How do I "scrub" an old computer with Widows XP?

[IamSam]

Originally Posted by tw

The video connector is usually soldered to the motherboard. Its not an easy job.

Lovely. That's what I figured.

However with needle nose pliers, male pins can be straightened. Without a guard, the video plug can be carefully mated to those pins. That will get temporarily access to the computer.

Tried that with a pair of tweezers. I'm sure I would have had better luck with pliers, but I'm fed up with that sort of painstaking tinkering - especially just for a temporary fix.

From the sound of damage, best is a new video card purchased - that is compatible with the motherboard video PCI slot. More could be said if the computer vendor and model was defined.

I sent that @#%$ computer back home with friend one. All I know is that it's a Dell, and it appears to be a machine that came out about 7 to 8 years ago. Friend one is a skinflint and he won't cough up the money for a new video card unless the cost is 10 bucks or less.

xoxoxoBruce Tell them to buy a USB monitor and then you'll continue. Till then, fuck it.

See above. The monitor he has is a piece of shit to begin with. It's some ridiculous thing which is an amazing 12 inches across (diagonal). Every time I got called over to his place to resolve his latest difficulty, I used to tell him he could get a new monitor that would actually allow him to see what's he doing for cheap at Wally World. But no, he has to spend every last penny he has on pot.

The only reason he has a new system (plus a new laptop, if you please) is that he talked voc rehab into buying them for him.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I have an old e-machine that also has a Windows XP operating platform. I also have an old monitor which is big enough to see stuff on without a magnifying glass. If I can get that e-machine running again, I'm just going to present it to friend two as a gift.

My old e-machine has a virus, so I'm going to have to reformat the hard drive and reload windows on it, as well. But at least I won't have to replace the video card or the joker card or anything else of that nature.