PC loses video oer time.

[mugentuner]

Hi guys,

I have a pc here that loses video after being on for about 10 mins.
sometimes less. At first, I thought it was a 'sleep' or 'hibernation'
problem but it's not. No matter how much you move the mouse or hit ESC on
the keyboard, it still doesn't come back. After i power off the pc for some
time and unplug it, the video does come back on the monitor briefly. This is
a gateway with an onboard video card. Any takes on what is causing this and
how to test to see what it is? Video card going bad? Look forward to your
help, thanks.

 

[Paul]

Hi guys,

I have a pc here that loses video after being on for about 10 mins.
sometimes less. At first, I thought it was a 'sleep' or 'hibernation'
problem but it's not. No matter how much you move the mouse or hit ESC on
the keyboard, it still doesn't come back. After i power off the pc for some
time and unplug it, the video does come back on the monitor briefly. This is
a gateway with an onboard video card. Any takes on what is causing this and
how to test to see what it is? Video card going bad? Look forward to your
help, thanks.

If this is an LCD monitor, would the symptoms be consistent with a
backlight failure on the monitor ? The monitor has CCFL (cold cathode
fluorescent) tubes inside, and they make the light for the LCD.
If the CCFL tubes won't light up, you get a black screen, even
though the LCD surface itself is still being updated.

If you turn off the monitor, then turn it on, and the backlight
only lasts for a few seconds, then the problem is with the monitor.

Paul

 

[Andrew E.]

Open event-viewer & get more details,locate the "error/warning" when the
display adapter failed...Also,go to run,typeXDIAG Run the Direct X
tests....

 

[mugentuner]

Also, is not the monitor as i tried swapping with another and it does the
same symptoms.

 

[mugentuner]

Ok,

Tried the dxdiag test and everything passed. the event viewer also has no
video error logs that i can see in any entries. Interestingly enough, i set
the default optimization settings for the BIOS and the video has stabilized
since then. WTF? Are there any other tests that i can do for my video
signal coming from my pc (onboard video)? Thanks a mil.

 

[Paul]

Ok,

Tried the dxdiag test and everything passed. the event viewer also has no
video error logs that i can see in any entries. Interestingly enough, i set
the default optimization settings for the BIOS and the video has stabilized
since then. WTF? Are there any other tests that i can do for my video
signal coming from my pc (onboard video)? Thanks a mil.

So then, what setting changed ? Was the system overclocked ?
Did you test for stability with programs like Prime95,
to ensure the custom conditions were stable ?

Prime95 torture test - tests CPU and RAM. If it runs
for four hours without logging an error, you're stable.
You can then move on to a video test, such as leaving
the demo loop of a 3DMark benchmark running. (It is not
that stressful, but can be left unattended over night
while you're sleeping. I've awakened the next day, to
find 3DMark frozen.)

http://majorgeeks.com/Prime95_d4363.html

I like this one, because it is a relatively small download.
Some of the other versions will take more time to download.

http://majorgeeks.com/3Dmark_d99.html

Paul

 

[mugentuner]

Well, this pc is not overclocked at all. Just your normal run of the mill
machine. Nothing has really changed. I noticed Windows update had
downloaded an update and restarted the machine. It was only after then that
it gave video signal issues. I reset the BIOS just in case as well as set a
slightly lower resolution display rate and the pc has stabilized since then.
I've left it on overnight and the video still looks good in the morning.