Dark/Grey lines on screen

[Guest]

I have a display problem in which gray horizontal lines extend across my
screen. Their layout varies at random but on each screen they remain
stationary, except for the one that may occasionally follow my mouse up and
down the screen.

As of yet it is just an annoyance that does not interfere with my work. They
remind me of the way a checkbook has white and gray rows, only not as even.

I have used this computer for years with no such problems, please help.

 

[Brian Cryer]

I have a display problem in which gray horizontal lines extend across my
screen. Their layout varies at random but on each screen they remain
stationary, except for the one that may occasionally follow my mouse up
and
down the screen.

As of yet it is just an annoyance that does not interfere with my work.
They
remind me of the way a checkbook has white and gray rows, only not as
even.

I have used this computer for years with no such problems, please help.

I've not experienced this problem, but my guess is that either your monitor
or your graphics card are on the way out - probably the monitor. Does the
problem persist if you change the monitor?

 

[Guest]

For the moment I don't have access to a different monitor to test it with. I
have been using this monitor and graphics card for years with no such
problems, is it likely that they may have suddenly broke?

 

[Brian Cryer]

For the moment I don't have access to a different monitor to test it with.
I
have been using this monitor and graphics card for years with no such
problems, is it likely that they may have suddenly broke?

Personally, I think its unlikely that the graphics card has suddenly broken.
Solid state devices tend to be very very reliable. The monitor is a a
different story. They do die.

Something else you could try, is whether the vga cable has worked itself
loose. I know that a poor quality vga extension cable will give a ghosting
effect, which wouldn't explain the lines you see but might explain why an
effect could follow the mouse around.

On the subject of ghosting, are the lines you see related to windows on the
screen? or do they appear indepent of what windows you are displaying? If
you move a window and the lines move then its probably a ghosting effect, in
which case check your cables - although it may still be a sign that the
monitor is on the way out.

 

[Guest]

Personally, I think its unlikely that the graphics card has suddenly broken.
Solid state devices tend to be very very reliable. The monitor is a a
different story. They do die.

Something else you could try, is whether the vga cable has worked itself
loose. I know that a poor quality vga extension cable will give a ghosting
effect, which wouldn't explain the lines you see but might explain why an
effect could follow the mouse around.

On the subject of ghosting, are the lines you see related to windows on the
screen? or do they appear indepent of what windows you are displaying? If
you move a window and the lines move then its probably a ghosting effect, in
which case check your cables - although it may still be a sign that the
monitor is on the way out.

The gray lines line up with lines of text on the screen. They are always as
wide as the text and appear darker if the text is highlighted (I have
determined that they do not "follow" the mouse, it just appears so because if
I am using a menu the mouse will highlight the text and make it appear darker
that it did previously.

If I could send you a screen-shot I could show you what I am talking about.

The vga cable it fine.

 

[Brian Cryer]

The gray lines line up with lines of text on the screen. They are always

as
wide as the text and appear darker if the text is highlighted (I have
determined that they do not "follow" the mouse, it just appears so because
if
I am using a menu the mouse will highlight the text and make it appear
darker
that it did previously.

If I could send you a screen-shot I could show you what I am talking
about.

The vga cable it fine.

The effect you describe sounds very similar to the effect I've seen when a
poor quality vga extension cable has been introduced. Its my *assumption*
therefore that it is the monitor that is at fault (but I'm not an electrical
engineer).

If you want to send me a screen shot you can (send it to the email address
at the bottom of the page if you visit my url below), but, I don't think it
likely to change my conclusions. I assume by screen shot you mean with a
digital camera - if alt-print-screen grabs the image then you have serious
problems!

Do you have anyone that you could borrow a monitor from just to demonstrate
that it is the monitor - or could you take your monitor around to someone
else to plug it in and see if the effect moves with the monitor?