VGA mode
If you are able to see the normal start up screen with the BIOS information, but then everything goes black after that, the problem may be related to Windows. This is sometimes caused when there are issues with the video driver or the monitor description file. To help resolve these issues, press F8 during the start up process, then use VGA mode to use a basic mode configuration that almost any monitor would be able to display.
No image on screen
If there is nothing displaying on screen, the first thing to do is to check if all of the cables are connected. Check both the power and signal cable.
Next, check what input the monitor is set to. The monitor can have many different types of input (HDMI, DVI, VGA, DisplayPort, etc.) Make sure the monitor is set to the correct input corresponding to what interface is connected to the source.
If that doesn’t work, connect the monitor to a known good computer to help you determine if the monitor is faulty or if it is the computer.
Overheat shutdown
External graphics cards generate a lot of heat. If there is an issue with air flow, you may get BSOD or the system may shut down abruptly due to overheating. Make sure you have the most up to date video drivers. Also you may want to use utilities to monitor the temperature of the graphics card and the temperature of your entire computer to see where hot spots may be so that you can improve the cooling in that area.
Dead pixels
If a pixel is always showing a color or constantly bright, it is called a stuck pixel. On the other hand, if the pixel is always black, it is a dead pixel. A stuck or dead pixel generally indicates a problem with the display itself, and to fix this you’ll need to replace the display.
Artifacts
Artifacts are odd images or strange graphics that appear on screen. If you notice artifacts, check the configuration settings on the graphics card. There may be options to disable or enable certain features like hardware acceleration, which may resolve the issue.
Image persistence is when for example you close a window on screen, but part of the window is still displayed. Changing the configuration of your graphics card or resetting the monitor may resolve the issue.
Motion trails occur when you move your mouse around on the screen and you can see a trail of the mouse movement. To resolve this, disable any advanced video features on your graphics card.
Incorrect color patterns
Dim image
If the image appears dim on screen, check the brightness controls on the monitor. Brightness and contrast controls are common features on devices. Adjust these settings to see if you can resolve the dim image.
Flickering image
If you notice the image flickers on the monitor, check your connections. If you’re using a VGA cable, check the pins on the end of the connector to make sure there are no bent pins or missing pins.
Distorted image
If the image on screen is distorted, check the operating system refresh rate and resolution settings. These settings should match the display specifications.
If you’re using an LCD display, the native resolution is important. For the best possible quality match the operating system image display to match the display’s native resolution.
Check and replace the cable as needed.
Hardware acceleration may also cause distorted images. Hardware acceleration is an option within the graphics card configuration settings or within the driver itself. If you are experiencing a distorted image, disable hardware acceleration to see if that resolves the issue.
Distorted geometry
Burn-in
When an image is constantly displayed on screen, it can leave behind a ghosted image in the screen. Even when that image is not being displayed on the screen, you can still see a faded version of the image on the screen.
Burn in is a problem across all monitor types. Many modern displays will detect when an image has been displayed too long and will move the image slightly (one pixel or two) in a different direction to prevent the pixels from burning into the screen.
Some LCDs may have a pixel that is stuck to a particular color because it was left on for an extended period of time. This is called “image sticking.” You can sometimes fix this issue by displaying a white screen for an extended period.
Oversized images and icons
If you see oversized images and icons, this usually means the resolution is set too low. Rember that lower resolution means larger images and icons. The resolution should match the display’s native resolution.
