Why does screen sometimes dim/go gray/translucent?

[TambourineMan]

I just installed windows 7 64bit and have been further installing anti-malware and essential programs and drivers but have not finished (I still have unrecognized devices and am mostly using whatever drivers that Windows found on its own.

Every once in a while the entire screen will seem to dim as if you were looking through a cloud. I suspect it is some Aero effect, but I would like to know why it does that as it can happen when I am not using eithre the mouse or the keyboard. It seemingly just does it on its own. It only lasts a second or two.

Here are the details of my system:
Win 7 Ultimate x64; MSI P6N SLI Platinum; Q6600 Go stepping; stock HSF; 4GBx1 Patriot & OCZ DDR2-800; ATI AIW 2006 (x1300); (Audigy 2ZS Platinum w. bay; Hitachi 1Tb, 3x Seagate 500MB SATA2's; Lite-On DH203AH; Dell 2407WFPb 24" LCD, Enermax 600W EG701AX-VE-SFMA, Logitech Z-560 Speakers (400W); Antec Super LanBoy Aluminum Case


Device manager shows the following for my graphics card:
Radeon X1300/X1550 using ATI 4/24/09 drivers version 8.56.1.15

I have not yet tried to install catalyst drivers.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hello, Welcome!

Could you please post a screenshot of your problem?

Is UAC turned on?

Thanks,
~Jonathan

 

[TGSoldier]

I have not yet tried to install catalyst drivers.

Please do; from ati.com

 

[TambourineMan]

Thanks for the replies.

I was unfamiliar with UAC as I pretty much was able to avoid Vista. But I think my UAC setting is whats causing the entire screen to dim as I put the UAC on the setting just below the highest one and I see that if I slide it down one notch that is says the screen will not dim.

I did not think it was the graphics card or its drivers. I still have not figured out how too install catalyst drivers as my ATI AIW 2006 is not supported in the latest catalyst versions and the older ones are not Win7 compatible.

I have a lot of old stuff and still have unknown devices or even known ones that do not work despite device manager saying they're working properrly - like my Audigy 2ZS sound card or my HP 5510 printer. For now the graphics card is basically working so I am concentrating on other problem areas.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Try disabling UAC, or turning it to the next-lowest setting.

 

[TambourineMan]

I turned UAC down a notch so it is no longer set to dim my screen if something changes my settings, but I still have the problem. I am pretty sure this is not a video card related problem at this point. Something is triggering it, probably something that is hogging CPUs (quad core Q6600). I also seem to be getting a lot of hour glasses (or whatever you call that new rotating circle) and programs not responding for an unexpected amount of time. Can this be caused by system restore or indexing?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Do you think you could post a screenshot of your problem?

 

[Jverse]

I turned UAC down a notch so it is no longer set to dim my screen if something changes my settings, but I still have the problem. I am pretty sure this is not a video card related problem at this point. Something is triggering it, probably something that is hogging CPUs (quad core Q6600). I also seem to be getting a lot of hour glasses (or whatever you call that new rotating circle) and programs not responding for an unexpected amount of time. Can this be caused by system restore or indexing?

I have a lot of old stuff and still have unknown devices or even known ones that do not work despite device manager saying they're working properrly - like my Audigy 2ZS sound card or my HP 5510 printer. For now the graphics card is basically working so I am concentrating on other problem areas.

Was this a fresh install or an upgrade? From what you have stated it seems you have done an upgrade. Also, turn UAC off as suggested above and check device manager for issues.

You stated that you have "old" devices that are possible "unknown devices" in the device manager. Unplug all USB devices from the system and install one at a time.

By process of elimination and what is not working on your computer you should be able to figure out what those "unknown devices" are. Google will be your best friend on device manager issues....

Goodluck,
Jv

P.S. Try running a memory tester and then run the system with 4GB only and see what happens. Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

P.S.S. I have a hunch that your memory could be causing an issue.

 

[logicearth]

In power options is the setting set to dim the screen after inactivity?

 

[skunksmash]

sounds to me like the desktop explorer fails & then recovers itself....... ive seen this a few times on my machine, the apps will ''white out'' before returning to normal.


unfortunately i dont think there's a fix for it, not one that ive found anyway.

 

[TambourineMan]

I can't really post a screenshot of this as it is infrequent and only last for a few seconds and my reflexes aren't that fast. You could simulate what I see if you held up an illuminated piece of wax paper that is the same size of your screen and instantly put it in front of your screen and after a few seconds, instantly removed it.

This was a fresh install on windows.

I had previously run Memtest86 from a boot disk, but I suppose it's worth running again as it's been awhile and I suppose the memory could go bad.

I don't think it's due to a power setting or an inactivity timeout as it usually happens when I am actively using my computer.

I no longer have any unidentified devices in device manager.

I an trying to think if it has ever happened other than when I was using a browser as I really suspect at this point it is being caused by my anti-malware checking for viruses or spyware. I am using Spyware Doctor, G-Data and Commodo - the paid versions. When this first happened I was dumbfounded to learn I had left Windows firewall also running, but I have since turned that off and it did not help.

 

[techron]

Have your received a reply to your problem that works? I have a smiliar problem. I have messed with the Power Options every which way and than some. I have set the UAC setting to the lowest and no change - display still dims.

I have 2 User Accounts. I don't have the problem with my secondary User Account and all the Power Options are identical. The display dimming started to happen about two months ago and now it's annoying. Everything looks good with Device Manager, graphice drivers are the latest.

Anyone know where I can find the power settings in the Registry. I want to compare the User Account Settings between both Users and perhaps I can find the odd setting.

Config: Windows 7 Home Premium
HP Pavilion Desktop, Intel i7 CPU 920, 9GM DDR3 memory, 600 HD

 

[CarlTR6]

Is it your UAC kicking in? Mine does that when UAC alerts.

 

[Rik55]

Is your Graphics Card the ATI AIW 2006. It's not Win7 compatible. What drivers did you manage to install. Even if you managed to install Vista drivers under Win7, you will still have issues as it will run at WDDM 1.0 level while Win7 uses WDDM 1.1. See if Areo themed effects are on, if so drop down to Windows Basic Themed desktop. Some user have reported getting similar cards working under W7 (only install the display driver component) but they are not fully functional.