Arg!! Screen keeps going out!!

[Vinny]

Just finished my first system.. works fine except the image keeps going out.

Just randomly, usually within every 15 min or so the monitor goes to sleep mode because it's not receiving a signal. First this only happened with DVI and to fix it, I had to switich to VGA, change the setting somehow (either the color quality or resolution) to get the image back, and then I can revert the the default settings (1680 x 1050, 32-bit color).

But now it's doing it with both DVI and VGA!

My card is a PCIe PowerColor X800GTO (256MB, 256bit) and my monitor is a Samsung 215TW.

I used the drives that came with both and will try to upgrade to the latest if the screen stays on long enough.

 

[asdasd123123]

I assume you're by the computer, moving the mouse etc when this happens?
Since you say 15 minutes, wich is the default timeout and everything.

 

[Vinny]

So far it's happened only when the mouse is still but it happens even if it's still only for a few seconds.

I turned off the monitor shut off... it was set at 20 minutes and that's why it went off. What I can'f figure out is why the monitor won't come back on.

 

[asdasd123123]

Hmm, curious error. Even for me, I've never seen it before..

The fastest trial would be connecting another monitor, perhaps it's short circuiting or something of the like.

When you're sure beyond doubt, that the monitor isn't flawed, let's go to software.

Anything installed that could possibly interfere with hardware, say mouse drivers, keyboard drivers, overclocking software etc?

Try removing software to the bare minimum.

Are you using USB for keyboard and mouse?
Try using the PS/2 connector instead.

 

[Vinny]

I'm not using any OCing software... I only have SpeedFan and ASUS Probe and as for mouse/keyboard software, I only have this Logitech SetPoint app that came wtih my MX518.

But now there's an ever bigger issue: the screen goes blank for a few seconds randomly. I have no idea why... but it goes blank and returns after a second or two.

I looked at Samsung's website and it says that if a monitor doesn't get out of sleep, then it's probably my video card or Windows and I'm not sure which it is. I'm assuming that the same thing that's causing my monitor to remain in sleep is also causing the random blanks.

 

[phreejak]

Two things come to mind, each from two different sources of possiblities.

First, what is your PSU? How about some system specs here.... One reason could be an underpowered GPU (low amperage for instance or low wattage - especially if the PSU is old or cheap).

Second, this is also symptomatic of some kind of power saving feature (which is present, in some fashion, in WindowsXP and your system bios). You could check and see if some default settings could be causing the monitor to go into "sleep" mode after only a few seconds.

 

[asdasd123123]

Actually, My computer does a flat out reboot whenever I boot up Asus Probe.

Uninstall that, and the fan monitor, just as a possible source of error.

 

[Vinny]

My specs:
AMD X2 3800+
ASUS M2N-E AM2
OCZ PowerStream 600W
Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800
PowerColor X800GTO 256bit, 256MB
Seagate HDs: 320GB SATA & 300GB SATA bridged from IDE

Now my monitor goes into sleep mode when I try to go into HL2's display options. This never happened before and only started now. I am downloading something via Steam in the background as well, so that could be it. I'll try some uninstalling and stuff and see if that helps. If not, I'll RMA that GPU... it does make a funny buzz noise during start-up but a bit before I reach the desktop.

I don't think it's the montior because I've tried restarting it, keeping it off for a bit, disconnecting/reconnecting the the DVI and none of those work.