You may have a driver mismatch to the monitor. Try this: Boot up in the safe mode. That mode loads only the essential software to operate the computer and loads a low resolution, generic monitor driver. Does your monitor oepeate in this mode? If so, you may be on the path to a cure. Change the monitor driver to one that suits your monitor, then reboot. After you get it working again, check to see how the sleep modes are set. Before you change the driver, record the one that is current. You may wish to return to return to it. ************************** A tip for future reference: Before changing monitors, set the driver to the low resolution VGA mode, 640 x 480 pixels. Change monitors and then change to a driver one that matches the replacement monitor. ************************** I see another possible problem and that is your old monitor may not be plug-and-play. The later versions of Windows do plug-n-play while booting. It attempts to interrogate your monitor and if it gets a return of garbage, it may act on it if it isn't smart enough to know this is not a plug-n-play device. I ruined a monitor once when I first installed Windows 95. I had a video card that had the capablity to output a wide range of driving voltages to the monitor's sweep circuits. However, it was not a plug-n-play device. Windows set the card to the wrong voltages and overdrove the sweep circuits. The monitor lasted about 5 minutes. Lets us know how it turns out. If the monitor does not operate in the "safe mode", there is something more wrong - could be the monitor, or could be the video hardware /circuits.

You would find these settings in control panel system and security "power options"

Try right click on the desktop click Properties in the new window click Settings and see what the screen resolution is set to If necessary move the slider, you probably need 800 x 600 for your 17 inch monitor. If that is still too large go back and try 1024 x 768 Any better?

Lyban- I always leave my computer on and believe it does no harm compared to turning it on and off all the time. Yes, I will occasionally reboot for one reason or another, but it's generally on 24/7. My screen does blank out after about 5 minutes, and then comes right back after I touch the mouse. I've been leaving computers running like this for over 20 years and don't think it causes problems or premature failure. My current main computer (which I will replace one of these days for a more powerful one) is 8 years old and -- except for vacations -- has been left on all that time without obvious problems. Leave it on while you are investigating this and don't worry. Does your monitor have a button to turn only the screen off? If so, you should be able to turn it on or off at will, which would further support the idea that the problem is with the computer, not the monitor. I agree with chuggerguy about reporting on what the first thing you see is if you have the screen on and boot the computer up (and how long it takes for you to see this).