help!!!! computer screen is extremely dark

[orleans]

and i can barely see this to type. i have a samsung syncmaster 174v and the contrast & brightness adjustment doesn't help.

it was a very dark screen after i woke the computer up from a sleep.

does someone know what i can do or have any suggestions???

i looked on the samsung website and they don't even list this type of monitor (at least as far as i can see)

please help!!!

[Moochy]

1. reboot!

Try your monitor on another computer if possible. Also is it dark when the computer boots too? if so the monitor is most likely fried.(ie. the windows logo and all that stuff on boot screen)

[orleans]

2. fried? oh crap!

yes, i've rebooted. several times.

this was a pricy monitor! and it's not that old (about a year i think)

i've never had a monitor burn out before.

is this what it's like?

sigh.

[Moochy]

3. Any electrical problems?

does the place you are in have good electricity? And a good surge protector? If after reboots the bios screen and all text mode screens before windows XP are dark, then it's not a configuration OS issue. it's hardware. Although, it does kind of sound like it went into sleep mode and just maybe didnt wake up. :shrug: Google around for your problem if you can still see enough! :)

Is it an LCD monitor?

And yes, its freaking frustrating when monitors die!

[orleans]

4. i was out but i don't think we had an electrical problem while i was gone

i guess it's an lcd monitor--not sure.

but it does look like it fell asleep and it's not waking up--something that happens to me sometimes.

[Moochy]

10. PC?

It's a PC right? I saw something about swapping your DVI/VGA ports.

http://discussions.hardwarecentral.com/showthread.php?t=166448

So in essence if you have a DVI input on your video card switch to using that. It's similar to SVHS vs. component video. both are tv standards, one is higher quality.

Sounds though like it may be a mode thingy.. check your monitor's front control panel and explore it.. maybe they'll be a manual powersave mode toggle.

[enlightenment]

7. Not always --

mine turn pink and green and purple first -- like they're having a seriously bad trip.
Then they turn black.
It's very metaphorical, in a frustrating kind of way.
Good luck . . . I feel your pain (really. I've gone through many a monitor).

:banghead:

[DS1]

5. check all the cables

[Salviati]

6. Try this if possible:

Go into your monitors on screen display settings (if it has one). Look for a setting called "Video Level" or something like that and select that, there may be choices as to a bunch of different voltage settings, for mine, I can choose between 0.7v and 1v. Choose the smaller setting, and that may help the problem.

Not sure if this is possible/will work on a LCD, mine's a CRT. It may be a problem with your backlight on an LCD...

[orleans]

would i find the monitor in "my computer"?

i'm looking in my computer/then program files and can't find it, my computer/then documents and settings and can't find it.

where would i look for it? do you know?

[Salviati]

13. You'd access it by pressing buttons on the monitor itself...

nothing to do with the computer, but as I had mentioned, I'm not sure if LCDs have this type of setting or not.

[miss_kitty]

8. if it's less than a year old

is it still covered by warranty, should all else fail?

[zbird]

9. Try this link. Samsung troubleshooting for lcd monitors.

http://erms.samsungusa.com/customer/sea/jsp/faqs/faqs_ars.jsp

[orleans]

11. i'm getting page cannot be displayed on this link

and when i click on the esm.samsung.com it doesn't go through. but thanks anyway.

[zbird]

12. I cut and pasted the info here for you.

If the screen on your LCD monitor has gone dark, is discolored, or won't display properly, you first need to find out if the problem is with the monitor or something else.

Your monitor provides a self test feature that allows you to check whether your monitor is functioning properly.

To run the self test, follow these steps:

Turn off both your computer and the monitor.
Unplug the video cable from the back of the computer.
Turn on the monitor. Depending on your monitor, one of the Check Signal Cable figures shown below appears.
Note: While in the Self-Test mode, the LED power indicator remains green and the Check Signal figure moves around on the screen.



Failure of any Check Signal figure to appear indicates a problem with your monitor. Also, if you see the second Check Signal figure, the failure of any one of three colored rectangles to appear within it (as shown in the example above), indicates a problem with your monitor.

Note: The Check Signal Cable figures also appear during normal operation if the video cable becomes disconnected or damaged.

Turn off your monitor and reconnect the video cable.
Turn on both your computer and the monitor. If you have seen the Check Signal Cable figures and, in the case of the second figure, the three colored rectangles during the self-test, and your monitor screen remains blank, dark, or discolored, the problem is probably with your video controller, video cables, video card, or computer system. Your monitor is functioning properly.
If your monitor is functioning properly, and it's still dark or not displaying correctly after you re-attach the video cable, try the following:

Check the video cable between the monitor and the computer and make sure both ends are fully and securely connected.
Check the video card in your computer and make sure it is fully and securely inserted.
Download and install the most current video drivers for your video card.
Turn off your computer and reboot into Safe Mode. If the monitor displays in Safe Mode, reset the monitor's refresh frequency to 60 Hz. After you have reset the refresh frequency, reboot into standard mode.
Try adjusting the brightness or other functions using the OSD menu. For instructions, click HERE.
If you did not see a Check Signal Cable figure, your monitor needs service. To arrange for a service appointment, call Samsung Customer Care at 1-800-SAMSUNG (1-800-726-7864). Have your monitor's model number and serial number on hand when you call.