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Screen fading out and in.

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Operating Systems Linux Ubuntu Screen fading out and in.
# 1  
Old 09-10-2017
Screen fading out and in.
I have two DELL OPTIPLEX 330 x64 PCs with dual core (2.2ghz x2), 2gigs ram. First one is dual boot with Ubuntu on top of Windows XP pro 86. Second one is stand alone Ubuntu.

The CRT monitors on both PCs periodically fade as if they are going into standby mode. But they don't go completely black. This only last several seconds. I have disabled 'TURN OFF SCREEN WHEN INACTIVE', and this happens while I'm typing or moving the mouse. There are no screen savers installed. The first one doesn't do this when I log on to WinXP. The second PC seems to do it more often than the first. This happens with nothing other than a browser loaded.

Also, the second PC runs slow and there seems to be a lot of HDD activity. I don't know if these problems are related. I suspect this is due to pending hardware failure. I'm going to pull the HDD and ram out and put it in a third OPTIPLEX I have on hand and see what happens.

Anyone (WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM) have any idea what causes the screens to fade like this? In all my years I have never seen this type of anomaly
Last edited by kkeevv; 09-11-2017 at 01:37 AM..
# 2  
Old 09-10-2017
What are you trying to run?
You say you have 2 GbRAM ok, but is the video RAM separate or shared ( with those previous 2 Gb )?
I am asking because I dont know about the late ubuntu ( my last install was maybe 4-5 years ago ) but as time passes all these new releases rely on more pawer and more RAM, not saying it wont run, but chances are you may encounter swapping issues... especially if running X11 ( GUI) and using browsers etc...
# 3  
Old 09-11-2017
Quote:
Originally Posted by vbe
What are you trying to run?
Nothing

Quote:
Originally Posted by vbe
You say you have 2 GbRAM ok, but is the video RAM separate or shared ( with those previous 2 Gb )?
I am asking because I dont know about the late ubuntu ( my last install was maybe 4-5 years ago ) but as time passes all these new releases rely on more pawer and more RAM, not saying it wont run, but chances are you may encounter swapping issues... especially if running X11 ( GUI) and using browsers etc...
PC meets or exceeds UBUNTU 17.04 system requirements.
# 4  
Old 09-11-2017
I have a couple of questions if you be so kind to answer.
  1. Have you updated the boxes with firmware (I see 2011 and 2012 bios version) ?
  2. Can you confirm you are running both boxes on same ubuntu release (17.04) and the XP does not experience such problems ?
  3. After a blackout, is the pc functional or dead ? Can you perhaps use ssh to connect during blackout ?
  4. You might want to check out the logs during the incident if you can ssh in.

    If you cannot ssh, a more serious issue is at hand.

  5. What kind of GPU or GPUs are inside (stock, multiple ..), I suspect radeon ?
  6. Are you using stock out drivers or you installed them and if yes how ?
Last edited by rbatte1; 09-11-2017 at 11:55 AM..
# 5  
Old 09-11-2017
I have experienced this hardware issue in CRTs before. It can happen when the flyback transformer loses voltage due to shorting or from its driving transistors overheating. It happens most often when the screen is left on for long periods of time.

Try swapping in an LCD to see if the problem goes away.
# 6  
Old 09-11-2017
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corona688
I have experienced this hardware issue in CRTs before. It can happen when the flyback transformer loses voltage due to shorting or from its driving transistors overheating. It happens most often when the screen is left on for long periods of time.

Try swapping in an LCD to see if the problem goes away.
I have two CRT monitors, both work fine with WinXP. Both PC's are identical except one is set up for dual boot. The problem started when I installed Ubuntu and only occurs while running Ubuntu.

---------- Post updated at 02:45 PM ---------- Previous update was at 02:32 PM ----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peasant
I have a couple of questions if you be so kind to answer.
  1. Have you updated the boxes with firmware (I see 2011 and 2012 bios version) ?
  2. Can you confirm you are running both boxes on same ubuntu release (17.04) and the XP does not experience such problems ?
  3. After a blackout, is the pc functional or dead ? Can you perhaps use ssh to connect during blackout ?
  4. You might want to check out the logs during the incident if you can ssh in.

    If you cannot ssh, a more serious issue is at hand.
  5. What kind of GPU or GPUs are inside (stock, multiple ..), I suspect radeon ?
  6. Are you using stock out drivers or you installed them and if yes how ?
1. No I have not installed new BIOS. I don't see the need right now, that's not the problem. UPDATE: PC does have latest firmware version.
2. Yes both are running 17.04, and no the problem doesn't occur while logged on to XP.
3. It doesn't black out it just dims and becomes un responsive for several seconds.
4. I will try to locate log files. Didn't know ubuntu recorded such events.
5. integrated intel graphics media accelerator 3100
6. it's using what ever drivers ubuntu loaded when I did the install.
Last edited by kkeevv; 09-15-2017 at 07:45 PM..
# 7  
Old 09-11-2017
Quote:
Originally Posted by KKEEVV
I have two CRT monitors, both work fine with WinXP. Both PC's are identical except one is set up for dual boot. The problem started when I installed Ubuntu and only occurs while running Ubuntu.
Are you in the physical terminal when this happens? (i.e. ctrl-alt-f1 -- ctrl-alt-f7 ) Terminal blanking there is a kernel option, I think.
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