Screen flickering with Windows 11 Home on new computer

[Astronuc]

My wife just bought a new Dell computer because the HD on her old computer went bad.

The computer is a minitower. She is using the old VGA monitor through an HDMI adaptor (using HDMI to VGA cable). Could that be the problem?

Occasionally, the monitor screen goes blue and she has to restart the computer. Otherwise, most of the time, the monitor flickers, and when it stops, the images are fuzzy and the print/font is blurred, and she has to restart the computer. The problem is sporadic.

No Windows update as far as we know.

There seems to be chronic issues with Windows since Windows 8. Updates sometimes have unintended consequences.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/screen-flicker-and-windows-update.215633/
There are other threads found by searching 'flickering' in this forum, or looking at Related threads below.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Could that be the problem?

Yes.
What screen resolution does the monitor support? What resolution are you running at?

 

[Astronuc]

What screen resolution does the monitor support? What resolution are you running at?

Resolution is 1440x900, which is apparently supported by the monitor. At least that is what the literature and Windows information indicates.

 

[anorlunda]

Occasionally, the monitor screen goes blue and she has to restart the computer. Otherwise, most of the time, the monitor flickers, and when it stops, the images are fuzzy and the print/font is blurred, and she has to restart the computer. The problem is sporadic.

All that sounds like bad or intermittent contacts in the adapter.

 

[pbuk]

The computer is a minitower. She is using the old VGA monitor through an HDMI adaptor (using HDMI to VGA cable).

You're kidding me, can you really not get a new monitor?

There seems to be chronic issues with Windows since Windows 8.

Windows 8 was a disaster but that was 15 years ago (like the thread you linked). Likewise you are connecting a new computer to a monitor that also must be about 15 years old, why are you blaming the computer if it doesn't work well? Are you connecting the auxiliary power supply to the adapter?

 

[Vanadium 50]

esolution is 1440x900, which is apparently supported by the monitor.

But is it supported by the adapter? It's not a particularly common resolution.

 

[Astronuc]

You're kidding me, can you really not get a new monitor?

The monitor maybe 6 years old. She didn't want to buy a new monitor.

Windows 8 was a disaster but that was 15 years ago (like the thread you linked). Likewise you are connecting a new computer to a monitor that also must be about 15 years old, why are you blaming the computer if it doesn't work well?

I didn't 'blame' a computer. I was asking what the problem might be, e.g., compatibility between monitor and computer (or rather OS), or the connecting cable or adapter. The old monitor had VGA or DVI options, the new computer just has HDMI or DisplyPort slots, so in order to use the old monitor we had to use an HDMI to VGA adapter cable.

 

[Astronuc]

But is it supported by the adapter?

I will have to look into. It's my wife's computer, and she likes to do it herself.

It's not a particularly common resolution.

I was thinking the same.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If the monitor is a Dell P2016 (just guessing), try the DisplayPort connection rather than going digital to analog and back again.

 

[pbuk]

Only (S)VGA and DVI on the monitor, I'd go for HDMI to DVI (which is digital-digital) as these cables are cheaper than DisplayPort to DVI.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Oops...missed that. So yes, HDMI to DVI is the better option to avoid multiple conversions.