Dotted lines on screen

  • Thread starter Thread starter IanD
  • Start date Start date
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IanD

Running Windows XP on Dell hardware. I have lines of dashes on the screen in
Welcome, Desktop and Internet Explorer. How can I remove these, please?
--
IanD
 
IanD wrote:
> Running Windows XP on Dell hardware. I have lines of dashes on the screen in
> Welcome, Desktop and Internet Explorer. How can I remove these, please?

This usually means your video card is overheating and/or failing. To
test, connect the machine to a different monitor. If the problem
persists, then you know it is a hardware issue. Continue troubleshooting
by uninstalling the current card and swapping it out for a known-working
one. If the problem doesn't exist with a different monitor, then the
original monitor is probably failing.

To troubleshoot overheating, open the computer and run it open after
cleaning out all dust bunnies. Be careful when you clean; use compressed
air and be gentle. Observe all fans (overheating will cause system
freezing and/or crashing). This includes the fan on your video card if
you have one. Obviously you can't do this with a laptop, but you can
hear if the fan is running and feel if the laptop is getting too hot.
For a desktop, without touching anything, hold your hand close to the
inside of the case and feel how hot things are getting.

Standard caveat: Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out
suspected parts with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing
yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the
machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). Have all your data backed up
before you take the machine into a shop.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
 
Unfortunately neither suggestion has solved problem. I now find it does not
occur if I start in safe mode or safe mode with networking. Any further
suggestions would be welcome.
--
IanD


"Malke" wrote:

> IanD wrote:
> > Running Windows XP on Dell hardware. I have lines of dashes on the screen in
> > Welcome, Desktop and Internet Explorer. How can I remove these, please?
>
> This usually means your video card is overheating and/or failing. To
> test, connect the machine to a different monitor. If the problem
> persists, then you know it is a hardware issue. Continue troubleshooting
> by uninstalling the current card and swapping it out for a known-working
> one. If the problem doesn't exist with a different monitor, then the
> original monitor is probably failing.
>
> To troubleshoot overheating, open the computer and run it open after
> cleaning out all dust bunnies. Be careful when you clean; use compressed
> air and be gentle. Observe all fans (overheating will cause system
> freezing and/or crashing). This includes the fan on your video card if
> you have one. Obviously you can't do this with a laptop, but you can
> hear if the fan is running and feel if the laptop is getting too hot.
> For a desktop, without touching anything, hold your hand close to the
> inside of the case and feel how hot things are getting.
>
> Standard caveat: Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out
> suspected parts with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing
> yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the
> machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
> equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). Have all your data backed up
> before you take the machine into a shop.
>
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>
 
IanD wrote:
> Unfortunately neither suggestion has solved problem. I now find it does not
> occur if I start in safe mode or safe mode with networking. Any further
> suggestions would be welcome.

What does "neither suggestion" mean? What were the results of attaching
the machine to a different monitor? What were the results of trying a
different video card? Since the problem doesn't occur in Safe Mode, your
video card is probably failing. However, if you want to try an easy
software fix first, get the current video drivers for your specific
model machine from Dell and install them. If that fixes the problem,
great. If not, replace the video card or call Dell tech support.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
 
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