Monitor Shut Down

[Ruroni]

I have 2 monitors one is a generic behemoth of a monitor 21? and the other is a 19inch Sony HMD-A400. The Sony is the one that shuts down. (We?re talking single display mode)

I boot up the machine, and go about my business for a short amount of time, and then the monitor shuts off (kind of like energy saver power down, except that?s not it, because it shut down in the middle of me doing something and it doesn?t recover after moving the mouse or hitting the keyboard, and the amount of time between boot up and monitor shut off is fairly random).

The machine remains on. What I had been doing for sometime was blindly rebooting, but that wasn?t very efficient since it would only be a short matter of time before the monitor would shut off again. However I discovered another work-around...

I found that if I plugged in the 21? monitor, in place of the Sony, I?d regain visual.

Furthermore I discovered that using a DVI to VGA adapter I plug the Sony into the DVI port. And using the Display properties I enable the Sony, and make it the primary, then disable and shut down the 21? monitor (unless of course, I want dual display).

Once I shut down or reboot, the same thing happens; the monitor shuts down. And to fix it, I reverse the role, that is the 21? goes into the DVI port (using the adapter) and the Sony goes back to VGA.

After the work around is applied the monitor pretty much stays on indefinitely. Sometimes it will shut down, if I let energy saver shut down the monitor for me (after an idle hour).

I?ve noticed that only the Sony is the one to shut down, and it appears to shut down only in SINGLE display mode. At least, thus far I?ve not noticed the Generic 21? shut down, and I?ve noticed neither shut down when in dual display mode.

I had done some searching, and for the most part, anyone having a similar problem has been advised that it?s a heating issue. Although there are people who attest that the latest Catalyst drivers do cause some extra heating obviously that?s not entirely what?s at fault here, otherwise my work around would fail.

I?m not sure what all I can conclude from this. I think it would be a bit hasty to deduce that either the Video Card or the monitor is at fault, since technically speaking, they both work... This started happening after I installed the Catalyst drivers 5.1 (or point Zero; I can?t remember). What I do know is that I formatted my computer and reinstalled windows and cats 4.10 (the ones I had prior to this issue) and the problem persists. I have thought about trying catalyst 5.2, but quite frankly, I?m frightened.

Any grandmaster here knows what could the problem be?

 

[stevty2889]

That's pretty odd. Instead of blind rebooting, have you tried unplugging the monitor for a few minutes, and then plugging it back in when this is occuring? If you do that, and it comes back on, it may be that the monitor is overheating. I would also check the pins on the cable, to make sure none are bent or pushed in slightly.

 

[Ruroni]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
That's pretty odd. Instead of blind rebooting, have you tried unplugging the monitor for a few minutes, and then plugging it back in when this is occuring? If you do that, and it comes back on, it may be that the monitor is overheating. I would also check the pins on the cable, to make sure none are bent or pushed in slightly.

Originally posted by: Ruroni
using a DVI to VGA adapter I plug the Sony into the DVI port. And using the Display properties I enable the Sony, and make it the primary, then disable and shut down the 21? monitor (unless of course, I want dual display).

Once I shut down or reboot, the same thing happens; the monitor shuts down. And to fix it, I reverse the role, that is the 21? goes into the DVI port (using the adapter) and the Sony goes back to VGA.

If the monitor were overheating, wouldn't it shut off again after the work around? But it doesn't shut off, even after hours&hours of use, although I perform the work-Around immediately. And as for the Pins; if they are bad, why wont it shut down consistently; (irregardless of which port I plug it into,DVI or VGA) after the work around?

If it were the Pins, since the cable is not removable, there is no fixing it is there (besides trying to adjust the pins with needle nose pliers or a flat head screw driver)?
Update

Originally posted by: Ruroni
I?ve noticed that only the Sony is the one to shut down, and it appears to shut down only in SINGLE display mode. At least, thus far I?ve not noticed the Generic 21? shut down, and I?ve noticed neither shut down when in dual display mode.

The Sony shut down in Dual mode, on my way to check this thread out; I booted up, and the Sony shut down before the browser even launched.

I simply switched the monitors connection (DVI <-> VGA) and now I'm golden.

 

[Ruroni]

I found that if I turn the monitor OFF and turn it back on, it comes back momentarily, then it shuts down again.

Does this mean my monitor is bad? Or is it the video card, since flip-flopping from VGA to DVI & DVI to VGA (depending where the monitor was to begin with) leaves me with a functioning monitor?