Solve : Monitor gone crazy?

1.	Solve : Monitor gone crazy?
Answer» I am using a Sony VGN-FS550. I have Ubuntu installed on the hard drive, but have the same problem when I used to run Windows XP and also now when I run Backtrack 3. The hard drive has "SMART Failure Predicted on Hard Disk 0. However, I don't think the hard drive SMART error is the problem since I load Backtrack 3 from a CD (liveCD). Everything boots up fine, I can get into any of the three operating systems and the monitor works fine. It looks like at some point something overheats. This is where the monitor problem comes in. All of the colors on the screen run TOGETHER rendering the monitor useless as there is no viewable image. The lines on the screen are moving though. Sometimes it does this right after the BIOS splash and other times it does it an hour into using the operating system. Its hard to explain what it looks like. If needed I will take a picture of it and post it up. I have no idea where to start with this, so I came here looking for help. What is Backtrack 3, and does your system act this way when you don't use Backtrack 3?S.M.A.R.T. is a built-in HDD health indicator....that deive is getting ready to fail and should be backed up immediately and replaced. You may have a week...or you may have an hour.Aegis - If you read my post, I clearly stated that it does this with all 3 different operating system. The OS is not the problem. Backtrack 3 is a Slax Linux distro. Patio - I know what SMART is. I am not concerned at all with the data on the drive, if it crashes then O well. My concern is the monitor. Does SMART correlate with the monitor discrepancy? If not, what is causing the monitor to act this way. Quote Aegis - If you read my post, I clearly stated that it does this with all 3 different operating system. The OS is not the problem. Backtrack 3 is a Slax Linux distro. You clearly stated it in your own mind. Quote but have the same problem when I used to run Windows XP Mixed past and present tense in same phrase. Someone says or types "backtrack" and I think of regression, or moving backwards, or going back to recover lost ground / lost data. "Backtrack" seems like file recovery or system recovery software to me. I thought Backtrack 3 was an application. I guess I was supposed to do an Internet search, rather than have you properly explain yourself. Sorry -- I'm not up on all of the Linux distributions out there. If you don't have an end-user problem, you've got a hardware problem. Quote You clearly stated it in your own mind. I will take that retort, as I am often guilty of this. However what does this mean to you: Quote I can get into any of the three operating systems and the monitor works fine. ? Backtrack is a penetration testing distribution of Linux. I did not explain Backtrack because it is IRRELEVANT. However you raise a good point, that I should be thorough when posting information and not assume PEOPLE know what I am talking about. The point was its not the OS by illustrating I have used several kinds. http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack.html This post is focusing to much on things that are not the problem. Aegis, I do appreciate your help, but if you don't mind can we focus our skills to produce a valuable end result. Not to be rude, but to rather be blunt, I am in the hardware section because I have a hardware problem. I am not sure if you are trying to valiant or a PITA. I'll be blunt then.................if the HDD has issues whether it boots to 3 OS's or one it can affect the video display after it runs for a time and warms up. You may also have a video card issue but i wouldn't trust testing it on a screwy HDD.Patio, you bring up some good points about the hard drive. I have removed the hard drive completely and booted from CD....the monitor still does the same thing. Therefore the hard drive has been isolated as not a contributing factor. I would borrow a known good vid card then and swap it in there to see if yours is failing... You could also hook your monitor up to another machine to rule out the monitor as a suspect... P.S. Is the fan on the card running ? ? I was able to rescue a card doing this by finding a fan with an almost exact fit...the customer got over another year out of it so was happy.You're right -- solution is the most important thing. My apologies. I've let myself become too frustrated with all the posts on here in various subjects where meanings are unclear, and the general attitude is one that places the burden of proof, so to speak, on the reader -- the reader must go out of the way to interpret what's being conveyed. The only thing I can suggest at this point is that maybe the drivers are goofy -- in the sense that, I recently downloaded what was supposed to be the latest printer driver for my older HP printer from the HP web site. It didn't work at all. The only driver that properly "drives" the printer is the original on the CD that shipped with the printer. It's an isolated incident. It's one driver, but it's also from the SOURCE -- HP -- and it didn't work.Aegis - THANK you for your help. The other day I pulled up the BIOS menu and left it there. About 30 minutes later the screen did the same thing. Could drivers be loaded even when the BIOS comes up? Patio - I took the case off the bottom of the computer and turned it on. It took about 2 minutes and the monitor started doing its crazy thing. However the CPU fan never ran once. I don't know when the fan is supposed to start, but I would venture to say when the computer starts. Is that correct? I took the fan out of the computer. Is there a way I can test the fan by itself? I was thinking of using a 9V battery. The wire colors are red (power?) black (ground?) and yellow (?). The fan is so small, is there some type of maintenance I could do to it to see if that fixes the problem? Thank you for your help you two, I really appreciate it.All CPU fans i've ever had came on at startup...are you saying this is the CPU fan or the fan on the vid card ? ?Sorry, its a fan for the CPU, I don't see a fan for the video card. Its a laptop, would the video chip need its own fan? I know its coming for PCI based video cards, but not for on board video. Do you know of a way I can test the fan with a battery or something?OK. Now we know it's a laptop. When did you notice the CPU fan not coming on at start ? ? An onboard vid chip does not use a fan. Check your power saving settings both in Control Panel and in the BIOS. You may want to visit the manuf. site and DLoad your Owners manual. Good Luck. P.S. Don't ignore that SMART warning too much longer or you stand to lose everything.

