LCD Flicker. And windows won't keep changes to the display settings!

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photoguy_222

Dear experts,


I've seen some really strange behavior lately, like I've
never seen before.

I have a Dell 4600, with an Nvidia Geforce 5200 card in it.
To date, I've used a simple CRT monitor from Dell.
But this week, I bought an LCD screen from Sony.

There was some flicker. So, I downloaded the latest
drivers and everything from NVidia, and installed
everything. There still was flicker. So, I
decided to compare.


I also have a Sony laptop, and an LCD TV. I use
my Laptop to play DVDs on the TV. I took the 4600
downstairs, and plugged it into the TV. It had
weird display setting when I logged in, but I
changed them and it worked fine. No flicker on
the TV.

I also brought the LCD display downstairs, and
tried it with the same 4600 computer there.
Interestingly enough, no flicker.

So, what is causing the flicker with the LCD?

I also have another desktop, with an ATI card, that
sits right beside the 4600, and it doesn't give flicker
with the LCD. (I use a KVM switch to move between computers.)

So, the location makes a difference.
Upstair flicker
downstairs no flicker

But, why would I also not get flicker with the other
machine, right beside it? Strange!

The machines are XP/Linux dual boot. On the 4600,
it also flickers in Linux.

I read that perhaps the power source might have something to
do with it. So, I ran an extension from the main floor
upstairs. No difference.


So, if that is not enough, today when I boot the 4600,
the video settings are off. They are the same as they
were with the LCD TV. I change them back. And when I
reboot, they go back to what they were with the LCD TV!

What a bother!


Questions

1)
How do I set the video settings so that they stay as I
set them? when I reboot, they are the same as what I
set them to.

2)
Any ideas on what is causing the flicker?
 
Check the refresh rate in Display Settings of Control Panel. It is more
than likely set to 75 or so. Change it to 60 to stop the flicker.
 
With the ATI drivers the settings you'll see without forcing the issue will
depend on the .INF file for the monitor. So the next question is, are the
settings ones that the monitor supports? Whether or not the GeForce works
this way it's best to have the proper .INF file. If the monitor didn't come
with one get it from MFG website. If Windows doesn't detect the monitor
change check Device Manager to see what the display is set for. Install the
correct .INF.

Display issues are almost always driver issues. It certainly isn't necessary
to cross post something so simple to 4 groups. Start with the video card
group. Not that familiar with Nvidia but seriously doubt it's worth
repairing anyway. Would make much more sense to get a newer card if it had a
hardware problem.
 
Dear experts,


I've seen some really strange behavior lately, like I've
never seen before.

I have a Dell 4600, with an Nvidia Geforce 5200 card in it.
To date, I've used a simple CRT monitor from Dell.
But this week, I bought an LCD screen from Sony.

There was some flicker. So, I downloaded the latest
drivers and everything from NVidia, and installed
everything. There still was flicker. So, I
decided to compare.


I also have a Sony laptop, and an LCD TV. I use
my Laptop to play DVDs on the TV. I took the 4600
downstairs, and plugged it into the TV. It had
weird display setting when I logged in, but I
changed them and it worked fine. No flicker on
the TV.

I also brought the LCD display downstairs, and
tried it with the same 4600 computer there.
Interestingly enough, no flicker.

So, what is causing the flicker with the LCD?

I also have another desktop, with an ATI card, that
sits right beside the 4600, and it doesn't give flicker
with the LCD. (I use a KVM switch to move between computers.)

So, the location makes a difference.
Upstair flicker
downstairs no flicker

But, why would I also not get flicker with the other
machine, right beside it? Strange!

The machines are XP/Linux dual boot. On the 4600,
it also flickers in Linux.

I read that perhaps the power source might have something to
do with it. So, I ran an extension from the main floor
upstairs. No difference.


So, if that is not enough, today when I boot the 4600,
the video settings are off. They are the same as they
were with the LCD TV. I change them back. And when I
reboot, they go back to what they were with the LCD TV!

What a bother!


Questions

1)
How do I set the video settings so that they stay as I
set them? when I reboot, they are the same as what I
set them to.

2)
Any ideas on what is causing the flicker?
Click to expand...

