NEC VL260 - BIOS problems (No VGA output)

[Paid_Peanuts]

We have some NEC VL260 machines which are installed in classrooms.

They randomly stop outputting a VGA signal to the monitor. The lights come on the machine, the hard disk light starts - all appears as though the machine is booting up.

Nothing other than opening the case and flashing the BIOS resolves the issue! - imagine the scenario where we have to do between 2-10 a day!! (and all machines are in cages which adds to the frustration)

 

ALL VL260's are running the latest BIOS and NEC have turned around and said they have come across this before but don’t know how to resolve it!

 

Has anyone else come across this? If so is there a fix out there?

 

Thanks in advance.

[PeterW]

Are the machines as they were when purchased or has anything been added (Ram etc), have they always done this or has it just started to happen?

[Paid_Peanuts]

Machines have not been altered at all since we took delivery direct from NEC.

 

Some machines did it right at the beginning but they were to infrequent and random to warrant any action. However now the 1 year threshold has elapsed they are falling like flies.