# Monitor is flashing on & off continuously



## mncoomer_07 (Jan 9, 2011)

I have an HP w1907 widescreen 19" LCD monitor, and have had it for over one year. I have had absolutely no problems with this monitor, but about a week ago the monitor suddenly starting flashing on and off, and it's progressively gotten worse. It used to begin only when a program was running on the computer, but now it starts doing it as soon as Windows boots up. The flashing occurs every second - I can't even tell what the heck I'm doing on the computer because it's flashing so much. The monitor isn't turning itself off and then back on, and the computer is on the whole time - the monitor just keeps FLASHING over and over and won't stop, like it's losing signal (which I'm assuming it may be?). The computer I'm using is a Dell and it's about 7-8 years old, but still does what I need it to do. The monitor doesn't flash on and off when I boot the computer into safe mode (which is what I'm using right now to type this). I did read online somewhere that it may be the video card in the PC if the monitor works in safe mode, so I'm assuming it's the video card. I did download the most recent update for it, and it worked for maybe about a minute after restart, but then assumed its flashing again. The video card that's installed is the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 if that helps, and the OS is Windows XP, the 32-bit version. There has been no trauma to the monitor at all. I am planning on borrowing another monitor to hook it up to see if it still does it, and then we have an extra cable to try too. I don't know what to do! This problem is driving me insane!  I would really appreciate any input or advice. Thanks in advance!!


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## georgemarvin (Jan 11, 2011)

I've got 2 monitors connected to my computer, with the same image cloned to both. My smaller monitor has a tendency to start blinking every second for no apparent reason; I can re-start windows, and it doesn't help. However, if I just go into display and change the resolution, then cancel the change during the 15 seconds before it automatically reverts, as soon as I cancel the change, it quits blinking and doesn't start blinking again for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The blinking occurs with both Windows XP and Windows 7. I switched the monitor cables, so that the one that blinks was on the monitor output previously occupied by the larger monitor, which always works perfectly. The smaller monitor began blinking on that output, just like it had on the other one. I'm going to take it to a friend's house and have him use it for a few hours; if it starts blinking again, I will know for sure that it's the monitor going bad. If it doesn't blink on another computer, it may be some sort of weird compatibility issue. 

If you can see the screen well enough to change the resolution, do so then just hit the revert button, that may be a temporary fix; if that doesn't work, you may need either a new video card or a new monitor. My guess is that, in my case, it's the monitor, but I could be wrong.


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