flashing squares on monitor - frozen computer

This has been happening since I got my Dell -- it's not the computer but the monitor and lately this has happened with increasing frequency.

I've never had to ask a hardware question so I'm not sure what info you need.

I run Windows XP home, here is a diagnostic file on my Plug & Play monitor,
Intel 82865G Graphics Controller:
INTEL(R) EXTREME GRAPHICS 2 REPORT
Report Date: 09/22/2004
Report Time[hr:mm:ss]: 21:21:55
Driver Version: 6.14.10.3762
Operating System: Windows NT* 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1
Default Language: English
DirectX* Version: 9.0
Physical Memory: 253 MB
Min. Graphics Memory: 1 MB
Max. Graphics Memory: 96 MB
Graphics Memory in use: 6 MB
Processor: x86
Processor Speed: 2793 MHZ
Vendor ID: 0x8086
Device ID: 0x2572
Device Revision: 2
* Output Devices Connected to Graphics Accelerator *
Active Monitors:1


My problem: in the middle of anything (being online, typing in word, having one program open, having 4 programs open) without warning my monitor will fill up with 30 or so flashing and flickering 1" x 1" squares. My computer ceases to respond to my keyboard or any other input...I always have to turn off the tower manually.

When I turn the computer back on, everything seems fine and when I go to system events, error logs, I can't find out anything or see what might have happened.

I've gone into display, and monitor and done "troubleshooting' but it says that everything is enabled and working fine.

Any ideas? It's probably happened 4 times in the last 2 weeks.

 

well... the video card may have an exotic disease. etiher that or the monitor has a very very exotic disease. or it could be software. have you tried putting a video card in the computer or tried another monitor? it's the easiest way to troubleshoot something like this

oh, and welcome to the hardware forums!

 

Are you saying "exotic" because you've never heard of this before?

What do you mean by "software"? I haven't done anything that I think would have effected my monitor/display/graphics. It's just sitting here doing what monitors do...

No and no...so I could go and buy a different, new video card to replace what I have (which is only a few months old by the way)?
I do have an extra monitor -- don't know if I have the right "drivers" to match it with this system (it's a different brand and was used with a Toshiba Windows 98 system).

This is a flat panel monitor, etc....so I just didn't think about switching -- so I could switch them and use the other for a few weeks and see if it happens on that one. And if it doesn't we're narrowing down that it is in fact the monitor not something else in the system...blah, blah, blah, right?
it's the easiest way to troubleshoot something like this

Why, thank you, Strogg, I have seen you elsewhere, don't know if I really want to be here, though.

 

This is almost always caused by a bad video card.

Lets also try to make the disctinction for clarity between a flat panel and a flat screen.

Flat Panel=LCD
Flat Screen=CRT (normal tv sized monitor)

It's important because you'll have to make sure you get a card that supports an LCD if you do have a flat panel. s

 

I have a FLAT PANEL (but thanks for making sure I said the right thing)

Me replace it? Well, we all know how sweet Dell is at doing what is right and fixing problems and since it's under warranty - maybe this is something they'll replace for me

(** I start laughing hysterically and shaking so hard I'm almost falling off my computer chair **)

 

No seriously -- I don't even know what it means to replace a video card. I'm supposed to open up the tower and actually remove and replace something?

Is this something I can ask Dell to send me? or is that stupid? I just saw the post "Time for a new video card" so I now there's a lot of choices...but like I said, mine is only 6 months old.

 

well, you have it easy, since it looks like you're using onboard video. you don't need to replace anything; just add something on. and because you're using Intel Extremely Bad Graphics 2, anything would be an upgrade. I recommend you getting a cheap agp card with dvi. it should hold you well for the time being.

as for the monitor, monitors drivers aren't that important. they need drivers to tell windows what resolution to set it at, but the vast majority of monitors will be plug and play for windows xp, so there's no need to go off downloading drivers. even if you have a really old monitor that isn't plug and play, you can still force windows to change the screen resolution to your bidding. it's one of the few built-in-protections you can override

 

HA - you're so funny! I knew someone would say something like that about my Intel graphics....anyway...you lost me with the abbreviations.

I can go to a comp. store and look for something that will actually say:
agp card with dvi
(because I don't know what that stands for)

and then what? install it? not remove and replace the intel one?

See I know nothing about hardware...

Yeah, it's a "plug and play" monitor and if the other card fixes my problem, that's good enough for me.

