Help with Hardware Problem

[SezMe]

I am having trouble with my monitor. The video card is an ATI Radeon HD 4850 and the flat panel display is a Dell S2409W.

The problem is that the display suddenly goes completely black. Then one of two things happens. Usually, after about a second or less, it returns to normal. However, lately it has been staying black then a message comes up:

The current input timing is not supported by the monitor display.

Please change your input timing to 1929x1080@60Hz or any other monitor listed timing as per the monitor specifications

If I turn off the monitor then turn it back on again, it works ok.

This started happening about 6 months ago. It probably happened 5-6 times over a period of 2-3 days, then I've had no problems until today. Today it has happened about a dozen times already.

Although it might be unrelated, today my mouse has also been "funky". It won't track worth a damn.

Thoughts?

 

[portlandatheist]

Have you checked your actual monitor settings?
In Windows 7: Right click on desktop->screen resolution->Advanced Settings->Monitor tab to see the refresh rate and tone it down if its above the recommended settings.
I would start with a new HDMI cable or DVI cable (whatever the case may be) not because its the most likely thing wrong, but the cheapest and easiest step to troubleshoot.

 

[rjh01]

Here is the documentation http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/monitors/S2409W/en/ug/about.htm

Please note the section called Preset Display Modes.

 

[SezMe]

Have you checked your actual monitor settings?

Yes, they are the same as that specified in that quote in the OP.

I would start with a new HDMI cable or DVI cable (whatever the case may be) not because its the most likely thing wrong, but the cheapest and easiest step to troubleshoot.

I see your reasoning, but why would a cable go bad? Or, better yet, how could a cable go bad. Yes, I've verified they are seated properly.

BTW, since I posted the OP the problem has not recurred but the mouse is almost unusable its tracking is so bad. Yes, I've cleaned it and the surface it works on.

 

[rjh01]

Does the mouse have a battery? Is it cordless?

If the answer is yes to both questions then I suggest the battery is flat. Replace batteries with known good ones. Otherwise replace mouse.

 

[SezMe]

Not cordless.

I'm pretty sure the mouse behavior is a symptom, not the real problem

 

[Sam.I.Am]

It doesn't sound software related but just in case have you updated the drivers for BOTH your monitor and graphics chipset/card? That's the first and cheapest (as in free) thing to check.

The next thing to try is to separate the two things (the PC and the monitor). If you can swap out the monitor with another one (see if a friend will let you borrow theirs if you don't have another one handy and they can also try yours at the same time). If the problem moves with the monitor then that's the problem and all that you can do is get another one unless it's still under warranty.

If the problem goes away or stays the same then it's either the PC or the cable (cables can go bad and if the wrong pin goes bad then the PC will get confused about what the monitors refresh rate and resolutions are). You can try swapping out the cable and see if that does the trick.

If you are using the onboard graphics built into the motherboard that the PC came with then you are most likely looking at replacing the motherboard at some point but a quick fix might be to simply add a cheap graphics card that plugs into an available expansion slot on the motherboard (and will completely bypass the onboard chipset).

These suggestions go from the cheapest to the most expensive but before you buy anything expensive (a new monitor or a new PC/motherboard) be really sure that it's the right one or else you will just have the same problem all over again.

Good luck!

ETA: Also make sure that the monitor cable has some slack in it. A tight cable can damage the connector and even cause micro stress cracks inside the monitor or PC's main electronic board and cause this problem as well. It might also explain the intermittent problems with the mouse as the cracks spread out from the PCs video connector as they are usually pretty close to the other connectors. If so then it's time for a new mother board or, if it's an older PC, a new PC as that will probably either be cheaper or the same price unless you do the replacement yourself.

 

[a_unique_person]

The monitor seems to be going blank because the signal is either corrupted or non existent. I would check the video card is OK, (not sure but I am guessing it is a few years old now), or the cable. They do break.

