# The screen on my monitor turns pink...



## scorpio113 (Dec 8, 2000)

I have a Gateway EV910 monitor that is 2 years old. For a long time the screen would sometimes turn all yellow-to-brown and it would make it impossible to read anything on the screen. I posted about this to a number of computer tech boards and no one really seemed to know why it did it. (It's not consistant, only happens every once in awhile.) Now instead of going yellow-to-brown it is going all pink. I can't seem to find anyone else who has ever had this problem so I don't know what it could be. It has been going on (with the yellow) for over a year, the pink has just started in the last month. Again, just like the yellow, it only happens every so often but is really annoying when it does. Any suggestions will be appreciated!


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## eddie5659 (Mar 19, 2001)

Hiya

Have you tried using the monitor on a different PC? Also, have you tried using a different monitor on the problem PC?

That will help narrow things down a bit.

Lets try some things in case you haven't done either. What version of DirectX do you have?

Go to Run and type DXDIAG. In the first tab will be the version number. Also, go to Display and see if all the features are enabled.

Now, go to Control Panel | System. Device Manager, under Display will be your video card. Tell us the name, and also, are there any yellow !

Can you reboot to SafeMode with your existing monitor and see if the problem is still there.

Regards

eddie


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## scorpio113 (Dec 8, 2000)

Thank you for the fast reply, Eddie! 

Unfortunately I don't have access to another PC or monitor at all. Which I think is why it has been so hard to figure this out. I'm almost to the point of buying another monitor just to see if it still does it! 

The DirectX version I have is DirectX 8.0 (408.00.0400) 

In Control Panel, under System I don't have a thing that says Display but only Display Adapters and under that it says: NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 MODEL 64 (GATEWAY-ENGLISH) Is this the right info? 

Another problem with this is that it is so sporatic. Sometimes it won't happen for weeks and then it will happen everyday or just one day. Sometimes it lasts a minute, sometimes it will last hours. I have been in Safe Mode when it was yellowish going to brown and it hasn't changed when in Safe Mode. However, I never know when it will happen or for how long it will last. Like today, while I'm writing this it is flickering between normal and light pink every other minute. 

I do know it does it whether I'm online or not, that doesn't seem to make a difference. In fact, nothing seems to make a difference when it happens. Shutting down and restarting doesn't change it. Last year someone had suggested to me that it could be dust in the ventilation vents so I have been faithfully vaccuming (plus using compressed air) them every week. 

In every other way the monitor works fine so I'm just not sure if it's the monitor or not. It's not even really the display but the whole screen that changes color. (It's like pink over the usual blue, if you know what I mean?)

The whole PC system is a Gateway Preformance 550 if that is any help. I have a HP Deskjet 895Cse printer hooked up and a HP Scanjet 4200C hooked to it. I also have a APC 500 Back-up hooked up. I'm running Windows 98SE. I've been thinking of upgrading to XT and hoping that might have some affect on it? 

Again, any help is appreciated. When it flickers it's not too bad as far as reading but when it turns dark pink for a longer time it makes reading on the computer almost impossible. (This was worse when it would turn dark brown however.)

Thank you again!

Peggy


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## eddie5659 (Mar 19, 2001)

Okay

Lets try and work on the basis that it may be the video card. Yes, you did get the right name.

Now, if you go back in there (Device Manager) and rightclick on the video card, and choose Properties. Now, go to the Driver tab and look at the version. Is it lower than this: 23.11

if so, you could try the new drivers:

http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?PAGE=windows9x

You want the first box, not the third. You'll know when you get there.

"Download Accelerator" utilities should be disabled when downloading any drivers. 
Do not run virus protection software in the background while installing the drivers. This prevents the driver from configuring itself properly

Regards

eddie


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## scorpio113 (Dec 8, 2000)

I went to the site you gave and downloaded the newer driver (the old one was listed as 021) and I've also installed it. It'll just be great if this was the problem! Right now the screen is clear but it'll take a little bit of time before I'm sure it's okay. Nobody had suggested the video card before, everyone seemed to lean towards it being the monitor (including me!) My fingers will be crossed! 

