Troubleshooting in Build: Video

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Video Troubleshooting

Video issues can come up for a number of reasons, so below, we'll try and identify some of the main ones for you to try and troubleshoot...

Steps	Notes and Detailed Instructions
The computer seems to be up and running, but there is no POST or Boot!	If the system fans are running and the lights are on, first test the power supply (some times a defunct power supply will give enough power to make it seem like the system is operating properly, but not provide enough power to properly boot the system). If the power supply checks out, try swapping in different speeds and sizes of RAM. Start by loading the RAM into the first bank (usually the closest to the processor), and then into the subsequent slots. Occasionally a DIMM slot on the motherboard can be bad, preventing the system from successfully POSTing. Try installing a couple of different video cards into the video interface (AGP or PCIe) and connecting it to the monitor. If you need help finding the right video card, simply ask a build instructor for help. And finally, try hooking up to a different monitor, or use different cables for the hook-up. If this still doesn't work, simply reach out to a Build Instructor and bring them up to speed on where you are with the issue.
For strange video issues in general...	If you're experiencing paranormal-like activity on your video, try updating the systems drivers for the hardware the system has. Do this by going to System >> Administration >> Hardware Drivers. The system will then search for any necessary drivers for your system. Once this is complete, simply restart the system and see if the issue is resolved. Alternatively, check to see if the 82845G chipset is present on your system, either by running basiccheck chipset or lspci | grep VGA in a terminal.
"My screen is a strange tint/color"	This usually occurs when a connection is bad. Check all the connections from the system to the monitor and ensure that the plugs are hooked up correctly. If this has been checked, reach out to a Build instructor; you may want to replace your video card, or swap out the VGA cable.
"When Ubuntu starts up and I login, the power button disappears"	Oftentimes this can be fixed by rebooting. Another way of resolving the issue is to right-click the top panel and go to Add to panel. Either type Indicator Applet Session or scroll down and select it from the list and click Add. Once you see the power icon, you will need to unlock each of the items to the right of the power icon by right-clicking the icon and unchecking Lock to Panel. Then you can go about moving the power icon to the right side of the screen. Make sure to lock each icon again when you're finished.