ruh roh raggy.
yeah, the video port is able to reset your machine, so check for bent pins and stuff.
it is a 25pin serial cable?
the video port is a 23pin job, so kinda hard to get it wrong. if it is the wrong gender, then plugging it into the parallel port won't be good.
it is a proper null modem cable and not a straight through cable?
have eveerything unplugged, except the power. and switch on. what happens?
the caps lock light isn't flashing is it? do you get any video of the composite output?