LCD Monitor - Black Horizontal Lines

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by 01alim, Oct 28, 2011.

  1. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Hello,

    Joined this forum about three years ago about a little problem, and didn't think I'd remember my login details, but I did! Hooray!! :cool

    Anyway, I've got another problem now. I bought a new PC the other day and attached my existing monitor to it. This happens only sometimes, but what happens is, I see thin horizontal lines on the screen and when I drag a window over it, it seems to be 'wiped off'. The lines are usually black but since I have a dark wallpaper, the lines appear light grey-ish on the desktop and when I open a window over it, it disappears then reappears when I switch to desktop again.

    I'll try and see if I can take a picture, if necessary. I've never had this problem on my older computer when the same monitor was attached. Mind, I did install a new graphics card and PSU to the new computer so maybe that's the problem, somehow?

    EDIT: Also, to save some time, I did change the refresh rate from 60Hz to 75Hz (the only options I have) and it made no difference. Still noticed the lines.
    It can't be the monitor if I had never experienced it before and only started when I attached it to new computer.

    Monitor:
    Phillips PHP-X19 (VGA connection)


    This is my computer specs:
    Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-2310 Processor
    RAM: 3GB (1GB + 2GB)
    Graphics: HD Radeon 5670 (with Intel® HD Graphics 2000 onboard chip disabled)
    Hard Drive: 1TB (64MB cache)
    PSU: OCZ 500W StealthXStream 2 ATX


    All help welcome. :)
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2011
  2. jasonbrien

    jasonbrien Private E-2

    These lines may be because of the picture tube of the display of your desktop. I had this problem about a couple of months ago an then I had to change the picture tube of the display.
     
  3. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Picture tube? No idea what that is (will look it up in a mo).

    Okay, why didn't I have this problem before then? I've yet to check on the old computer recently, but I could try.
     
  4. augiedoggie

    augiedoggie The Canadian Loon - LocoAugie (R.I.P. 2012)

    If the lines are still there with your old machine then it's obvious, I'd think your onboard video is bad on your new machine.

    BTW, Jason was talking about a CRT tube going bad, not an LCD monitor.
     
  5. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Wait, if the lines are still there on my old machine... then isn't the monitor at fault then?

    I haven't checked recently, but I've used the monitor for a few months now and had no problem before on my old machine. Just when I got the new PC. So it must be my new computer's fault. The thing is, I don't know what it could be... loose connections? If so, where?

    And I disabled the onboard video chip (?). Could that be a problem? I wanted to make sure the computer was using the graphics card I installed at all times.
     
  6. augiedoggie

    augiedoggie The Canadian Loon - LocoAugie (R.I.P. 2012)

    If bad on both machines then yes your monitor is crapping out.

    Ahh OK, last thing to try is pull your graphics card out and re-enable your onboard graphics. This will rule the card in or out.
     
  7. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Okay will try that. Problem is, it doesn't happen all the time, and it could go days till it happens again... who knows.

    I could go sessions without it triggering. I have noticed that's usually in the mornings and when I turn it on. It disappears after like 15 minutes.

    Could it be a temperature thing?

    The more I think the more I dread trying to fix it. :(
     
  8. augiedoggie

    augiedoggie The Canadian Loon - LocoAugie (R.I.P. 2012)

    Yuck! I hate intermittent problems! However, we're drilling down to the real issue. If your machine still craps out after a week using the onboard graphics then there's a bad connection somewhere, I mean on the motherboard which you can't find by yourself without sophisticated equipment. That's an instant RMA. Also, you can use a regular eraser on the card's gold fingers, making sure that there's no residue left before re-installing it. That's all I've got.
     
  9. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Lol - the part you bolded in my quote... it's so rude! Sorry! :-o


    Okay, thanks doggie, it's so annoying that I have to cope without the graphics card now... What about my games!?!?

    :(
     
  10. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Okay, the lines were pink/multi-coloured today.

    I connected the VGA cable to my older computer and all was fine. So it's defo the PC. I then connected back to the PC to make sure the lines were still there before connecting the cable to the onboard VGA port. (The onboard graphics is enabled along with the separate one.) The lines disappeared on the onboard port.

    I had to restart my PC due to a blue screen. It is now on the graphics card port but with no lines.

    This is messing up my head...
     
  11. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    It sounds like it could be either the card is going bad or a bad VGA connector on the card. If you wiggle the VGA connector at the card does it make any difference?

    I have an old machine with a card that displays pink when using the card's VGA connector but using one of these to connect a VGA monitor to the the DVI output works fine.
     
  12. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Wiggling makes no difference. Might take the card in tomorrow.

    Here's a screenie btw:
    http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3580/linesi.png
     
  13. 01alim

    01alim Private E-2

    Lol - win win for me.

    PC World couldn't test if my HD 5670 was faulty or not cos' their test machine was fried due to a customer's hard drive catching it on fire. So all they could do was take my word for it. I could've got a replacement, but they had a good offer on their website which I wanted instead (more expensive). They said they can't do exchange with their website offers, so I got a full refund instead.

    Now I'm thinking of purchasing the HD 6850 off Amazon instead - £115.
    (I don't play much 'powerful' games, just MMOs.)

    On topic:
    I am a bit worried that the new card may start causing lines on screen as well. Cos' if that happens, I will be totally lost as of what the problem is.

    Since I've taken the card out, the computer has been working fine running on the onboard graphics.
     

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