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Gray "shadow lines" across screen

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yalamo

Technical User
Sep 22, 2002
244
IL
All of a sudden, the darker horizontal portions of the picture on my screen (text lines, any contrasting colored segment) have started to cause gray horizontal "shadows" that extend across the whole screen. Very annoying.

Does anyone what the cause is? Does it mean the high voltage supply is going? Do I need a new monitor or is there a fix? The monitor I have is almost 3 years old.

I use Windows 98SE.
 

We had similar problems like this back at my old company. I think they were old ati rage cards and the only solution was to replace the video card with a new one that cleaned it up.

That's been my only exposure to this kind of problem.

Good luck!

 
Need more information....

What make of video card?
What make of monitor?
Where are the lines?
How far apart are they?

I would agree with edemiere but I have seen in the past similar problems caused by incorrect monitor settings and also failing trinitron monitors starting to loose the shadow mask. In a case like that you need a new monitor.
Can you try another monitor on the system or that monitor on a different system just ot be 100% sure?

Regards
 
edemiere and mjdoherty, thanks a lot!

My system is a generic one. The monitor is made by LITEON and the video card is a generic that just says "2D/3D Graphics and Video Accelerator" on the user manual.

The lines are the same height as the text lines and extend horizontally across the whole screen. The look like a blurred ghost of the text line (somewhat like a TV ghost, but they are all just gray lines). That's about the best way I can describe it. Very annoying, but the screen is still readable.

Trying my monitor on another system, or my system on another monitor is a good idea, but difficult, since I don't have anyimmediate access to another system.
 
I encountered a similar problem on a customer's computer. It was occurring on both a CRT and flat screen LCD monitor. After reviewing the posts here I replaced the video card and the problem was solved. Thanks to all!

-Stephen
 
Similar effects can occur if monitor settings are too high,
particularly monitor refresh rate, to discount settings as the cause set the display to something like 800x600 @ 60htz, if the problem disappears your settings were behond the monitors capabilities.
Martin

Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
 
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