Screen Flicker and Windows update

[larkspur]

Could a Windows update be causing my laptop screen to flicker? A few weeks ago, my laptop screen started to flicker. I did a system restore to an earlier time without the flicker and the flicker stopped. Today the flicker is back. There was also a Windows Automatic update.
Coincidence?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Probably coincidence, yes. Did you look for a more recent version for your video driver?

 

[larkspur]

Probably coincidence, yes. Did you look for a more recent version for your video driver?

I just now tried that and now I can only start Windows in Safe mode...When I tried System Restore to undo the driver change I get a blue screen that flashes up too quickly to read, then the Windows start up screen comes up. After that, I get the choice to start up in safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, last known good config. etc.

 

[ranger]

What video card do you have?

You can try to use last known good config as a boot option and see what happens. Additionally, it is also possible that the windows update may have updated your driver and changed some of the display settings. Try and see if you can access your display properties in "normal mode".

 

[larkspur]

What video card do you have?

You can try to use last known good config as a boot option and see what happens. Additionally, it is also possible that the windows update may have updated your driver and changed some of the display settings. Try and see if you can access your display properties in "normal mode".

My video card is an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300.

I tried all options but could only start Windows in safe mode. I reinstalled Windows and can now start it normally. The screen flicker started again after another Windows update...

 

[ranger]

Interesting...

Did you allow windows update to update the driver? Never do this. What updates what updates were you applying exactly?

In the Device Manager, locate your display adapter. Double click on it and click the Driver tab. What sort of info does it say for the driver: manufacturer, date, etc? Is this the default driver that was provided when you installed windows? Have you tried "Roll Back Driver" ?

 

[larkspur]

Interesting...

Did you allow windows update to update the driver? Never do this. What updates what updates were you applying exactly?

In the Device Manager, locate your display adapter. Double click on it and click the Driver tab. What sort of info does it say for the driver: manufacturer, date, etc? Is this the default driver that was provided when you installed windows? Have you tried "Roll Back Driver" ?

The Windows Automatic Updates kept saying there were updates ready to be installed. Most of them were security updates from what I could tell.

I had tried to roll back the driver but there was not one that had been saved(not the exact phrase)

Driver Provider: ATI Technologies Inc.
Driver date:2/16/2006
Driver Version: 8.205.3.0
Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher

Right now my screen is not flickering----<keeping fingers crossed>.

 

[vincentm]

Only choose priority updates from MS, video card drivers for your GPU should be downloaded from the manufacturer's website, in this case ATI/AMD.

 

[larkspur]

Only choose priority updates from MS, video card drivers for your GPU should be downloaded from the manufacturer's website, in this case ATI/AMD.

Thanks!

 

[vincentm]

Can you post an update, I'm curious as to how your machine is doing now. And would like to offer any more help if needed.

 

[larkspur]

Can you post an update, I'm curious as to how your machine is doing now. And would like to offer any more help if needed.

It started flickering again...


Here is what I found at ATI/AMD:

"Knowledge Base
AMD Customer Care Site Map > Radeon Support - PC > Radeon X1300 series >
737-28141: Radeon™ X1300 Pro PCI-E DMS59 - Intermittent flickering in dual display mode on DMS59 Dual DVI Y-Cable port

The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):

* Catalyst Display Driver 7.5
* DELL Radeon™ X1300 Pro PCI-E DMS59
* DELL Optiplex 745
* Windows XP Professional

Symptoms:
Intermittent flickering occurs only on one monitor while in Extended Mode through DVI connection. There is no problem in Clone Mode or while analog CRT monitors are connected through DVI-VGA adapters.

Solution:
Currently there is no solution.

ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available.

 

[vincentm]

Well that sucks, when i get home i'll see what i can look up for you.

 

[larkspur]

Well that sucks, when i get home i'll see what i can look up for you.

Much Appreciated!

 

[vincentm]

What OS are you running, at this point I'm assuming XP or Vista, am i correct? What hardware is involved in this dual screen setup? If using a Dual DVI setup i'd do the following:

1) first uninstall your video card drivers, and reboot.

2) With your computer turned off, check the connections and see if they are in the following configuration ( assuming at this point you're using a dual DVI dongle, Y splitter)

2a) The screen on the left should be connected to "1" on the splitter

2b) The screen on the right should be connected to "2" on the splitter

3) Power on your computer, only the left one will turn on, don't worry.

4) If you have the disc for the video card that has the drivers, pop that in and when it auto executes, kill it from doing so.

5) Right click "My Computer">Properties>Hardware>Device Manager

5a) In the list, locate your "Display adaptor", right click on it and select "update driver"

6) In the following wizard you're going to make sure the second checkbox is selected and hit next, this will load the drivers directly from the disc bypassing the install shield provided by ATI7)Reboot

8) Right click on desktop>properties>settings

8a) right click on #2 monitor and click "attached", also check the box that says "extend my desktop to this monitor"

9) set the resolution to both and reboot

10) Increasing the refresh rate from 60hz to 75 sometimes does the trick.

if you don't have the disc, go ahead by downloading and installing the drivers via the.exe file obtained.

Let me know if this helps.

 

[larkspur]

What OS are you running, at this point I'm assuming XP or Vista, am i correct? What hardware is involved in this dual screen setup? If using a Dual DVI setup i'd do the following:

1) first uninstall your video card drivers, and reboot.

2) With your computer turned off, check the connections and see if they are in the following configuration ( assuming at this point you're using a dual DVI dongle, Y splitter)

2a) The screen on the left should be connected to "1" on the splitter

2b) The screen on the right should be connected to "2" on the splitter

3) Power on your computer, only the left one will turn on, don't worry.

4) If you have the disc for the video card that has the drivers, pop that in and when it auto executes, kill it from doing so.

5) Right click "My Computer">Properties>Hardware>Device Manager

5a) In the list, locate your "Display adaptor", right click on it and select "update driver"

6) In the following wizard you're going to make sure the second checkbox is selected and hit next, this will load the drivers directly from the disc bypassing the install shield provided by ATI


7)Reboot

8) Right click on desktop>properties>settings

8a) right click on #2 monitor and click "attached", also check the box that says "extend my desktop to this monitor"

9) set the resolution to both and reboot

10) Increasing the refresh rate from 60hz to 75 sometimes does the trick.

if you don't have the disc, go ahead by downloading and installing the drivers via the.exe file obtained.

Let me know if this helps.

Right now not flickering...hasn't flickered in about two hours...

Running Windows XP Media Center.

No splitter, just a flat panel monitor plugged into laptop and using the Windows dual screen option found in Display properties/ advanced.

Tempted to leave it alone until it flickers again <keeping fingers crossed>
Thanks for your help!