Monitor won't come on after power save mode

[Joe Grover]

I've had issues in the past where I come to my computer after the monitor
goes into power save mode and it won't turn back on. Knowing that my
machine is locked I can just press CTRL-ALT-DEL, type my password to unlock
it, and once it's unlocked the screen turns on. I can also use VNC to
remote to my desktop and unlock it. The monitor does *not* turn on until
after unlocking and re-opening the desktop. This didn't happen all the
time, but fairly often, particularly when coming in in the morning. In the
past I'd thought it was maybe due to UltraMon software that I'd installed to
have different backgrounds on each of my monitors, but that has since been
uninstalled.

This is becoming more of an issue now that we're pushing out power profiles
to all of our machines however. Screens turn off after 5-10 minutes, so
frequently when I come back to my desk I'll have this issue. I have a
workaround, but I just received a report of another user having the same
problem (though he's using XP Professional). I figured I'd try to resolve
my issue first (since I have direct access to my PC; he's a remote user),
then see if my fix takes care of his problem as well.

I am running Vista Ultimate SP1 on a Dell Optiplex 745. The video card
(Radeon X1300PRO) has a dual-head DVI cable connected to it running two Dell
1703FPs monitors. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Joe

 

[+Bob+]

I've had issues in the past where I come to my computer after the monitor
goes into power save mode and it won't turn back on. Knowing that my
machine is locked I can just press CTRL-ALT-DEL, type my password to unlock
it, and once it's unlocked the screen turns on. I can also use VNC to
remote to my desktop and unlock it. The monitor does *not* turn on until
after unlocking and re-opening the desktop. This didn't happen all the
time, but fairly often, particularly when coming in in the morning. In the
past I'd thought it was maybe due to UltraMon software that I'd installed to
have different backgrounds on each of my monitors, but that has since been
uninstalled.

This is becoming more of an issue now that we're pushing out power profiles
to all of our machines however. Screens turn off after 5-10 minutes, so
frequently when I come back to my desk I'll have this issue. I have a
workaround, but I just received a report of another user having the same
problem (though he's using XP Professional). I figured I'd try to resolve
my issue first (since I have direct access to my PC; he's a remote user),
then see if my fix takes care of his problem as well.

I am running Vista Ultimate SP1 on a Dell Optiplex 745. The video card
(Radeon X1300PRO) has a dual-head DVI cable connected to it running two Dell
1703FPs monitors. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Joe

Does the XP system run the same hardware? I'm thinking that since XP
and Vista share very little and even drivers are usually unique, that
the problem either lies in the hardware (less likely and only if they
are identical) or in some specific piece of software your company is
running (much more likely).

FWIW, this is not a typical Vista issue. Also, I would think you'd
have much more luck resolving it in the other direction - XP is much
better supported and reliable than Vista.

 

[Joe Grover]

Yeah, the hardware is very different. Unfortunately I don't have access to
the remote machine (it's at a jobsite a couple of hundred miles away) so my
only real option at this point is to try to troubleshoot from my side. I
have no idea what sort of things could cause this issue or what steps to
take to troubleshoot it. Trying to do searches on the issue yield primarily
folks having problems with machines waking up from sleep in general, not
video. I've found a couple of people with my problem (Vista and XP) but the
folks replying to them are giving them ideas about the machine waking up
from sleep, not the monitor.

Joe

 

[+Bob+]

Yeah, the hardware is very different. Unfortunately I don't have access to
the remote machine (it's at a jobsite a couple of hundred miles away) so my
only real option at this point is to try to troubleshoot from my side. I
have no idea what sort of things could cause this issue or what steps to
take to troubleshoot it. Trying to do searches on the issue yield primarily
folks having problems with machines waking up from sleep in general, not
video. I've found a couple of people with my problem (Vista and XP) but the
folks replying to them are giving them ideas about the machine waking up
from sleep, not the monitor.

Vista has had a lot of known problems with returning from sleep mode
in general. Part of SP2 was to help with the network problems that
often result. But, I've never heard of the monitor failing to kick up
even though the system was apparently back up and running.

Any chance it's a monitor issue i.e. failure to respond to the resume
signal? Have you tried testing with another monitor?

On the software side, are you running the latest drivers for the video
card - preferably direct from the manufacturer?

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Vista has had a lot of known problems with returning from sleep mode
in general. Part of SP2 was to help with the network problems that
often result. But, I've never heard of the monitor failing to kick up
even though the system was apparently back up and running.

Any chance it's a monitor issue i.e. failure to respond to the resume
signal? Have you tried testing with another monitor?

On the software side, are you running the latest drivers for the video
card - preferably direct from the manufacturer?

I have heard of monitors being, by (bad) design, unable to wake up
properly, but I think these might have been people speculating (just like
me, right now!). The memories are pretty long ago, and I don't remember
much more...

 

[Vicki_g]

I have the same problem - machine turns on fine after sleep, but sometimes
not the monitor or keyboard. It's sporadic -doesn't happen every time. I'm
running Vista Home Premium on a custom built machine less than one year old.
I've asked all over this message board and cannot get an answer. Once, I even
reloaded Vista. It worked for a month or so but then the problem reoccurred.