Computer screen weirdness
Hey all, I was wondering if anyone had ever encountered or heard of an issue like this.
For the past months, about half the time I wake up my laptop, there is a light green transparent box with a yellow-green border covering the bottom 90% of the screen (I can see through it to e.g. my desktop or other windows). At the top of it, the border is perforated and constantly changing as it slowly moves down the screen. After it gets to about 75% it just disappears completely.
I know it's not a software issue because it has even covered the boot screen/BIOS on occasion. It seems to not care about what's be displayed on the screen, and it doesn't get captured with Print Screen.
I'm thinking it's a graphics card or other hardware issue but I am not sure what it could be and can't find any information on it. Has anyone heard of this or know what it might be? So far it's not a major issue as it always dissipates before 30 seconds have passed, but I am hoping it does not get worse.
For the past months, about half the time I wake up my laptop, there is a light green transparent box with a yellow-green border covering the bottom 90% of the screen (I can see through it to e.g. my desktop or other windows). At the top of it, the border is perforated and constantly changing as it slowly moves down the screen. After it gets to about 75% it just disappears completely.
I know it's not a software issue because it has even covered the boot screen/BIOS on occasion. It seems to not care about what's be displayed on the screen, and it doesn't get captured with Print Screen.
I'm thinking it's a graphics card or other hardware issue but I am not sure what it could be and can't find any information on it. Has anyone heard of this or know what it might be? So far it's not a major issue as it always dissipates before 30 seconds have passed, but I am hoping it does not get worse.
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That could be a few things. The graphics card could actually be going bad, which happens. It could be the screen itself that's kicking it, or the cable that connects the two. In personal experience discoloration is more often than not due to the cable itself (for whatever reason) being fucked up. But it could be the screen or graphics card like you mentioned.
This was one of the hardest problems to troubleshoot because I didn't have parts to test with, so it was pretty much me taking an educated guess and ordering a new part and praying that I picked the right one.
But yeah if it happens on the BIOS screen then it's almost definitely a hardware issue.
This was one of the hardest problems to troubleshoot because I didn't have parts to test with, so it was pretty much me taking an educated guess and ordering a new part and praying that I picked the right one.
But yeah if it happens on the BIOS screen then it's almost definitely a hardware issue.
+1 Thumper. As far as trouble shooting this you just need an external monitor. If the issue happens on the external monitor you can rule out the internal screen or cable as having gone bad. As far as the actual card going bad, you normally see artifacts when this starts to happen. If you're not a gamer or you don't use anything that is intense on the graphics card then download some benchmark software (like 3DO Mark) to kick the crap out of your GPU.
What's the make and model of your laptop LB? Do you have any Dell or HP built in diagnostics?
What's the make and model of your laptop LB? Do you have any Dell or HP built in diagnostics?
It's been a while since I've worked on a Toshiba but I don't think they had any built in diagnostics tests for VRAM or anything. I'd go with running 3DO mark or something a few times, if it doesn't crash then it's probably not the video card itself and we can focus on the monitor or cable. Then again if you tested the system with an external monitor (reboot multiple times) and you could not recreate the issue on the other hardware then it gets really weird. If you're at this point try to determine if it only happens when you're starting the system cold or if you can get it to happen when you hit reboot after the system has fully booted, it could be a warm up issue in which case something isn't working 100% but you could live with it until the EoL for the device. Try tilting the monitor back and forth while the system is booting, if the issue is with the internal cable then we would expect to see the visual error crop up when you do this.
EDIT: I've seen BIOS updates fix weird stuff like this but stating that as a primary solution feels like a cop out. Still it's something to try. Also try to document all of the diagnostic steps you've taken so you know what you've tested already.
EDIT: I've seen BIOS updates fix weird stuff like this but stating that as a primary solution feels like a cop out. Still it's something to try. Also try to document all of the diagnostic steps you've taken so you know what you've tested already.
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My first thought is a bad screen: you smashed it, it has just gone bad with time, or mabey a wire is loose in the hardware.
I guess if software fixes don't work, you could find an expert on hardware to take the thing apart... unless it's external.
I guess if software fixes don't work, you could find an expert on hardware to take the thing apart... unless it's external.
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@Computergeek01: I think there is a misunderstanding. When I say 'wake up' I mean the computer is already on but the screen is off, and I move the mouse and it 'wakes up' by turning the screen on. It covered the BIOS and startup screen once when my computer came out of hibernation, I have never seen it happen on startup from being turned off other than hibernation.
It's not a major issues since it goes away by itself in under 30 seconds, I was just hoping it would not get worse.
It's not a major issues since it goes away by itself in under 30 seconds, I was just hoping it would not get worse.
You're killing me LB. A computer doesn't POST when it comes out of hibernation, it restores itself to it's previous state (hybernation) or it just resumes execution (sleep mode). You shouldn't see a POST screen such as "Press F2 for setup" or "Press F12 for Startup Options". So video drivers are back on the table. Do you have the latest Catalyst driver?
As far as the possibility of things getting worse depending on the specific problem and the state your PC was in when it went to sleep it might crash when you go to bring it back up; but if it hasn't happened already then I don't suspect it to be an issue. I don't think that this is a hardware problem but if you have access to an external monitor from a computer lab or something that would be a good test to confirm it.
As far as the possibility of things getting worse depending on the specific problem and the state your PC was in when it went to sleep it might crash when you go to bring it back up; but if it hasn't happened already then I don't suspect it to be an issue. I don't think that this is a hardware problem but if you have access to an external monitor from a computer lab or something that would be a good test to confirm it.
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| Computergeek01 wrote: |
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| You're killing me LB. A computer doesn't POST when it comes out of hibernation, it restores itself to it's previous state (hybernation) or it just resumes execution (sleep mode). You shouldn't see a POST screen such as "Press F2 for setup" or "Press F12 for Startup Options". |
You're right I apologize, hibernation and sleep mode are more different then I thought for a moment. It may also be a power issue, have you noticed a difference in the occurrences if you plug it into the wall vs resuming from battery power? I still don't think it will cause any major issues but now I'm curious.
I use my laptop as a portable desktop PC, so I have the battery out at all times and it always has wall power. It has happened to me both at my house and at my dorm so it's not an issue with the particular wall socket.
Sleep doesn't power off the computer, it just idles it. Hibernation saves the state to the drive and powers the machine off entirely, so you should see a POST screen when powering back on from hibernation.
My original opinion still stands, though. If it's not a major issue to you then don't worry too much about it.
My original opinion still stands, though. If it's not a major issue to you then don't worry too much about it.
I know, I am just answering Computergeek01's questions for my health. (Because if I don't answer them it makes me anxious).
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Hey, maybe you are imagining it the whole time! Maybe you have some obscure mental disease! </weirdness>
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