Yesterday, while working, my monitor suddenly went dark and light again a couple of times. Then all the reds changed to grey-shades. It came back normal briefly, but every time I've switched it on again since, I have no reds on the display at all.

I haven't changed any settings (I was typing at the time) and there is no new equipment involved whatsoever.

It's a Packard Bell, several years old, I think 17".

Please help. I hope I don't need to buy a new monitor...

Thanx, Franny

Have you tried to degauss? Have you checked the graphics card drivers? It could be a graphics card problem or the monitor has seen the end of its days.

Originally Posted by Jaynee

Have you tried to degauss?

most modern monitors automatically degauss the CRT whenever you turn on the monitor.

try another monitor if you can or your monitor on another machine

Also check the Device Manager: RT click My Computer then click Manage then Device Manager or go to start/run/ devmgmt.msc for any "!"

Also check your settings via Control Panel | Display | Settings

If you see no errors & or cannot change settings then go to start/run/ dxdiag
Look under Display & if no errors appear there then at least note what is listed under Device as well as Driver & post back.

Also try to boot into Safe Mode options by tapping the F8 key after Computer Logo screen before Windows loads. From the option screen choose to boot into VGA mode. At this point just check to see if this changes your issue in any way.

Hi jephree & all,

I have tried all the things you've said, but they don't make a difference.
I ran the dxdiag and this is what it said:
Device:
Name: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400 (Microsoft
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce2 MX/MX 400
DAC: Integrated RAMDAC
Approx. Total Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 640 x 480 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor

Drivers:
Main Driver: nv4_disp.dll
Version: 6.14.0010.5673 (English)
WHQL Logo’d: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
VDD: n/a
DDI: 9 (or higher)

The notes on that page also say “no problems found”, and there were no errors elsewhere either.

Thanx for your help so far. Franny

I would try installing the latest driver:

Version: 71.89
Release Date: April 14, 2005
WHQL Certified

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_71.89.html

Driver Installation Hints

"Download Accelerator" utilities should be disabled when downloading any drivers.
Do not run virus protection software in the background while installing the drivers. This prevents the driver from configuring itself properly.
Before installing new drivers make sure you uninstall all NVIDIA display drivers from the Windows Control Panel. Browse to the Start Menu > Windows Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and search for "NVIDIA Windows Display Drivers" or "NVIDIA Display Drivers" and select remove.

Also:

Boot the computer to Safe Mode options (F8 after BIOS) & choose:
"Enable VGA Mode".
Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
Find your graphics card driver package & uninstall.
While in Control Panel, go to System, Hardware, Device Manager.
Expand (Click +) besides Display Adapter,
Right Click your graphics card, Choose Properties, Drivers, uninstall.
Reboot the Machine - It will re-detect your graphics card.
Then re-install the drivers.

If this doesn't help I would highly suspect your monitor.

As mentioned earlier try a different monitor on this computer or this monitor on another computer to verify.

Jephree,

thank you very much for your advice. Unfortunately, that hasn't helped.
Interestingly, while in Display Settings, etc., I'm not getting any red shades, when I went into the monitor's menu to degauss (& brightness, etc.), the red colour bar was as vivid as ever. So the monitor is capable of displaying red, just not on the main screen, it seems...

Any other tips?

Thanx, Fran.

just a thought have you got any other equipment near the monitor...ie speakers, mobile phone, TV these could be causing EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference)

After considering what brain_damage wrote, & BTW, this magnatism issue can also arise from moving a CRT monitor while it is powered on.
You are discombobulating its' magnetic reference.

Otherwise possibly:

Completely unplug the monitor.

Boot the computer without it.

Just wait several minutes then Power Off.

Re-plug & screw in the monitor plug.

Boot.

I know theres some other advice above, but another reason why this could have happened was a bent pin or something. It's a little wierd considering you didnt remove the cable, but check to see if any of the pins are bent, and make sure you screw the screw thingies (lol) into the VGA slot. Not too tight, but enough to keep it securely in place. It could ALSO be the lead itself, coming from your video card to the monitor, that's whats happened with my brothers, although he's had the lead bent and knotted for a while, now he needs a new one.

At school the monitors sometimes loose a colour, hitting them hard on one side normally fixes that something internal, but i'm not sure what