 

lol... actually, i wouldn't be surprised if your local compusa has a box that actually says "agp card with dvi." seriously. your best bet is to go to a store and ask someone for a video card with the specs i gave you. and ask him/her for either an nvidia card or ati card. the sales rep should be knowledgeable enough to give you a good idea of what you should buy. just be sure to stear clear of high end cards; you probably won't need those.

all you need to do is install it; no replacement is necessary. now for installation instructions (to save you > $60):

i have noooo clue how to open your dell. not at all, but odds are, there's either a button you push hard to open, or there are screws holding down the side panels. what you want to do is open up the left side panel (as you're facing the front of the computer). when you open it up, you should see a board in the middle that kinda looks like http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?categories=1&model=81 except that yours is probably green. now, look at the middle of the picture. see the big teal-colored blob? look at the left and you should see a brownish slot (kinda like a nintendo slot). that's the agp slot that you will plug the video card in. the video card will go "upside down" relative to the rest of the computer, so don't freak out when you see your video card "upside down". if you look inside and you CAN'T see the brown slot , it means stupid dell put a motherboard in your computer w/o an agp slot. in this case, go to the store and ask for a pci video card. the sales rep should give you a pci video card, and that will go in the light beige slots you see in the picture. lastly, you might notice that there will be jacks on the video card, and the jacks are supposed to protrude from the case. if there's a bracket on the case keeping the video card from installing (you'll know what i mean when you install it), you should take it out so the monitor jacks will be accessible on the outside so you can plug in your monitor.

Hope this helps

 

Thanks for all the info and the link. I actually do know how to get inside the tower -- I've had to replace the memory sticks -- hey - is that hardware??!!

Maybe I do know a little something about hardware YEAH for me!

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

Hey pegg, sorry for not getting back to you on this, I passed out at 7:30 last night..

Any way. Replacing the card is pretty easy, but DELL should have it all warrantied. They should have a list of local vendors that are DELL certified repare places that you can take it to or send it to DELL. I do believe that if you (personally) open the case to replace the card,then you just voided your warranty.

HEADS UP!!!! PEGG, I just re-read your post and it looks like you have Onboard video. The INTEL EXTREME GRAPHICS is onboard the motherboard. You can either add a new card to the machine or have DELL replace the motherboard. I vote for the second option.

 

They TOLD me to open the case to put in the memory sticks THEY sent me (but anyway...)

I know it's under warranty -- I'm sure I can get someone here to replace the video card... or whatever it is if it's an "onboard video"

I highly doubt they'll replace the motherboard YET -- they just gave me a brand new tower in replacement for the brand new computer I bought in March and that took me 3 months to strangle out of them...so they will be "positive" there's nothing wrong with their precious motherboard.

Thanks -- we'll see what happens next. I'm sure they won't believe I'm seeing flashing squares on my monitor that freezes up the computer either...has this happened to anyone else? No one else has said they've heard of this.

 

You may have most tools around,but, if you are inside tour PC you either need one of these (an antistatic wristband) or be sure that you are grounded to th PC bare metal frame {unplugged}. If not, the boards , any of them can be damaged either partially or completely. I used this site as an example, but, $9 can save $100s.

 

if you're really patient, you can count on dell to replace your motherboard i've seen them around my school, and oh boy are they the slowest people i've ever seen. each "broken" computer can be there for a couple weeks at a time waiting for them to replace it on-site. sheesh... besides, i bet you can learn a lot doing it the DIY approach good luck

 

I only went into the tower one time and someone warned me about the possible static -- I didn't have an anti-static guard but I did something else to be sure I was "grounded" -- they told me a couple ideas.

Anyway -- this flickering on my screen started BEFORE I ever went inside the tower so...

I just took a picture with my digital camera of the screen because it happened again earlier today -- that way I can show them what it looks like too.

 

(I'm bumping this instead of re-writing stuff)
Nope -- didn't get a new video card yet.
Nope -- didn't contact Dell

Just wanted to post the pic of what my monitor looks like now that I've taken two pics with my digital camera.

This happened again on September 24th and again today, October 12.

 

These are tiny pics...I'm saving them as png files but I seem to have to make them mega-small to get them to upload...sorry about that (maybe because I took them -- accidently -- at super high resolution with my camera)

Anyway -- see how they're all lined up straight up and down -- weird huh?

 

Looks like an interface issue. The blocks are in the same pattern and aren't switching when you open different apps are they?

Hard to say, but my gut feeling says it's eminating from the video card: either a bad terminal on the board , bad cable or bad connection to the LCD terminal.

 

Once this happens (I have been in different programs when it occurs) EVERYTHING is locked up...can't get the task manager up, can't use escape, can't change to anything. I just eventually hold the button on the tower until it shuts down (about 10 seconds) -- ugh -- hate doing that.

Never doubted everyone's opinion here that it's the video card but like I've said, I begged and yelled for them to replace the brand new tower (March 2004) with a new tower -- which they did -- and they won't take too kindly to me asking for something else....not like I really care.

BUT --

Are any of these connections something I can actually check??? I know that means getting into the tower -- I do know how to do that. I just wouldn't know what to look for.

So, I should just call them and tell them to send out a tech (or whatever) and they can snoop around. (see, I'm a girl and I'm thinking as I type and coming to my conclusions -- and I won't bother to go back and edit...just let you guys read all this)


Thanks for your input, Kodo. I thought someone might have an idea once they saw how lined up all the rectangles were....

 

Hi all. I just ran across this forum now, although I have been experiencing this same problem on my Dell from day one, and that was about 5 years ago. When my computer was still under warranty, Dell had no clue what the problem was and never solved it.

Pegg, did you ever find a solution to this? If so, please help!