Member Avatar for triestine

My monitor has started to go black about twice or more every minute. It lasts for a few seconds and then comes back on again. Sometimes the mouse freezes. Sometimes the desktop becomes garbled when I open a new window. Sometimes the screen goes continuously blank and only comes on again when I reboot. I don't think it is the monitor, because my monitor is also a TV and works fine as a TV. I thought it might be the video card, but don't want to replace it in case it is something else. I have run an anti-virus scan and there don't appear to be any viruses. Can anyone advise.

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Intermittent black screens, freezes and occasional desktop corruption reported by can come from several different causes: failing GPU, driver crashes, bad cable/connector, overheating, or a weak PSU. and correctly pointed toward display settings as a quick mitigation, but a few targeted diagnostics will tell whether the card really needs replacing.

  • Swap the video cable and try a different monitor/TV input. Also try the monitor with another PC or the PC with another monitor to isolate cable/monitor versus PC faults.
  • Boot outside the normal driver stack: Safe Mode (older Windows: F8 at boot) or a Linux live USB. If the problem goes away there, suspect drivers or software.
  • In Windows, inspect Device Manager and Event Viewer (System) for display-driver errors or repeated crashes. Uninstall the display adapter driver, reboot and install the latest compatible driver from the GPU vendor or Dell support.
  • Power down and inspect the card: reseat it, clean dust from the heatsink and fan, check that the fan spins. Overheating or a dead fan often produces the symptoms you describe.
  • Look for artifacting or corruption before Windows loads (BIOS, text-mode screens). If corruption appears that early, the GPU hardware (or its memory) is likely failing.
  • If possible, try the motherboard's onboard video or a known-good spare card. Also consider the PSU: insufficient or failing power can cause intermittent black screens.

Replace the card only after these checks show hardware failure (persistent artifacts in BIOS, same problem across OSes/monitors, or a known-good replacement fixes it). Ignore blanket recommendations like 's until you have ruled out drivers, cables and power—those quick checks can save money and pinpoint the real fault. If you do replace the card, confirm the slot type (AGP vs PCIe), physical fit and PSU power/connectors before buying.

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Member Avatar for Xlphos

Hello,

Could you post the spec of your computer.

Does this problem happen all the time or is it completely random?
Try a lower resolution and/or lower the colour depth. - Lowering these settings may take some strain of the graphics card.

- Let us know how it goes.

Member Avatar for triestine

It's a Dell Dimension 8300. The problem happens all the time and is getting worse. Screen goes black every few seconds. More freezes and desktop icons sometimes garbled with Microsoft Outlook folders for example. I'm afriad I don't know how to lower the resolution or colour depth. Can you run me through it. Many thanks.

Member Avatar for caperjack

It's a Dell Dimension 8300. The problem happens all the time and is getting worse. Screen goes black every few seconds. More freezes and desktop icons sometimes garbled with Microsoft Outlook folders for example. I'm afriad I don't know how to lower the resolution or colour depth. Can you run me through it. Many thanks.

don't know what version of windows you are using as you failed to say ,but usually right click on the desktop,go properties .advanced or display setting or something like that or customize ,screen resolution go from there to lower it

Member Avatar for orten999

Absolutely you should change your card.


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