Answer»

I am using a Sony VGN-FS550. I have Ubuntu installed on the hard drive, but have the same problem when I used to run Windows XP and also now when I run Backtrack 3. The hard drive has "SMART Failure Predicted on Hard Disk 0. However, I don't think the hard drive SMART error is the problem since I load Backtrack 3 from a CD (liveCD).

Everything boots up fine, I can get into any of the three operating systems and the monitor works fine. It looks like at some point something overheats. This is where the monitor problem comes in. All of the colors on the screen run TOGETHER rendering the monitor useless as there is no viewable image. The lines on the screen are moving though. Sometimes it does this right after the BIOS splash and other times it does it an hour into using the operating system. Its hard to explain what it looks like. If needed I will take a picture of it and post it up.

I have no idea where to start with this, so I came here looking for help. What is Backtrack 3, and does your system act this way when you don't use Backtrack 3?S.M.A.R.T. is a built-in HDD health indicator....that deive is getting ready to fail and should be backed up immediately and replaced. You may have a week...or you may have an hour.Aegis - If you read my post, I clearly stated that it does this with all 3 different operating system. The OS is not the problem. Backtrack 3 is a Slax Linux distro.

Patio - I know what SMART is. I am not concerned at all with the data on the drive, if it crashes then O well. My concern is the monitor. Does SMART correlate with the monitor discrepancy? If not, what is causing the monitor to act this way.

Quote

Aegis - If you read my post, I clearly stated that it does this with all 3 different operating system. The OS is not the problem. Backtrack 3 is a Slax Linux distro.

You clearly stated it in your own mind.

Quote

but have the same problem when I used to run Windows XP

Mixed past and present tense in same phrase.

Someone says or types "backtrack" and I think of regression, or moving backwards, or going back to recover lost ground / lost data. "Backtrack" seems like file recovery or system recovery software to me. I thought Backtrack 3 was an application. I guess I was supposed to do an Internet search, rather than have you properly explain yourself.

Sorry -- I'm not up on all of the Linux distributions out there.

If you don't have an end-user problem, you've got a hardware problem. Quote

You clearly stated it in your own mind.

I will take that retort, as I am often guilty of this. However what does this mean to you:
Quote

I can get into any of the three operating systems and the monitor works fine.

?

Backtrack is a penetration testing distribution of Linux. I did not explain Backtrack because it is IRRELEVANT. However you raise a good point, that I should be thorough when posting information and not assume PEOPLE know what I am talking about. The point was its not the OS by illustrating I have used several kinds. http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack.html

This post is focusing to much on things that are not the problem. Aegis, I do appreciate your help, but if you don't mind can we focus our skills to produce a valuable end result.

Not to be rude, but to rather be blunt, I am in the hardware section because I have a hardware problem. I am not sure if you are trying to valiant or a PITA.

I'll be blunt then.................if the HDD has issues whether it boots to 3 OS's or one it can affect the video display after it runs for a time and warms up.

You may also have a video card issue but i wouldn't trust testing it on a screwy HDD.Patio, you bring up some good points about the hard drive. I have removed the hard drive completely and booted from CD....the monitor still does the same thing. Therefore the hard drive has been isolated as not a contributing factor. I would borrow a known good vid card then and swap it in there to see if yours is failing...
You could also hook your monitor up to another machine to rule out the monitor as a suspect...

P.S. Is the fan on the card running ? ?
I was able to rescue a card doing this by finding a fan with an almost exact fit...the customer got over another year out of it so was happy.You're right -- solution is the most important thing. My apologies.

I've let myself become too frustrated with all the posts on here in various subjects where meanings are unclear, and the general attitude is one that places the burden of proof, so to speak, on the reader -- the reader must go out of the way to interpret what's being conveyed.

The only thing I can suggest at this point is that maybe the drivers are goofy -- in the sense that, I recently downloaded what was supposed to be the latest printer driver for my older HP printer from the HP web site. It didn't work at all. The only driver that properly "drives" the printer is the original on the CD that shipped with the printer.

It's an isolated incident. It's one driver, but it's also from the SOURCE -- HP -- and it didn't work.Aegis - THANK you for your help. The other day I pulled up the BIOS menu and left it there. About 30 minutes later the screen did the same thing. Could drivers be loaded even when the BIOS comes up?

Patio - I took the case off the bottom of the computer and turned it on. It took about 2 minutes and the monitor started doing its crazy thing. However the CPU fan never ran once. I don't know when the fan is supposed to start, but I would venture to say when the computer starts. Is that correct? I took the fan out of the computer. Is there a way I can test the fan by itself? I was thinking of using a 9V battery. The wire colors are red (power?) black (ground?) and yellow (?). The fan is so small, is there some type of maintenance I could do to it to see if that fixes the problem?

Thank you for your help you two, I really appreciate it.All CPU fans i've ever had came on at startup...are you saying this is the CPU fan or the fan on the vid card ? ?Sorry, its a fan for the CPU, I don't see a fan for the video card. Its a laptop, would the video chip need its own fan? I know its coming for PCI based video cards, but not for on board video. Do you know of a way I can test the fan with a battery or something?OK.
Now we know it's a laptop.
When did you notice the CPU fan not coming on at start ? ?
An onboard vid chip does not use a fan.
Check your power saving settings both in Control Panel and in the BIOS.
You may want to visit the manuf. site and DLoad your Owners manual.
Good Luck.

P.S. Don't ignore that SMART warning too much longer or you stand to lose everything.

Solve : Monitor gone crazy?

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