Check the KVM and all of the cables, in addition to the other
suggestions given.
 
Dear experts,


I've seen some really strange behavior lately, like I've
never seen before.

I have a Dell 4600, with an Nvidia Geforce 5200 card in it.
To date, I've used a simple CRT monitor from Dell.
But this week, I bought an LCD screen from Sony.

There was some flicker. So, I downloaded the latest
drivers and everything from NVidia, and installed
everything. There still was flicker. So, I
decided to compare.
Click to expand...

Depends, are you using the VGA cable to connect to the LCD or a DVI
cable? VGA cables are analog, while DVI are digital. This normally
wouldn't make a difference to an LCD monitor, except unless if the LCD
has a crappy analog-to-digital converter built-in, then you might see
artifacts like this when connecting through a VGA cable. There won't be
any such problem if you connect with a DVI cable, since it's all digital
all of the way.

Yousuf Khan
 
Change the refresh rate to 60 hz to stop the flicker.

That was the solution!
Geez, you are good!

Thanks a lot!!!
 
Dear experts,


I've seen some really strange behavior lately, like I've
never seen before.

I have a Dell 4600, with an Nvidia Geforce 5200 card in it.
To date, I've used a simple CRT monitor from Dell.
But this week, I bought an LCD screen from Sony.

There was some flicker. So, I downloaded the latest
drivers and everything from NVidia, and installed
everything. There still was flicker. So, I
decided to compare.


I also have a Sony laptop, and an LCD TV. I use
my Laptop to play DVDs on the TV. I took the 4600
downstairs, and plugged it into the TV. It had
weird display setting when I logged in, but I
changed them and it worked fine. No flicker on
the TV.

I also brought the LCD display downstairs, and
tried it with the same 4600 computer there.
Interestingly enough, no flicker.

So, what is causing the flicker with the LCD?

I also have another desktop, with an ATI card, that
sits right beside the 4600, and it doesn't give flicker
with the LCD. (I use a KVM switch to move between computers.)

So, the location makes a difference.
Upstair flicker
downstairs no flicker

But, why would I also not get flicker with the other
machine, right beside it? Strange!

The machines are XP/Linux dual boot. On the 4600,
it also flickers in Linux.

I read that perhaps the power source might have something to
do with it. So, I ran an extension from the main floor
upstairs. No difference.


So, if that is not enough, today when I boot the 4600,
the video settings are off. They are the same as they
were with the LCD TV. I change them back. And when I
reboot, they go back to what they were with the LCD TV!

What a bother!


Questions

1)
How do I set the video settings so that they stay as I
set them? when I reboot, they are the same as what I
set them to.

2)
Any ideas on what is causing the flicker?
Click to expand...

I replaced my very old KVM with a new one just a few days ago.
My old MAG 17" LCD display is the one which I switch. It's a 75
Hz unit and for some reason when I switched it to the newer PC
its driver kept getting reset to 60 Hz, which causes a dazzling
effect rather than flicker.

The two PCs use the same ATI x1300 256 PCIe card. After
resetting the scan rate to 75 in CCC for at least the fourth
time, it finally took and the display has been fine since.
 
I replaced my very old KVM with a new one just a few days ago.
My old MAG 17" LCD display is the one which I switch. It's a 75
Hz unit and for some reason when I switched it to the newer PC
its driver kept getting reset to 60 Hz, which causes a dazzling
effect rather than flicker.
Click to expand...

The KVM is not properly switching the monitor ID lines, only the video
lines. I think there is a way to specify that the driver ignore the
Monitor ID and just use what you specify...
 
PeterD said:
The KVM is not properly switching the monitor ID lines, only
the video
lines. I think there is a way to specify that the driver
ignore the
Monitor ID and just use what you specify...
Click to expand...

You may be right, but there is no driver with this KVM. There
is an app to allow click switching, as the chosen "scroll lock"
hot key is a problem on both of my wireless keyboards which
double up that function on a key. I don't use the app, I've
chosen to place the KVM controller box on the floor and tap the
large, top-mounted action button with my right foot.

The USB keyboard is also seen by each OS as coming and going,
and that really should not happen either. I'm going dingy from
all the dings;-)
 
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