If it doesn't work, you'll know because I'll be back whining about it again! 

Thank you so much!!!

Peggy


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## eddie5659 (Mar 19, 2001)

Hiya

Just catching up on my mail. So, is it working fully now?

eddie


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## scorpio113 (Dec 8, 2000)

Unfortunately it was bright pink when I first got home from work today but flickered a few times and is back to normal right now. The pink has been coming and going. I'm open to any other suggestions you might have. (Hey, at least I have an updated driver for my graphics card now!!)

Thank you again!!

Peggy


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I think I'd take the monitor to a 'friendly' computer shop and ask if they'd just hook it up on one of their computers........


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## scorpio113 (Dec 8, 2000)

Thank you for your help! I'll think about trying this but sometimes it doesn't change color for weeks at a time. There's no guarantee that it'll turn pink while plugged into one of their computers.

This is what has made it so frustrating in trying to get it fixed. Over a year ago when it was flickering yellow instead of the pink I had taken it to a Gateway store (it was still under warranty at that point) for them to check but they only had it for 2 days. They said it never changed for them. It could have been the other PC they had it plugged into or it could have just not been changing during that time. It's so sporatic that it really can take up to 3 weeks before I know if it is okay. (That's the longest it has gone without changing color.) This week it has been flickering a lot (pink-to-normal) except on Tuesday it never changed color at all and just stayed normal.

I'm always hoping I will run into someone who has had a similar problem and who knows the answer! ha ha! So far it seems to be a problem unique to this system I have.

Any suggestions are welcome though, I know it has to be *something* and I'm not very computer literate as it is so I'm hoping someone will hit on the right fix for this problem.

Thank you again!
Peggy


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## supertech (Jan 14, 2002)

check the manufacturer website for patches i know compaq has a patch for one of its monitors i dont recall what for...........if you right click on the desktop screen a menu will come up go into propertys then settings then advanced and click on gamma settings there is a reset all settings and color adjustments in there


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## supertech (Jan 14, 2002)

http://www.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?strSearch=monitor&searchType=exact


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## Fransey (Jan 26, 2002)

Peggy: You said:
"I'm running Windows 98SE. I've been thinking of upgrading to XT "

Think twice: I have 98se, which has never given me any trouble. I upgraded to XP and THEN the troubles began. It removed access to my MSWord, (couldn't even access my own files) and all the programs that came bundled with my SONY; 
wouldn't allow the printer hook up because the HP printer was LPT1 and the XP printer hookup was LPT3 and the Techs at XP were unable to change things. ..& they did try.

After two weeks of pure aggravation, I had nothing left in my computer to work with. No word processor, no other programs...nothing. My Sony Vaio 220 is 4 yrs old and in perfect running order. I uninstalled XP, returned it, went back to 98se and feel absolutely delighted to have 98se back...I have my MSWord back, along with all my files, and all my other programs, as well, & the printer and scanner....I'm so relieved to have gotten rid of XP. I won't have it, until my computer gives out, & I'm forced into buying a new computer...<smile>
I hope you resolve your 'pink' problem...I'm learning things every time I read these ailments at Tech Support...Bye...


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## scorpio113 (Dec 8, 2000)

Thank you both so much for your help! Francey, I think I'll wait a little longer on that XP!! Horrors!! I have enough problems with figuring things out on the computer without losing everything I already have! ha ha!

supertech, wow! Thank you for that Gateway site link. I haven't been in contact with anyone from Gateway or their web site for over a year. (I was not happy with this Gateway purchase during the first year when almost everything *went* on this computer, more than once for some things, like the hard drive!! A story for another time!) It's great to see that they have some updates available and I'm going to download them tomorrow. For tonight I did download their Gateway Update Utility, I guess it's sort of like Windows Update Utility from MS. (Oops! Scratch that! I actually downloaded it for Windows ME so had to delete it, tomorrow I'll have to be a little more awake and download it for 98!)

thank you again!

Peggy


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