Monitor issue on a new computer

[mujibypi]

Hi. I recently got a new Dell computer (Intel Core i5-750 processor, Windows 7, ATI Radeon HD5450 video card). My issue is that my Acer monitor (Model AL 2216W) occasionally will turn off and then turn back on. It seems to only be the monitor (the computer keeps running and I don't notice anything peculiar about it) - it's almost like the monitor goes into power saving mode and then comes back out of it after a couple of seconds.

It happens whenever I install any software and the User Account Control dialog box comes up saying "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?" - the monitor will turn off like this each time right before the dialog box comes up. However, this issue occurs at other times as well, like when I'm simply surfing the net or using another program, and I can't see a pattern for these occurrences.

The monitor is 3 years old, and it worked fine on my previous Windows XP system. I checked my monitor driver on my new computer and the computer says it is up-to-date. I looked at Acer's website and the drivers are said to support Windows XP and Vista, so I thought perhaps it is a Windows 7 compatibility problem. I called Acer and they said it is an issue with the computer, not the monitor driver. They said the monitor is plug and play and should be Win7 compatible. The agent said that I should update my video driver and maybe this would help.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Does this sound like a video card driver problem? If so, how do I update that? I'm a bit of a computer novice. I'd really appreciate help. I'd definitely prefer not to buy a new monitor, especially if the same thing happens. Thanks a lot - I've really appreciated this forum.

 

[Snakeyeskm]

It could easily be a video driver problem. Check out the following site : –
download from Guru3D.com

I would suggest that you download the following drivers: –
AMD Catalyst 10.11 Win 7 | Vista (64-bit)
They are not the latest but should work well with your card.

Follow the simple procedure shown at this site: –
GPU-33: Graphics Driver Installation Instructions for Microsoft Windows 7

Best of luck.

 

[Carl Lawrence]

My monitor does the same, but I think it is normal. Also it is best to have up-to-date graphics card drivers.

 

[TonyTiger2004]

The Real question is does it do it while your watching videos or playing Video Games? and how is the monitor connected? DVI?

 

[joebots]

I've experienced the same behavior ever since Vista, and carried over to Seven. Happens on different hardware. In my case it's utterly random. Might not happen for 2 weeks. Then it might happen twice in a single day. Saw lot of posts about it all over the internet, but no definitive answer.

 

[mujibypi]

Hi. I appreciate the responses. Thanks especially Snakeyeskm - I checked the second link you suggested (install instructions) and I input my driver info (not sure of my graphics card interface, but PCIe seemed to be the only option for a HD 4000 series card?) to find the correct driver - it suggested a newer version = AMD Catalyst 10.12 Win 7 | Vista (64-bit); you had suggested 10.11. Perhaps I should install 10.12? Here's the link I checked:


ATI Radeon

I'll respond to some of the other responses: Carl, interesting to hear that you're experiencing the same, but to me, it definitely is far from my normal experience with past systems. The monitor shouldn't just flick out for a couple of seconds. It does seem to be random, and in my case, it happens sporadically, but it occurs at least once every time I'm on the computer. If I had to guess, I'd guess that it does it when some process happens in the background.

TonyTiger, my monitor is connected via DVI. As far as occurrence when watching videos, it does happen, but it seems to occur at about the same frequency as with other uses. I can't speak to game use b/c I don't play games on my computer.


Thanks again for the responses. Snakeyeskm, please let me know what you think regarding the different driver version I found.



Peace, Christopher

 

[mujibypi]

Opps - sorry, I meant the only option for a 5000 series card. As I said, I have the ATI Radeon HD5450 video.

 

[Snakeyeskm]

10:12 is the latest and supposedly very good for the 6000 series.10:11 were fairly stable for the 5000 series. Pick your poison and best of luck.

 

[TonyTiger2004]

Unfortunately there is no Driver for your AL2216W That supports Windows 7. Thats probably why your able to use the monitor just not working 100% perfectly. Are you running x64 or x32? (I Believe your running x64) Because the only drivers avalible period for your monitor are only x32 So Perhaps the monitor isn't compatible.

I would try calling Acer tech support to verify this information personally. ( would supply number ) however my internet just buggered up.

 

[Snakeyeskm]

TonyTiger2004 may have hit the nail on the head. Since there doesn't seem to be a 64-bit driver for your monitor, it might be worthwhile tracking down the Vista driver for the AL2216WD monitor and trying that. Best of luck.

