you all gave me was solid stuff. The one trick that worked was christy1's. I removed all cables including power cord, pressed and held the power button for 30sec. I plugged in the power cord and display cable, turned on the original VGA monitor and restarted the computer. I'll be darned, it just booted up like nothing ever happened. I then plugged the newer HD TV with the VGA input, and that one also worked like a charm. (too bad I already returned the video card!)

Once again, thanks all

christy1

TRJ said:

Hello christy1 and all those of you that offered advice. Thank you all, all of the input you all gave me was solid stuff. The one trick that worked was christy1's. I removed all cables including power cord, pressed and held the power button for 30sec. I plugged in the power cord and display cable, turned on the original VGA monitor and restarted the computer. I'll be darned, it just booted up like nothing ever happened. I then plugged the newer HD TV with the VGA input, and that one also worked like a charm. (too bad I already returned the video card!)
Once again, thanks all

good luck.

TRJ

Hello all of you that offered advice. Thank you all, all of the input you all gave me was solid stuff. The one trick that worked was christy1's, a member of this community but from a different thread. This is what he recommended: I removed all cables including power cord, pressed and held the power button for 30sec. I plugged in the power cord and display cable, turned on the original VGA monitor and restarted the computer. I'll be darned, it just booted up like nothing ever happened. I then plugged the newer HD TV with the VGA input, and that one also worked like a charm. (too bad I already returned the video card!)