video adapter not working correctly

[fvdave30]

I am working on the following computer and have had a interesting thing happen. The video display for the monitor started to shimmer. It is a flat screen monitor. The name of the monitor is Samsung.

Machine name: DUSTY
   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100427-1636)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
       System Model: A7N8X-X
               BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) ,  MMX,  3DNow, ~2.0GHz
             Memory: 512MB RAM
          Page File: 421MB used, 826MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

My video display is the following

Card name: SAPPHIRE RADEON 9200SE ATLANTIS (Omega 3.8.291)
     Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc. (Omega 3.8.291)
        Chip type: RADEON 9250/9200 Series AGP (0x5964)
         DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5964&SUBSYS_7C26174B&REV_01
   Display Memory: n/a
     Current Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
      Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6635 (English)
      DDI Version: unknown
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 8/22/2006 19:53:30, 260096 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: No
  WHQL Date Stamp: None
              VDD: n/a
         Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
    Mini VDD Date: 8/22/2006 19:53:14, 1723904 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-1A24-11CF-106D-2C5CA0C2CB35}
        Vendor ID: 0x1002
        Device ID: 0x5964
        SubSys ID: 0x7C26174B
      Revision ID: 0x0001
      Revision ID: 0x0001
      Video Accel: 
 Deinterlace Caps: n/a
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Not Available
       D3D Status: Not Available
       AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
 D3D7 Test Result: Not run
 D3D8 Test Result: Not run
 D3D9 Test Result: Not run

The BIOS was set to 64 mgs for the video adapter and I moved it up to 128 mgs with no ill effects then moved it back to 64 mgs and no change took place.
A couple of days ago the user received an email from an old friend and she opened up the attachment which was a cookie receipt and all of a sudden the monitor when shimmering and you were not able to make anything out on the screen.
I took a look at it this morning and in safe mode the video display is fine but in normal mode the video display is as described above.
I did a restore from before the attachment and email was received with not success. I have removed the video drivers from the device manager in both normal and safe mode with no success. I removed the video card itself from the motherboard and put it back in the motherboard with no success.
I have finally disabled the video drivers from the device manager and now the operating system is working off of the default video drive from Microsoft. No new driver has been added to the device manager but the monitor is now working fine.
I am hoping that there is something that I missed in my diagnosis of the computer that will fix the drives for the video card.

[barryt]

hey, its a pity no-one answered you :)
it sound like you had a virus corrupt your video drivers
try using automatic updates from Microsoft website (not using express ) and see if there is an updated driver for you there
i sound that your card is working now with the Microsoft default drivers? , if so that is fine as well
if your card is not working your card could somehow got damaged
also go to manufactures web site and download a previous driver there
also make sure you did not set any new settings in the bios by accident refer to your notes if you made any
please let us know
b

[fvdave30]

I used trend micro to check for viruses and their web site found nothing. I uninstalled the two drivers for the video card and had the computer check for updated drivers but this did not seem to change the situation at all. Should I check for viruses again?

[barryt]

unfortunately if a virus had opened a door or has done what it was intended to do there is in many cases no way for you to detect it unless you spesialise in security :( the only way to get rid of that kind of virus is to reformat your machine and start fresh, but let us not jump the gun yet ,
you should start eliminating areas of problem to make sure what you know is what you know
1. replace the monitor with a well known working one and see if the new monitor does the same
2. test the cable by replacing it with a well known working one
3. test the card in a different computer and see if results are the same
4. reset your bios to default (after making exact notes on how settings was done in the first place)
5. replace your graphicks card with any pci card and restart your computer after computer has restarted replace the pci card with your original card

let us know
b