Monitor Confusion

[JSFord]

Ok, so as some of you may know I've been working on piecing together an old dell. and so far I've got everything together [well, to the best of my knowledge everything is where it needs to be]. I borrowed an old monitor from a friend just to make sure it works and i go to plug it up, and the connenctions are different. the cable coming from the monitor itself and the jacks on the comp are both what i believe to be male connectors [prongs sticking out, not holes] my question is, what do i need to do to make this work? the symbols for the output on the computer are something like "|o|o|" and the one on the connector is like a box inside of a box. I don't know how to explain this any better, and I don't have any camera available to me to take pics at the moment. If anyone could be of any help, or at least point me in the right direction it would be a tremendous help.
Thanks!

 

[JSFord]

A quick google is showing that the monitor connector is VGA, Im assuming male. still not sure about the one on the Mobo, its not VGA though, it only has 9 pins as opposed to the 15 on VGAs

[EDIT] so apparently their both serial connectors. therefore im guessing there is no monitor connection on here. what gives? what are my options here? [EDIT]

 

[MindoverMaster]

Try to Edit your first post.

That is a serial port. You need to plug the monitor into the blue one.

What is your model number? It should have onboard video.

 

[JSFord]

Yea sorry i was trying to make things less confusing with 2 posts, but that didnt seem to work. Its a dell optiplex GX240, and it has 2 Serial ports and no VGA. I'll try to post a pic when i get home from work tonight. I have to go to work right now though.

 

[MindoverMaster]

You're right...

Was there a video card that came with this? Or you don't know?

 

[JSFord]

there wasn't one with it when I Got it. what would be my cheapest solution here?

 

[Trotter]

It took some digging, but I found you a converter for cheap.

Amazon.com: 9-Pin DB9 Female to 15-Pin HD15 Male VGA Video Adapter: Electronics

EDIT: Crap! Just noticed that it is a female to male and you need a female VGA. Grab one of these, too, as I can't locate a female serial to female vga (but I will keep looking).
Amazon.com: Slimline Gender Changer, HD15 Female / Female (VGA Coupler): Electronics

 

[JSFord]

Thanks so much! I guess I'm gonna go ahead and grab one of these and hope everything works right! =D

[edit] actually im gonna see if i can find one that is DB9 female to VGA female. the monitor connector is male.
[edit] Picked that adapter up as well as one of those Female to Female VGA gender changer do dads, we'll see what happens when they get here =]

 

[Trotter]

Be sure to check my edit, mate. It will take both pieces to work.

 

[JSFord]

Yup, after looking at it for a moment I realized that lol. but i got one of each, so we'll see what happens. thanks tons man!