Acer Lcd Monitor Problem

[doctormann]

I'm having a problem with my Acer AL1515 monitor. Sporadically, the configuration menu keeps popping up and, of course, when this happens the centre portion of the normal windows display is obscured.

Some days, this will happen frequently - the menu stays up for between 10 seconds and about a minute before disappearing, only to pop up again almost immediately. Other days, this happens maybe only once or twice. It's very annoying as it renders the PC useless while the menu is being displayed. When I'm having this trouble, the button controls on the front of the monitor are inoperable - can't even turn the monitor off without removing the mains plug!

There doesn't seem to be any correlation with time of day or with how long the system has been running or with anything else that i can fathom. It just seems to be random.

I suspect that there is a hardware fault with the monitor itself and I may have to replace it - it's quite old anyway but, apart from the problem described, works perfectly still. Before I splash out on a replacement I'd like to be sure that it isn't a fault with the graphics adapter that's causing the problem. I'm sure that the fault isn't virus-related as it sometimes occurs even before windows is loaded. It happens on both of my WinXP installations and I've seen it on Linux Wary Puppy as well when I load this from a USB stick.

Anyone have any suggestions or should I just bin the monitor?

Running WinXP SP3

Monitor is Acer AL1515

Motherboard is LM-M266A-SVLP, VIA Chipset, Intel P4 2.4GHz

Graphics adapter is part of the motherboard

Thanks,

DM

[h90]

I had that on 2 Acer monitors: One was under warranty and got exchanged and the other one has it for a few days than it is OK again for 2 weeks than it comes again...

If it still has warranty bring it to the service center. If no warranty I don't know myself.

[doctormann]

I had that on 2 Acer monitors: One was under warranty and got exchanged and the other one has it for a few days than it is OK again for 2 weeks than it comes again...

If it still has warranty bring it to the service center. If no warranty I don't know myself.

That sounds exactly like my problem. Today the thing is really playing up but tomorrow it might be OK. As you say, it sometimes goes for long periods with no trouble then it will have a couple of bad days. It's a mystery.

I was wondering if there was a bad connection / dry joint or something of the sort but I can't seem to get the thing opened up to have a look. I take off the stand and remove all the screws but the back cover seems very reluctant to come free. Allegedly there are some clips that can be released by prodding about with a screwdriver but this doesn't seem to work for me - just damages the plastic!

DM

[h90]

I had that on 2 Acer monitors: One was under warranty and got exchanged and the other one has it for a few days than it is OK again for 2 weeks than it comes again...

If it still has warranty bring it to the service center. If no warranty I don't know myself.

That sounds exactly like my problem. Today the thing is really playing up but tomorrow it might be OK. As you say, it sometimes goes for long periods with no trouble then it will have a couple of bad days. It's a mystery.

I was wondering if there was a bad connection / dry joint or something of the sort but I can't seem to get the thing opened up to have a look. I take off the stand and remove all the screws but the back cover seems very reluctant to come free. Allegedly there are some clips that can be released by prodding about with a screwdriver but this doesn't seem to work for me - just damages the plastic!

DM

I would bring it to Panthip (or similar place) and ask in the back, dark places if someone can repair that. I had mainboards repaired (capacitors soldered out and new in) for 100 Baht. As that failure seems to be common, maybe they know an easy fix for it?

Just an idea.

[h90]

I don't know the particular monitor, but IF it has buttons that have an audible click as opposed to the newer touch sensitive ones, it may be caused by humidity in the switches. We had similar problems with TV's randomly changing channels, volume etc., caused by humidity in the switches. So, if it has miniature swiches, try and get some moisture displacing fluid (WD40 or similar into the switches (not easy), followed by lots of clicking and a good burst from a hot hair dryer or alternately a hot soldering iron on the switch connections.

As mentioned above, if the monitor has touch sensitive switches, disregard the above.

Mine had clicking switches. From my feeling of it I doubt that it is humidity in the switch. First of all because pressing the switches doesn't change it really. Second the one which was on warranty, I got replaced with a new model screen. If they could just get out the humidity they wouldn't give me a brand new, newer model monitor.

But taking your idea and expanding it....what is if it is corrosion inside the switch because of the humidity?

[doctormann]

I don't know the particular monitor, but IF it has buttons that have an audible click as opposed to the newer touch sensitive ones, it may be caused by humidity in the switches. We had similar problems with TV's randomly changing channels, volume etc., caused by humidity in the switches. So, if it has miniature swiches, try and get some moisture displacing fluid (WD40 or similar into the switches (not easy), followed by lots of clicking and a good burst from a hot hair dryer or alternately a hot soldering iron on the switch connections.

As mentioned above, if the monitor has touch sensitive switches, disregard the above.

My switches definitely click but I don't think that it's a humidity or even a corrosion problem as when the monitor is having its troubles the switches don't work at all. It's just as though the entire switch panel has been disconnected somehow and the monitor is doing its own thing. Strangely, after playing up something rotten yesterday it's behaving perfectly today - so far!

I don't suppose that the problem could be caused by dirty mains electricity? Maybe mains spikes are triggering this behaviour - this could explain why some days are better than others. The monitor gets its power via my UPS but I think that if the mains power is 'normal' the current passes straight through. The batter-powered inverter only kicks in if the voltage fails. It's only a cheap UPS - Deltech brand - so it might not be very good at filtering spikes.

DM

[h90]

I don't know the particular monitor, but IF it has buttons that have an audible click as opposed to the newer touch sensitive ones, it may be caused by humidity in the switches. We had similar problems with TV's randomly changing channels, volume etc., caused by humidity in the switches. So, if it has miniature swiches, try and get some moisture displacing fluid (WD40 or similar into the switches (not easy), followed by lots of clicking and a good burst from a hot hair dryer or alternately a hot soldering iron on the switch connections.

As mentioned above, if the monitor has touch sensitive switches, disregard the above.

My switches definitely click but I don't think that it's a humidity or even a corrosion problem as when the monitor is having its troubles the switches don't work at all. It's just as though the entire switch panel has been disconnected somehow and the monitor is doing its own thing. Strangely, after playing up something rotten yesterday it's behaving perfectly today - so far!

I don't suppose that the problem could be caused by dirty mains electricity? Maybe mains spikes are triggering this behaviour - this could explain why some days are better than others. The monitor gets its power via my UPS but I think that if the mains power is 'normal' the current passes straight through. The batter-powered inverter only kicks in if the voltage fails. It's only a cheap UPS - Deltech brand - so it might not be very good at filtering spikes.

DM

Well I don't think so....here it was purely random and just one monitor of many.