Video flicker

[Magnum]

I have a Dell P200 with a number 9 imagine 128 series 2 video card. I have had no problems with the computer until July when the Hard Drive crashed. I replaced the hard drive and reloaded everything. All worked well for a few weeks. Now I have a problem with the monitor flickering on and off when I move my mouse or move around on the screen using the up and down keys. The faster I move the mouse the longer the screen goes blank (with an autible clicking sound). It will sometimes click off for uo to 1-2 seconds. The screen will also get red lines vertically down the screen. These will disapearif I minimize the screen and then restore it. Any suggestions?
Thanks Scott

[bassman]

Hello Magnum and welcome,
Lets start with the basics. Have you looked in Device manager for any conflicts? Have you loaded any new software? How about getting updated drivers for the video card? How old is the video card?
That should get us started

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Please let us know if what we suggest helps. This helps us help you better.

[Magnum]

I have not loaded any new software that I didn't have on it before the hard drive crash. In fact I haven't loaded most of it back on. Number nine seems to have gone out of buisness (or at least they don't have a web site anymore) and I can't find a site with updated drivers. (The system and video driver is 5 years old but worked great until recently) When I do the norton diagostics it says my video is OK. I have tried the lowest refresh rate, resolution etc w/o relief. To clarify the symptoms only happen when I am doing someing on the screen with the mouse, scrolling down a web page is the worse. When my daughter plays her kids games (simple clinking) there isn't much of a problem. I'm not sure how to check for conflicts.

[mjc]

Go to the control panel and click on the system (or system information) icon and then the tab taht says Device manager...conflit will show up as yellow exclimation points or dis abled devices as a red "X", also do the same in "safe mode" and check for duplicate drivers("ghost drivers")...and remove the duplicates...

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Magnum]

No conflicts in "regular" or safe mode.I reloaded the driver that I have on disk without success. Under driver files it lists 3.
windows\system\i2dd32.dll
windows\system\i2vxd
windows\system\i2.drv
The first one is what it is running on, I think it is the one on my disk

[Magnum]

The symptoms are now getting worse. When I type the screen now flickers. When I am on a website the lines get so bad I can't read the text. If I decrease and restore the screen size the text becomes normal until I scroll with my mouse again. Does this sound like a software problem, or is my video card burning out?

[diurnal]

See if you hook it up to another monitor, if it works , video card is ruled out, also ram and other components are ruled out.
If it doessnt then houston we have a problem.

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Sledgehammer will save the day!

[mjc]

I would also check the connections to the monitor...some monitors have cables that connect on both ends (it isn't hardwired at the monitor). If it happens more when you are typing the vibration from the keybaord on the desk may be causing a loose connection to wiggle.

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Magnum]

The connections are OK, I re-installed the software without relief. The flickering is now gettng worse and the computer often freezes when I start explorer. It is usualy OK when I re-boot. I do NOT have any flickering when I am in the safe mode using programs such as word. Does the fact that I have the problem in "regular" mode and not safe mode give any clues as to the etiology of the problem?

[YODA74]

I know you said you did the lowest refresh rate,take the refresh rate above 72Hz : for VESA flicker free refresh is 85Hz or above

what are the refresh rates that are supported at a given resolution for your monitor it should be in your manual or you will have to go to the mfg's web and down load the info,becouse we don't want to smoke your screen, but do need the info
and if you can tell me what it is set to now

(example):resolution:1,024/768
vid card:60/240
monitor:60Hz

post back with that see what we can figure out here

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Treading,Troden,Trails
HERE

[Magnum]

The monitor appears to support most resolutions at a rate ranging from 60-70. I have tried all the resolutions and refresh rates without change in symptoms.
If the video card has gone bad would you the computer work without flicker in the safe mode but give me problems in "non-safe" mode? Or does the fact that it doesn't flicker in safe tell me it is a soft ware problem?

[geebee76]

Hi Magnum,

Have a look Here for some tech. notes and drivers.



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You are making progress if each mistake is a new one!

Sig from Here

geebee76@hotmail.com

[geebee76]

Double Post...Server Errors

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You are making progress if each mistake is a new one!

Sig from Here

geebee76@hotmail.com

[This message has been edited by geebee76 (edited 11-23-2001).]

[Magnum]

After trying everything I bought a new graphics accelator for the computer. All my problems have now dissapeared (as did my excuse to buy a new computer). Thanks for everyones help.