# Solved: Wavy lines on monitor screen



## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

My 19" monitor went through a brief period where it would have these long diagonal lines, moving in the direction from the top left hand corner to the bottom right hand corner. Usually I would just select Degauss to fix it. It went on for awhile and then just sort of stopped. Then recently, maybe a few weeks ago...I could hear a slight tick inside of the monitor. Now tonight, the lines are back and they're terrible. They go in the same direction, but a lot faster. Right now they are long and thick...then they get thinner and move faster. At first I thought it was just some kind of electrical interference. But the speakers aren't really that close, plus they are off most of the time. Is my monitor about to croak? I think the quality might be bad. It's a Future Power brand. I don't even think they are in business anymore lol.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

My guess is you can start digging the grave.

The good news is that they've come way down in price


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## brite750 (Mar 16, 2002)

Does it do this in safe mode, if not it might be driver or refresh rate too high.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

LOL...yeah I started digging. This is definitely the worst I've ever seen it. The lines were just going left to right vertically. Now they're back to the fast diagonal. It does it in safe mode too. I don't hear that ticking noise anymore. But I had a feeling it was something more internal cause nothing would be interfering with it.


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## brite750 (Mar 16, 2002)

Sorry then your toast.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Yeah I kinda figured that. Guess it's only a matter of time before it goes.


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## brite750 (Mar 16, 2002)

AcaCandy said:


> My guess is you can start digging the grave.
> 
> The good news is that they've come way down in price


I would recommend an NEC/Mitsubishi 19" true flat crt, they run about $260ish


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Okay thanks. Looks like I will be doing some shopping this weekend. I've been meaning to get a flat screen anyway. Tired of lugging these huge heavy ones around.


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## brite750 (Mar 16, 2002)

LCD's are nice too, just kinda pricey.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I just wanna get a good quality brand. Especially because I do graphic design. Definitely 17" or higher.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Okay...I just noticed something. I decided to try a different monitor and it does the same exact thing. I even unplugged the speakers and moved everything away from the screen. So instead, I looked at the cable and where it plugs into in the computer. When I plug in the monitor and screw in the top and bottom screw...only one goes in. The top one screws right in but the bottom just keeps turning. I see that wherever it is supposed to screw into...the piece isn't there. Is that what could be causing this? When I fiddle with the cord, the lines seem to go away. Is it because both screws aren't in completely?


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

:down: I've plugged in 3 different monitors and all of them have the same lines. I think it must be the video card. Any good brands to recommend?


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## Stealth3 (Oct 18, 2003)

Its not the monitor, it must be the graphic card. Either power problem or heat problem.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I know. I figured it's the video card. I checked inside and the fan on it is moving. Pretty dirty though. I heard ATI is a good brand.


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## Stealth3 (Oct 18, 2003)

what are your specs?


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

AMD Athlon
1,000 MHz
256 MB 
80 GB HD - Western Digital 7200 rps
DVD-ROM,CD-RW
Floppy, ZIP 100 MB

just added: 
Brand new Antec 400w power supply


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## Stealth3 (Oct 18, 2003)

What about the video card?


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I have no idea what kind it is. Someone else built this for me. 
When I right click on the desktop and hit display properties, it says Plug and Play Monitor on SiS 630/730.


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## Stealth3 (Oct 18, 2003)

Thats the monitor. Download a program that tells you everything about your pc, and specs. 
Try either aida32 or PCWizard. Search them both on yahoo or googles to find a download link.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I went into System Information, under the Display Components it indicates 2 spots where it says "Driver Not Installed". It's under the driver "oemrom.bin".

Could that be the problem? Or is the video card pretty much going to die soon anyway? Cause if it needs to replaced, I can get a new one installed.


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## ViRi (Jul 22, 2004)

Just Curious, is the monitor pluged directly into the computer. i had a similar problem that ended up being the extention cable from the video card to the back of the monitor. also can you move the cable around and look at your monitor while its on and see if the lines move on the screen ?


