Help me solve these issues!

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IzZzy

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I've been battling to solve these two issues with my PC. At first I thought they were unrelated, but this might not be the case. myBB is my last resort before I sell this PC for parts and buy a PS4!


First Issue:

My current set up is a 27" LG LED LCD monitor and an EVGA GTX 770 card (connected by HDMI). My mobo is a MSI p67a-c43. I run Windows 7.

About 3 months ago, my monitor would flash black for about one second, and then return to normal once every three hours or so. It was a minor irritation but I thought nothing further about it.

Fast forward to this weekend: The flashes occur in multiples of about 8 or so, then the PC works normally for 30 seconds and the flashes start again. It is now impossible to use the PC.

It almost seems as if there is something running within windows itself (because the problem persists in safe mode etc - see below) which is causing the monitor to flicker like this. The flicker is the same as that when the resolution is changed (it is still the same after flickers) so it may be changing between 59Hz and 60Hz.

Steps I have taken include:

1) Restarting :)
2) Pulling out the HDMI cable and pushing it back in again.
2) Reinstalling my graphics drivers with the latest version off Nvidia website.
3) Installing an old version of the graphics drivers.
4) Formatting my SSD and other HDD (which also had programs installed to it) and reinstalling windows.
5) Updating all drivers in relation to the MSI mobo (BIOS, chipset etc etc).
6) Searching for fixes for errors listed in events, and applying those fixes off Microsoft website.
7) Booting into safe mode.
8) Booting into 'selective start up' with only windows services loaded.
9) Uninstalling all graphics drivers and using default windows drivers.

I really am at the end of my tether here. I would get immense satisfaction from driving over this PC!


Second Issue:

I used a RAT 7 for over a year. Then suddenly one day the computer refused to register the mouse's movements. The buttons still worked fine. My solution was to pull the cord out the USB slot on the mobo and reinsert it. This fixed the problem and the mouse would work again. Until one day it didn't anymore.

I thought the mouse was on the fritz and so swapped it with a R50 cheapie.

The cheapie worked for about a day, and I've had to resort to pulling out the mouse USB cable everytime my PC switches on. Now that I think about it, it was about the same time my monitor started flashing. I am not sure whether this is related or not.

Is there anyone that can help me with my two issues?

I've trawled potential solutions on the web without much luck :(
 
For the first issue try booting from a Linux live CD. If the problem still occurs then its a hardware issue.

If its a hardware issue then try a different monitor

Its a LG LED LCD monitor? :confused:
 
PsyWulf said:
Tried a different screen?
Click to expand...

Don't have one, but can make a plan to borrow one.


gregmcc said:
For the first issue try booking from a Linux live CD. If the problem still occurs then its a hardware issue.

Its a LG LED LCD monitor? :confused:
Click to expand...

Do you kindly have a link to download the Linux live software to copy to CD?

Hah. It's an LED IPS monitor, sorry.
 
Have you tried replacing the HDMI cable?

@ a client of mine:

went to sort out a software problem
as I moved around a lil(we all do when sitting working) the screne would go black, then on again. After a few like that... I realised that I bumped the desk, gently then it goes black. Leaning with 1 hand on desk to take out a flash drive from the PC even caused this.

Reseating the cable into PC and into monitor worked. It was loose at the monitor end. You have reseated the cable, you said, so changing it would be a first step before changing monitors or even GPUs....

The cable should be under R100.


edit:
If I remember properly... The cable can also be used to connect the PS4 to some TVs, so not a waste if the cable is bought, and the problem persists. :p
 
Last edited:
Venomous said:
Have you tried replacing the HDMI cable?

If I remember properly... The cable can also be used to connect the PS4 to some TVs, so not a waste if the cable is bought, and the problem petsists. :p
Click to expand...

Overlooked this step in my fury :) Will try the spare HMDI cable tonight, thanks :)
 
Definitely sounds like hardware issues to me, as you've tried all the right fixes on the software side, which hasn't made any difference.

For problem 1:

- I suspect it is a problem with your graphics card. Try plugging your monitor into the onboard graphics card (which probably only has a VGA port). You might need to configure your BIOS to use the onboard graphics card as your primary.
- Try a different graphics card if possible (grab one from an old PC?), but first try the steps below which are less work.
- Try using a different/new HDMI cable.
- Boot into BIOS and see if the screen still flickers. No need for a Linux CD. If it does, you have a hardware issue.
- Plug your monitor into another PC/laptop/gaming console. If the problem persists, it's the monitor. If not, its your graphics card.
- Plug another monitor into your PC. If the problem persists, its likely your graphics card. If not, its your own monitor.

For problem 2:

- Boot into BIOS, and check if your mouse works fine there. Obviously this would depend on whether your Mobo and BIOS support using a mouse in BIOS ub the first place. Many modern BIOSs do.
- Try both your mice in a different PC/device. You could try another PC, laptop, gaming console, media player, etc.. Anything running an intelligent OS and that has a USB port should support a USB mouse.
- Try different USB ports on your PC (front and back). Try plugging your mouse into an AC-adapter powered USB hub, and then plugging the hub into different ports on your Mobo.

In conclusion, I suspect that both problems are related to hardware issues with your PC / mobo / graphics card. Did you experience any power surges or lightning strikes recently? Is your PC sufficiently protected on the power side, or is it plugged directly into the mains?
 
Last edited:
Saajid said:
./snip

In conclusion, I suspect that both problems are related to hardware issues with your PC / mobo / graphics card. Did you experience any power surges or lightning strikes recently? Is your PC sufficiently protected on the power side, or is it plugged directly into the mains?
Click to expand...


Interesting question re: lightning strikes. In the last year I've replaced two routers from surges over from the telephone line. I subsequently bought a surge protector for the telephone line, which the PC plugs into as well. A while back I was reaching to unplug the PC when lightning hit the surge protector right infront of me and blew it.

My PC still started up fine etc, but it is a good possibility that the PC was hit.

Thanks for your suggestions - will be trying them out tonight.
 
Just an update: Plugged the same HDMI cable + monitor into a laptop and they work fine :(

However, when I plugged the cable back into the HDMI slot on the graphics card, the flickering stopped. Granted I only had time to use the PC for 10 minutes last night so I must test if the flickering returns after the PC has heated up / under load.
 
For the mouse issue you can also delete the USB drivers related to the mouse in device manager, then restart and Windows should reinstall them for you. This might help.
 
Sounds like your motherboard is slightly damaged...

I've had similar issues with lightning strikes. My current motherboard does not like to be switched off. It just restarts after a couple minutes. I have to physically switch off at the power supply.
 
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