Monitor Winks Out

[BGBG]

This is really about monitor, although system is Windows 98se.
D.O.P. November 8, 1998. CTX monitor VL700.
After almost 10 years of hard daily use, my monitor has started "winking out". By this I mean it screen dark and doesnt come on right away when start up, or will simply go out for a second or so, a minute or so, or even longer. This means when monitor is cool as well as being heated up from being on awhile.
Sometimes it comes back on. Sometimes I can turn it off and on and it is there. Other times I find I can smack the right side of monitor casing, or even my desk that is sits on and the jarring apparently puts something right and it works. This doesnt happen every session or every day but has just started and is becoming more frequent. Thought I might try to take it apart and see if a loos wire is apparent. Of course if something is loose in the tube or electrical component i am stuck. Any idea what this might be or what to do??

[Rich-M]

One thing you must not do is take it apart as there is enough power in those monitors to blow you across the room with one wrong move.
When you have a CRT monitor that old, it has owed you nothing for the last 5 years, and that is a sign that the end is near, replace it.

[steveie85]

I agree if you use it for 5years daily for more then say 6hrs a day, it has put in its time. I would say its time for a new monitor. LCD's are getting cheaper and cheaper.

[Anon B]

Get a new monitor!
And I will 2nd the warning already given by Rich, Do NOT go messing inside the monitor, there are charges in there that can KILL!

[Dan18960]

IF BG is a television repairman he probably has all the tools to discharge the monitor.

But BG if your just a tinkerer - your going to end up severly injured or worst (death). Remember the old CRTs used TV parts with circuit boards to connect to a MGA/VGA comupter connections.

An old CRT isn't worth the time or your life with a 17/19" LCD to be had for under $200.00.

[Anon B]

If BG is/was a TV repairman then he wouldn't be asking about his monitor on here, he would've worked out what the problem was and possibly fixed it already, therefore we can summize he is not and never has been a TV repairman :D

[qldit]

Good Evening All, yes in view of the problem being intermittent it is possible it may finally die rather spectacularly!

Cut your losses and get yourself a nice new flat type monitor from Wallymart, they have a range of excellent "Dell" monitors at good inexpensive prices and these are really nice with good specs and operate with good all-round design.

Also with regard to your W-98, be aware there is a Non-official ServicePack 2 available for it on the net that appears to really help.
Some clever fellow (non-MS) has made this package including relevant MS system updates and gone to quite a bit of trouble with it.

Edit. Reference the 98SE SP2 unofficial, I suggest checking MajorGeeks, http://majorgeeks.com/download4131.html reason being that I found some of the other sites D/L's gave viral content warnings.
You have choice as to what extra files to load when you load this pack, simply using the updates is probably the simplest.
W2000 skins are also included.
The computer will load quite a few updated files and seems to make a significant difference in W-98 SE operation.

Cheers, Lawrence.