 

[Dessi]

The problem is that the display suddenly goes completely black. Then one of two things happens. Usually, after about a second or less, it returns to normal. However, lately it has been staying black then a message comes up:

The current input timing is not supported by the monitor display.

Please change your input timing to 1929x1080@60Hz or any other monitor listed timing as per the monitor specifications

If I turn off the monitor then turn it back on again, it works ok.

[Edit: Looks like someone already suggested this. Ignore this post.]

Follow the suggestion given by the monitor.

On Windows 7, you can do the following:

Start > Control Panel > Adjust Screen Resolution, you'll see the following window:

You made need to change your screen resolution to 1929x1080.

Click 'Advanced Settings', you'll see a window similar to this:

Make sure you have "Hide modes that the monitor cannot display" checked. Select one of the available refresh rates, 60hz is recommended.

There's a 90% chance this will fix the problem you're seeing.

 

[SezMe]

The JREF is amazing. Since I opened this thread, the problem has not recurred. Not once. The Amazing! JREF.

Although I'm sure it is a temporary hiatus. I'm going to try borrowing another monitor and see if swapping it in makes a difference. But with the extreme intermittentness of the problem, I'm not sure if that will prove anything.

The mouse, however, is driving me nuts. I'll try a replacement.

ETA: I'm trying to understand the diagnosis thought process of those who suggest checking the settings. I don't understand how it could be a settings problem if it only happens occasionally. First, if I had the wrong settings, wouldn't not work at all. And secondly, given that it was working fine at one time and I don't fiddle with the set up, how would the settings get changed so that they are now in error.

Thanks

 

[SezMe]

Update #1: I bought a new mouse. Before installing it, I completely unplugged the old one and reinstalled it in a different USB port. No change.

So I installed the new mouse. Fixed the mouse problem. I was SURE the mouse and monitor problem were connected because they both arose almost simultaneously. Just a coinkidink I guess but I would have bet against it.

The monitor continues to work perfectly ever since I started this thread. Does it help that I am holding my breath.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

Update #1: I bought a new mouse. Before installing it, I completely unplugged the old one and reinstalled it in a different USB port. No change.

So I installed the new mouse. Fixed the mouse problem. I was SURE the mouse and monitor problem were connected because they both arose almost simultaneously. Just a coinkidink I guess but I would have bet against it.

The monitor continues to work perfectly ever since I started this thread. Does it help that I am holding my breath.

Well, lets hope that it keeps on keeping on.

Just out of curiosity. Did you mess with the cable in between the last time it "Broke" and now? That includes moving the monitor or PC. Intermittent failures like this are usually hardware driven and can be caused by heat (expanding connectors can disconnect over time), vibration (not usually an issue in a normal home or office environment) or some other physical factor that one couldn't guess at without actually seeing the setup.

This sound to me like the monitor is intermittently stopping communication (needed for plug-and play) with the PC causing the PC to not know what signal to send. This can have one of two effects as it relates to what you've described (and maybe both): 1) The graphics chipset doesn't detect a monitor and so it turns itself off or 2) the monitor doesn't see a signal from the PC and turns itself off. This sounds like it's situation #2 because if you couldn't see the message I don't think that the PC would be sending a message... but the monitor hardware can and usually does. This is usually Energy Star type stuff that is normally used to turn off the display when the PC is turned off.

It could be the cable, the connectors on the cable or the sockets on either the PC or monitor that the cable plugs into. It might be so small of a defect that simply jiggling the monitor a tiny bit (ie pushing the on-off switch) may open or close the connection just enough which may be causing the problem.

 

[SezMe]

I think your #2 is correct.

As part of installing the new mouse, I moved the PC, ran a vacuum cleaner over the vents, moved the monitor and moved some USB connectors around. Any of those could have affected the types of connection problems you mention.

For now, I'm good. I just don't have a lot of confidence that that is a long-term situation.

 

[Beerina]

Like I always say, blow it out with a leaf blower once a year.