Requesting Monitor Help

Chases Street Demons

This is a crosspost from Moe's Tech Shack - if that's a problem a mod can close this - desperation is setting in for me.

Hey all -

I have a Samsung 220 WM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824001261

Up until a few weeks ago this monitor was a beauty. Then I experienced a motherboard failure and had to send the computer off to the shop for repairs. New Mobo, new vid cards and now the tower is back - but the monitor is failing.

Power is good, when I connect the display adapter (using white DVI cords) the monitor flashes for a split second with my desktop background, then goes black. Hitting input twice brings the image back, but only for a second or two.

Here's where it gets weird from my perspective - the image the monitor is showing is of my desktop background. There are no icons and no mouse pointer for the split second the background is up, and then it flashes to black again. I swapped power cords and DVI input cords to no avail. Tried hooking up the monitor to my wife's computer, get the same background then black. So it's something in the monitor, but I have no idea what. All documentation for the monitor is long gone. Pressing adjustment buttons on the front does nothing.

I looked the case over thoroughly and don't see anything out of place; no damage and no "press this to fix your problem" buttons. The only thing of interest is a small slot on the back which has an icon of a lock with ">|" inside. This leads me to believe that this somehow opens the monitor case - but it could also be for the death ray.

I beseech you for your help. I can go replace the monitor for 130$ or so but I suspect there's an easy fix to this.

Edit: removed some incorrect information. When the monitor flashes on I get my current desktop, with no icons and no mouse movement.

TychoCelchuuu

The slot near the lock icon doesn't open the monitor. Typically to open it you'll have to unscrew about 5 screws and pop everything apart (it helps to have something like a flat screwdriver to wedge it open). I dunno what's wrong with your monitor, though. When you hooked it up to your wife's computer, you saw your own desktop sans icons? Does it do the same thing if it's not plugged into any computer? Have you tried VGA cables?

Glirk Dient

It's very strange that the monitor displays just the desktop of both computers. I am not sure what to make of that. Try hooking up your wifes monitor to your computer to make sure your computer works. If it does then the monitor needs to be replaces. There really isn't much you can do to fix a monitor. I am unsure of what the lock thing on the back is though. Try fiddling around with the lock and see if perhaps the monitor was in lock mode. Never heard of that but worth a try at this point.

Aioua

The lock thing at the back more like a spot to attach a lock. Like your standard laptop lock deal.

Chases Street Demons

Thanks for the help all - my computer works, I hooked up a spare monitor and it's just fine. I changed the cables and everything else I can think of - guess it's time to just get a new monitor.

AtomBomb

Aioua wrote: »

The lock thing at the back more like a spot to attach a lock. Like your standard laptop lock deal.

Yeah, it's a Kensington lock slot. It's great to keep people that don't know how scissors work from stealing your monitor.