 

[mujibypi]

Thanks you guys for your support. Sorry for slow reply. I've been super busy this week, so haven't even had a chance to take any of the suggested steps. But I'm going to download the video card driver suggested by snakeyeskm, and I'll track down the monitor driver. I'm going to do one at a time, and see if it works. Any suggestions about which to try first - the video card driver or the monitor driver?

Also, I went to the website for Acer and the files available for my monitor under the drivers section seem strange. There are three files available and the file types are Security Catalog (with a .cat extension), ICC profile (.icm), and Setup Information (.inf). Is one one of these the driver? If so, what do you do once you download it to install it?

 

[TonyTiger2004]

You will download the driver files and put them into a folder say on your desktop. Remember the name of the folder of which you moved the driver files to.

Then right click my computer and click manage, then in the left pane click Device Manager.

Then expand either display adapters or monitors right click on either your monitor or video card of whichever driver files you downloaded, Click update driver software then choose manually then navigate to your desktop folder of which you placed the drivers.

(see Attached Image)

- Tony

 

[mujibypi]

Thanks Tony. I mentioned the different types of files I found on the Acer support site in my last post. Is the driver the file listed as being an ICC profile with .icm as an extension? This is all Greek to me. Not sure which one is the driver. I would have thought it would have an .exe extension or something. Also, what is .cat extension for?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm kind of a novice, especially in this area. Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.

Peace, Christopher

 

[profdlp]

The .icm file is your color settings profile. The .inf file is the monitor driver.

 

[TonyTiger2004]

The .icm file is your color settings profile. The .inf file is the monitor driver.

Yes as said the .inf wile is typically your drivers. Just use that file as i described above.

- Tony

 

[mujibypi]

Thanks everyone, again, for all the support. Here's my latest update. Tony - I followed your advice: downloaded the .inf file from Acer support and then chose to manually update the driver software. When I did this and selected the .inf file, a dialog box popped up saying:

"The best driver software for your device is already installed. Windows has determined the driver software for your device is up to date. Generic PnP Monitor"

Any advice? It didn't seem to let me choose the new software, although perhaps I did already have it?

 

[TonyTiger2004]

Thanks everyone, again, for all the support. Here's my latest update. Tony - I followed your advice: downloaded the .inf file from Acer support and then chose to manually update the driver software. When I did this and selected the .inf file, a dialog box popped up saying:

"The best driver software for your device is already installed. Windows has determined the driver software for your device is up to date. Generic PnP Monitor"

Any advice? It didn't seem to let me choose the new software, although perhaps I did already have it?

Apparently you had the latest driver, you can check the version in the settings in device manager right click on and go to properties driver info.

 

[profdlp]

I haven't had occasion to try this in Win 7, but you used to be able to right-click the .inf file and then click "Install". Then you would use the "Add New hardware" wizard and it would appear on the list of options.

Unfortunately, I think TonyTiger2004 identified the problem with his previous comment regarding 32-Bit vs 64-Bit.

 

[mujibypi]

Hi everyone. Well, knock on wood, I think one of the efforts I made has resolved the issue. I'm guessing that it was installation of the graphics card driver, following Snakeyeskm's advice. No blink-outs since that, so I'm hoping that fixes it.

Tony, thanks for all your advice and to everyone for walking me through so many different aspects of this issue. I did check the monitor driver version currently installed on my computer as you suggested, just out of interest. It lists the driver provider as being Microsoft, and lists it as version 6.1.7600.16385. I have no idea how that jibes with the driver found on Acer's website, which is listed as v1.0.0.0, which perhaps means that it's never been updated since production of the monitor?

Anyway, thanks again, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this was a complete fix.

Peace, Christopher

 

[TonyTiger2004]

Hi everyone. Well, knock on wood, I think one of the efforts I made has resolved the issue. I'm guessing that it was installation of the graphics card driver, following Snakeyeskm's advice. No blink-outs since that, so I'm hoping that fixes it.

Tony, thanks for all your advice and to everyone for walking me through so many different aspects of this issue. I did check the monitor driver version currently installed on my computer as you suggested, just out of interest. It lists the driver provider as being Microsoft, and lists it as version 6.1.7600.16385. I have no idea how that jibes with the driver found on Acer's website, which is listed as v1.0.0.0, which perhaps means that it's never been updated since production of the monitor?

Anyway, thanks again, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this was a complete fix.

Peace, Christopher

Good deal man, glad you kept us up to date with it, We're here to help and offer as many suggestions and things as we possibly can to help you and try to save you some money

- Tony