Horizontal lines on monitor

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A friend with a Compaq Presario running WIN ME with a Nvidia Vanta LT video adapter is getting horizontal lines on her monitor. They do not show up as pronounced when she just has her desktop up but when she opens Outlook Express, all the lines and boxes show lines that kind of look like shadows. They extend to both sides of the monitor screen. When the connection manager comes up in the center of the screen, there is a shadowy extension of the box to both sides. I have updated the video driver and have changed the various display settings with no luck. Any other suggestions?

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First process of elimination: check the display settings haven’t got accidentaly munged.
Second: can she borrow another monitor to test it is not hers on its way out?

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Can you define “accidentally munged”?

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Trebor, you should follow the above suggestions, but I can tell you that I’ve got a 17″ sitting on the floor next to my other computer that had the EXACT symptoms you describe. I too tried all manner of settings adjustments, both in Windows and the monitor, including degaussing. Mine was pretty conclusively the monitor since it was attached to a KVM and looked the same way on both computers. I’d guess swapping in a (temp) monitor will tell the story.

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Trebor, you should follow the above suggestions, but I can tell you that I’ve got a 17″ sitting on the floor next to my other computer that had the EXACT symptoms you describe. I too tried all manner of settings adjustments, both in Windows and the monitor, including degaussing. Mine was pretty conclusively the monitor since it was attached to a KVM and looked the same way on both computers. I’d guess swapping in a (temp) monitor will tell the story.

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Sorry – “munged” meaning distorted, mixed up, or otherwise changed to an unacceptable setting.

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Sorry – “munged” meaning distorted, mixed up, or otherwise changed to an unacceptable setting.

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To follow on from Viking’s point, is this an LCD monitor?

LCDs have a native resolution, that is to say an optimal resolution the monitor is designed for. With most, it tends to be either 1280×1024 or 1024×768. Setting the monitor to anything other than its native resolution can produce effects similar to those you describe.

Please, report back if there are any developments.

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To follow on from Viking’s point, is this an LCD monitor?

LCDs have a native resolution, that is to say an optimal resolution the monitor is designed for. With most, it tends to be either 1280×1024 or 1024×768. Setting the monitor to anything other than its native resolution can produce effects similar to those you describe.

Please, report back if there are any developments.

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Can you define “accidentally munged”?

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First process of elimination: check the display settings haven’t got accidentaly munged.
Second: can she borrow another monitor to test it is not hers on its way out?

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I assume this is a CRT type monitor, not an LCD?

Some monitor tubes develop residual magnetism and will distort the display in varying degrees.
Is there a DeGaussing key or setting on the monitor or with the software? If so, try to degauss the tube.
Lacking a setting being way out of line for that particular monitor, as Leif said, I think the best way would be substituting the video card and or monitor if at all possible.

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I ran across a 17″ CRT at work last week that is showing something similar. At the top of the screen there are about a dozen thin white lines, approximately 1/8″ apart. The top one goes completely across the screen, and as you go down the display, each line gets a little bit shorter at each end. Degaussing with the monitor’s “built-in” controls didn’t help. Does this sound like something that a tech could adjust away, or degauss some better way, or is the monitor likely to be dying?

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How old is the monitor? It seems likely the monitor is failing if degaussing doesn’t work. Can you try to swap the monitor with a ‘spare’ (or just borrow someone’s for few minutes)?

Joe

--Joe

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Oh, I swapped in a different monitor the day I saw the problem. No lines on the replacement. Problem monitor is a Compaq, just 2 or 3 years old. The service company we use charges $125 a visit, so I don’t want to even call them if the likelihood is that the monitor needs parts, or isn’t repairable at all. One of my parts vendors has “gently used” Sony Trinitron CRT’s for $60 each.

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How old is the monitor? It seems likely the monitor is failing if degaussing doesn’t work. Can you try to swap the monitor with a ‘spare’ (or just borrow someone’s for few minutes)?

Joe

--Joe

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John,
By your description, your monitor is loosing vertical sweep. ( the ability of the sweep circuits to completely fill the screen top to bottom. ) Horizontal sweep would be left to right screen fill.
Sometimes, repeat sometimes, this can be adjusted out but can result in distortion in the view of the display. The display would be oval shaped instead of linear.
Since substitution of the monitor proved it to be indeed a monitor problem, I would look around for a replacement. That person offering “gently used” tubes, ( whatever THAT means ) might be worth a look but only if you consider him to be reliable and offer some sort of guarantee if the tube was used more than gently!!
The price of new 17″ tubes have come down in price quite a bit, and so have 19″ CRT types. At least you would have a better chance of dealing with a manufacturer than with the gently used salesman. Shop around.

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John,
By your description, your monitor is loosing vertical sweep. ( the ability of the sweep circuits to completely fill the screen top to bottom. ) Horizontal sweep would be left to right screen fill.
Sometimes, repeat sometimes, this can be adjusted out but can result in distortion in the view of the display. The display would be oval shaped instead of linear.
Since substitution of the monitor proved it to be indeed a monitor problem, I would look around for a replacement. That person offering “gently used” tubes, ( whatever THAT means ) might be worth a look but only if you consider him to be reliable and offer some sort of guarantee if the tube was used more than gently!!
The price of new 17″ tubes have come down in price quite a bit, and so have 19″ CRT types. At least you would have a better chance of dealing with a manufacturer than with the gently used salesman. Shop around.

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I ran across a 17″ CRT at work last week that is showing something similar. At the top of the screen there are about a dozen thin white lines, approximately 1/8″ apart. The top one goes completely across the screen, and as you go down the display, each line gets a little bit shorter at each end. Degaussing with the monitor’s “built-in” controls didn’t help. Does this sound like something that a tech could adjust away, or degauss some better way, or is the monitor likely to be dying?

Reply | Quote

I assume this is a CRT type monitor, not an LCD?

Some monitor tubes develop residual magnetism and will distort the display in varying degrees.
Is there a DeGaussing key or setting on the monitor or with the software? If so, try to degauss the tube.
Lacking a setting being way out of line for that particular monitor, as Leif said, I think the best way would be substituting the video card and or monitor if at all possible.

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I assume that you are NOT referring to the two lines on Trinitron monitors that divide the screen horizontally into thirds, and are physical thin wires on the inside surface of the CRT? You are talking about LOTS of horizontal lines?

John

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Yes I am talking about LOTS of horizontal lines – they are more like shadows or extensions of lines that are supposed to be there. This is a CRT monitor. I will try the degaussing and will swap out the monitor with another to see what happens. Thanks to everyone for their help.

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Yes I am talking about LOTS of horizontal lines – they are more like shadows or extensions of lines that are supposed to be there. This is a CRT monitor. I will try the degaussing and will swap out the monitor with another to see what happens. Thanks to everyone for their help.

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I assume that you are NOT referring to the two lines on Trinitron monitors that divide the screen horizontally into thirds, and are physical thin wires on the inside surface of the CRT? You are talking about LOTS of horizontal lines?

John

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It was the video card. I replaced the video card and all is well. Thanks for all your help.

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