Displays and Graphics Cards
Symptom: The graphics on my display look garbled, grainy, or unclear.
Minor: Do graphics and text appear grainy or chunky? Does it look as though application windows no longer fit on screen in the way you're used to? A resolution or device mix-up can wreak this kind of havoc. If you can read the screen well enough, review the graphics resolution and other settings by right-clicking the Windows desktop, clicking Properties, and selecting the Settings tab. Check the Screen Resolution slider bar and the graphics card model to confirm that they are as expected. When this kind of problem occurs in a game, driver software could be at fault. Go to the vendor's Web site for the most recent driver. Sometimes, an older, more stable driver may produce better results than the latest version.You might also check for a patch to the game.
Photograph: Rick RiznerModerate: If the screen has become extremely dim or has acquired a red or blue cast, a loose or damaged cable may be allowing only a portion of the intended signal through. Also check the pins in the VGA cable plug to see if they are bent--you can use a pair of needle-nose pliers to gently straighten pins before reconnecting the cable. If you have a CRT monitor and the image appears wavy, a likelier culprit is a magnetic field emanating from a speaker, clock, or second monitor and scrambling your CRT. Try moving any electric devices farther from the display.
Dire: Do you have a CRT monitor that periodically loses focus or makes popping noises? Or has your LCD screen grown very dim or begun flickering annoyingly? If twiddling with controls and (in the case of CRTs) manually degaussing the display does not work, there's a good chance your monitor is preparing to shuffle off this mortal coil. Take it in for service or replace it.
Symptom: There is no visible graphics output.
Minor: Best case, you twiddle the cables or open the PC to reseat the card, and fix what had been a poor connection. If you just hooked up the monitor, make sure that you plugged it into the correct port. Many graphics cards sport both analog VGA and Digital Video Interface output connectors.
Moderate: If the simple corrective actions fail, check for heat buildup from a failed graphics chip fan--especially if the screen goes dark after a period of operation. Again, the Motherboard Monitor utility provides a real-time display of case temperatures. Also, after allowing things to cool a bit, open the case and boot the PC; then check whether all fans are working and all vents are clear.
Dire: If these steps fail you, narrow down the source of the problem by plugging a different working monitor into the card. If the new display is blank as well, you may have a fried graphics card. Another clue: If at boot time you can't see even the POST output (the text that displays before Windows loads), the problem could be serious. Of course, if the second monitor works perfectly, the trouble is almost certainly in the display.
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