Frustrating Monitor Problem

[Cah]

I don't know if this is a Windows 7 issue or a software issue but I'm guessing some weird hardware problem. I've had Windows 7 64 bit for about 6 months. Last week the monitor started blanking out - as if it were hibernating or sleeping. It won't come back on until I reboot. Windows seems to be running in the background as I can press the power button on the keyboard and it switches off. So far we have:

1. Swapped out the memory.
2. Bought a new power unit.
3. Swapped out the graphics card.
4. Checked the bios settings.
5. Tried the monitor with a different computer ( no problem)
6. Using a disk image to go back in time to before using Windows 7 SP1
7. Reapplied seal/coating for the CPU and checked all the fans

It is still happening. It is most likely to happen when inserting a usb drive or switching on a USB printer. It also happens often when enabling the lan to go on line. Sometimes when switching on the monitor light goes amber and nothing appears on screen. No bios shows up and it is necessary to press the CMOS reset switch. Has anyone else seen this problem. Is it a faulty motherboard. I've never had such a frustrating problem in the 20 odd years I've used a PC. Help!!

[HansV]

The steps you've taken more or less rule out a problem with either the monitor or the computer, so it would seem to be the connection between the two. Have you checked that the connectors are seated correctly? Have you tried a different video cable?

[Cah]

Hi Hans, the cable worked with the monitor and another computer. I think the connectors are seated correctly. But we are wondering if there could be a problem with the TAP. I had the monitor switching on and off with the computer. I'm now trying plugging them into the mains separately and directly. So far I haven't had a blackout.

[HansV]

Let's hope that will work, even though it is slightly less convenient.

[Cah]

Unfortunately it didn't. It was OK for a couple of hours but the monitor went blank when I reactivated the LAN to go online. Back to square one.

[Argus]

You say that you've swapped out the graphics card; but you don't mention drivers for the card(s). I assume you have checked using different drivers?

In the old days, before ACPI, one would perhaps have thought some IRQ conflict with the USB, LAN etc., but now IRQs are shared with no problems most of the time.

[Cah]

Yes, it isn't a problem with the drivers - now it is beginning to look like some problem with the monitor itself and this PC. The monitor works with a PC running XP. We tried an old monitor with this Windows 7 system and it has been running for half a day without a problem. So it seems some recent change has caused a problem for the original monitor. I didn't change the monitor when I got Windows 7. I was thinking of getting a new monitor soonish and now it seems soon is sooner than I thought.

[stuck]

Have you looked into the power saving settings? You mentioned it was as if the monitor had gone into hibernation but you didn't list checking time outs etc.

Just a thought..?

Ken

[Cah]

Thanks Ken, yes I forgot to mention that I have the PC set to be on all the time - I switch it off manually when I'm not using it. I did check the settings. I now think it was either some weird virus or more probably dust. I switched back to using the monitor but before doing so blew air on all the connections. I'm still using the same cable but have now run for a day without incident. Very odd!

[StuartR]

I have a very similar problem on a PC here. This PC has two monitors and one of them occasionally blanks out. I can get the picture back by changing the resolution to a different value and back again, or by rebooting. If I only had one monitor then I guess I would have to reboot every time.

This only occurs about once a month or so, so I can live with it, but if you find a fix for your problem please share it and I will see if it fixes mine.