Help! Screwed up graphic display - motherboard or video card problem?

Hi all, please give me some advice~

The graphics/video display on one of my computers just went crazy, it's totally distorted in different ways - vertical segments, distorted matrix like text in DOS, XP stuck in 4 bit color...I don't know why it's like that even in DOS when you start up, I want to know if it's the motherboard or if it's the videocard that's creating this.

But the weird thing is that sometime I can get lucky after a few reboots, and everything will look fine for a few minutes, but goes back to screwy after next reboot.

I uses SOLTEK SL-75DRV5 and Geforce2 MX400. I've formatted and reinstalled XP, but still ended up with this mess. I already have the latest drivers for the video card, and the BIOS are updated. Also tried plugging computer into different monitor, same situation.

Please help, I have no idea what's going on~
Greatly appreciates all response, thanks~

That sounds like a bad video card. Have you tried swapping in a different card?

That certainly sounds like a bad video card. You might want to try the onboard video if you have it. I'm too lazy to check the model and what it offers but the previous suggestion will more than likely point out the issue.

Video card mx 4000? i had the same problem with time that card dies out jsut get something new like a fx5500 for 60$ or a BFG 6200 for about 80$
Newegg.com
or walmart stores!!!

My money says Bad Video Card.

Yeah, sounds like a bad Video Card. Being it's an older card, you have probably been using it for a long time.

I also had a similiar problem with a bad power supply.

But, if I was you, I would go out and buy a cheap video card first. If you don't game, anyone should do the job. If that doesn't fix it, let us know.

You can get a cheap one at

www.tigerdirect.com

Woah, didn't realize how old this thread was.

Right click desktop.
Properties.
Display settings.
Settings.

SCREEN RESOLUTION to max.
COLOR QUALITY to 32bit.