Hi LemonDrop50 ,

I read some of your post and here is what mybesteffort could offer for the mean time.

Your system is Dell Dimension 2400 with a 17'' CRT Monitor model E773C.

There are 2 cables attached on the monitor

1. Power Cable (Can detach from your monitor, not in the picture)

2. VGA Cable (Cannot detach and do not attemp to detach! *nokidding)

Picture above shows you the VGA Cable which you should not detach. One end attach to the monitor while other end to the computer , plugged into an output port of "Video Card" or "Mother Board".

I think you might not yet found out what is PPID, here is how you can find out :

1.Reach/ to the back of you monitor/or just turn it (Unplug cables if nessasary) until you can see the same view like in the picture

2. Need you to check what is at the Right Hand Bottom Corner, You can find a White Lable printed with black color fonts with Information of the Serial Number of you monitor. Note there is no Lable for this monitor but an empty/blank area.

That is your monitor's PPID. The PPID usually tells the Model, The Manufactured Date. Jot it down you might need it.

 If you have another monitor to swap with, then You can quickly find out if it is the monitor issue or the Video Card/Computer issue.

 If you unable to have other monitor to swap with, lets move on.

 

NOW, let's check what is wrong with the monitor. 

Here is what I found from Dell Support Page: Full Manual can download here <--Click

Self-Test Feature Check (STFC)

Your monitor provides a self-test feature that allows you to check whether your monitor is functioning properly. If your monitor and computer are properly connected but the monitor screen remains dark, run the monitor self-test by performing the following steps:

1.      Turn off both your computer and the monitor.

2.      Unplug the video cable from the back of the computer.

3.      Turn on the monitor.
If the monitor is functioning properly, you will see a test pattern with R/G/B color.

                                                        

While in the Self Test mode, the power LED remains green and the Self Test OSD image will remain on for one minute, go off five seconds, then on for one minute, and will repeat cycle.

4.      Turn off your monitor and reconnect the video cable; then turn on both your computer and the monitor.

5.      If your monitor screen still remains dark after you use the previous procedure, check your video controller and computer system; your monitor is functioning properly.

Alternately you can use this method :RECALL

The steps below here are extracted from the monitor manual, I want you to try the Recall. Scroll down for the Recall function

Use the buttons on the front of the monitor to adjust the image settings. 

External Controls

1. Power Button

2. Power Indicator

3. Menu key

4. Contrast/

5. Brightness/

6. Exit key

Using the OSD Menu

NOTE: If you change the settings and then either proceed to another menu, or exit the OSD menu, the monitor automatically saves those changes. The changes are also saved if you change the settings and then wait for the OSD menu to disappear.

Direct-Access Function

Contrast:
Contrast is the difference between the light and dark areas on the screen. A 100% contrast is recommended. To adjust your screen's contrast, follow the steps below.

	With the menu off, press then press to decrease contrast to increase contrast
	When the contrast is adjusted to the level desired, press the Exit Key. The Contrast window will disappear with the new adjustment saved.

Brightness:
Brightness is the overall intensity of the light coming from the screen. A 50% brightness is recommended. To adjust your screen's brightness, follow the steps below.

 

	With the menu off, press , then press to decrease brightness to increase brightness
	When the brightness is adjusted to the level desired, press the Exit Key. The Brightness menu will disappear with the new adjustment saved.

NOTE: After adjustments are made using the or button and the OSD disappears, the new settings will be saved.

 

How to Adjust a Setting

1. Press the Menu Key to make the OSD window appear.

2. Press the Up or Down Key to select the desired function.

3. Press the Menu Key again to select the function that you want to adjust.

4. Press the Up or Down Key to change the settings of the current function.

5. When the OSD window is active, it shows the input signal timing. The "H" stands for the horizontal frequency and "V" for the vertical frequency.

6. To exit and save, either press the Exit Key, or leave the monitor alone for 10 seconds. If you want to adjust any other function, repeat steps 2-4.

 

Recall:

Press RECALL to restore the monitor to factory settings. 

NOTE: This does not affect custom user modes or modes not listed in the mode table in the Specification section of this user guide. Recall does not affect language.

       

NOTE: There is no " Undo" after you pressed the MENU button. Reset will recall default values for contrast and brightness, zoom, and set the screen color temperature at 9300K.

If your monitor unable to see the diagnostic screen CLEARLY probably your monitor's CRT is having issue and needed to be replaced. I would advise you to send it for recycle and get a new LCD monitor.

 

 

If in case you can see this screen clearly without any distortion/ Brightness problem but problem occur when you are at the Windows, we will move on to you computer and focus either the Hardware or the software issue.

Reply the post after you perform the steps above.

mybesteffort - 60%