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## Necron. (Jul 24, 2004)

buy an Sapphire Radeon 9800 Atlantis PRO 128MB AGP,ATI9800PRO,DVI-I,TV-Out, Lite-Retail, only 150pounds (and its a damn good card to)


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## leoneire (May 9, 2004)

Ok the problem has to be the little screw! If its not in properly! Did it screw in properly before??? Em...the small bold that the screw fits into on ur graphics card could of came loose! Have you tried opening you pc to check if the small bolt is tight! Oh and another question...do you have a graphics card or is your graphics integrated into your motherboard??? If you open your pc u do know bout anti-static precautions dont you??? If not just come back in here before you break that screw driver out...Leon


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Cheeseball81 said:


> When I fiddle with the cord, the lines seem to go away. Is it because both screws aren't in completely?


I would investigate here further.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I still see them when I fiddle with the cord. Mostly fast lines that go this way /////. It plugs directly into the back of the computer. The pins go in, but of the 2 screws (top and bottom), I can only screw one in. The other can't screw into anything else cause a tiny bolt-like piece popped off the back of the computer. I went to Circuit City and asked about that. They said it probably wasn't because of that. I'm missing a driver to the video card it seems. Oemrom.bin. If that wasn't causing it, then my next move was to just have a new card installed.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Definitely worth testing another card.

I switch monitors alot, and almost never screw the monitor in tightly either and have never seen that problem.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I tried 2 other monitors and the same lines were there. When I told the guy about it at the store, he actually unscrewed a monitor there and only had the pins in, and it still worked. So it must be the card. I gave up on downloading the missing driver. It just seems like everytime I put a new piece of hardware on this computer, then something else dies. :down:


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

I want to uninstall my graphics driver and then re-download it off the SiS website. 

I use Windows 98...so do I need to go into Device Manager and just hit "remove" on the display adapter? Then download it again and install?


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Yes, I just went thru a tough SiS driver install. Whatever you do, don't reboot, remove it from device manager first, and then search for new hardware and CHOOSE the device from the menu (SiS) and then choose HAVE disk, it will look for an .inf file first.

Download the new driver first, unzip it to a file folder on the desktop for easy access, then point the new install there.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Should I download the file first off the website? 

Or remove first from Device Manager and then download?

On the SiS website...I picked the 630/730 series and started to download it. At 1% with over an hour to go...


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I made that mistake of the 630/730 as well. What do you have onboard? If you have a 630, download the 630. I am still having refresh rate problems on one drive with the 630/730. I've set it to 60hz and it's still balking. Although on another drive with the same drivers, it's fine. 

I have just the 630 driver on my drive that works.

You must be on dialup?


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

In Display Properties...it says Chip Type 730 Rev 31

From the SiS website, I picked IGP Graphics Drivers, 630 and 730 series, Windows 98.

Actually, I have a cable modem. It's just taking a very long time. I'm only at 7%.  

I figured I'd download it first then unzip it. Then remove it from Device Manager. Then go to add new hardware and go from there. Would that work? 

9%.................


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

If you are on cable with that poor of a download, I'd be on the phone this very second. That is pathetic.

And the download, unzip, etc. is a fine plan. Just don't allow Windows to force any driver down your throat. Watch it every step of the way and intercede.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Tell me about it. I don't know why it's so slow today. It's never usually like this. I'll let ya know what happens when it's done. Whenever that may be...lol.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Well after the long, grueling download...I unzipped the file for the SiS630. I noticed that when WinZip came up...the oemrom.bin file still had no icon next to it...except that Windows one when it doesn't know what application to open it in. 
So removed the Display Adapter...didn't reboot...went to add new hardware, whole screen froze on me. Had no choice but to reboot. Located driver, still no change. Same lines.  
I really don't know if it's because of the oemrom.bin file. What application can open that anyway?  
At a loss now...should I just get a video card put in? I have an AGP slot and a PCI slot available for one.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Get a video card to test.


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