NationStates Jolt Archive

NS General, I am begging for your computer-related help. I know some of you have mad computer skills, and I need your wisdom to help me with a very annoying problem.

Today, some - no make that all - of my favorite games have started giving me the same display problem for no apparent reason. They're fullscreen games, and during gameplay at intervals of between 20 seconds and 1 minute the screen will quickly flicker. This has rapidly become incorrigably annoying, and I want it to STOP.

Now I have tried everything in my power. I reinstalled the software in question. I reinstalled my video driver. I rolled back to a previous video driver under which these games worked. I poured through the troubleshooters on my computers, and tried their various 'solutions.' I fiddled with display values. I used a system restore. All to no avail.

One of you has to know WTF has posessed poor Kroisistan's computer. Please for the love of your respective Diety help me...

Okay, i'm no expert, but...it might be your monitor itself. Maybe the refresh rate is set wrongly.

Assuming you're using windows XP...

Right click on your desktop and select "properties". Click on the tab marked "settings". Click on the button marked "advanced". Click on the "monitor" tab. Make sure that the "hide modes that this monitor cannot display" checkbox is ticked. If it is, select a lower setting and see what that does for you.

Okay, i'm no expert, but...it might be your monitor itself. Maybe the refresh rate is set wrongly.

Assuming you're using windows XP...

Right click on your desktop and select "properties". Click on the tab marked "settings". Click on the button marked "advanced". Click on the "monitor" tab. Make sure that the "hide modes that this monitor cannot display" checkbox is ticked. If it is, select a lower setting and see what that does for you.

That value appears to be fixed entirely, at 60 hertz. I had my suspicions about it too but since I'm unable to mess with it at all I figure it's gotta be something else.

Thanks trying to help though.:)

That value appears to be fixed entirely, at 60 hertz. I had my suspicions about it too but since I'm unable to mess with it at all I figure it's gotta be something else.

Thanks trying to help though.:)

You're welcome.

Hmm. What is listed under "monitor type"? Maybe the wrong type is selected, 'cause that seems a little odd that 60hz would be the only option.

Is it an old monitor? It could be simply worn out as well.

You're welcome.

Hmm. What is listed under "monitor type"? Maybe the wrong type is selected, 'cause that seems a little odd that 60hz would be the only option.

Is it an old monitor? It could be simply worn out as well.

Well the monitor is actually just part of the Lenovo laptop I'm using, and it's definitely not an old laptop.

It seems to be the right type, 'wide viewing angle and High density FlexView Display 1400.' The only other choices are default monitor, listed twice for some reason, and generic television, so the current setting seems like the right choice.

You're welcome.

Hmm. What is listed under "monitor type"? Maybe the wrong type is selected, 'cause that seems a little odd that 60hz would be the only option.

Is it an old monitor? It could be simply worn out as well.
He could just have it a high resolution.

That value appears to be fixed entirely, at 60 hertz. I had my suspicions about it too but since I'm unable to mess with it at all I figure it's gotta be something else.

Thanks trying to help though.:)

If the refresh rate value is only 60hz, I assume your monitor is set to 1280 x 1024. Most conventional CRT monitors max out to 60hz @ 1280 x 1024. I recommend you reduce the screen resolution to 1024 x 768, that way you're able to set the refresh rate to flicker free 85hz or 100hz.

If the refresh rate value is only 60hz, I assume your monitor is set to 1280 x 1024. Most conventional CRT monitors max out to 60hz @ 1280 x 1024. I recommend you reduce the screen resolution to 1024 x 768, that way you're able to set the refresh rate to flicker free 85hz or 100hz.

Sounds promising. I'll try and get back to you. And thanks for helping btw.

Well the monitor is actually just part of the Lenovo laptop I'm using, and it's definitely not an old laptop.

It seems to be the right type, 'wide viewing angle and High density FlexView Display 1400.' The only other choices are default monitor, listed twice for some reason, and generic television, so the current setting seems like the right choice.Wierd. LCD monitors don't flicker @ 60hz, there must be something wrong with your monitor or the onboard video chipset in your laptop.

How long have you had this lappy?

LCD monitors don't flicker @ 60hz, there must be something wrong with your monitor or the onboard video chipset in your laptop.

How long have you had this lappy?

I've had the laptop for around 6 months.

I highly doubt it is a hardware problem though. Videos, even intro videos to the games that I noticed this issue on, have none of this flickering. It just seems to be these fullscreen applications.

What's your laptop model and it's tech specs (if known)? I'll probably able to solve your problem. ;)

What's your laptop model and it's tech specs (if known)? I'll probably able to solve your problem. ;)

It's an IBM Thinkpad T43, Intel Pentium M at 2.00 Ghz, with 1 GB of RAM, and an ATI Radeon X300 graphics card.

EDIT - It's getting a tad late, and I have an early start tomorrow. Thanks for your help. I'll be back on tomorrow, perhaps a solution will present itself then.

You mentioned that you put in new video card drivers, as well as trying a rollback to previous versions, I think you may now want to update your MOBO drivers. I had issues with my card some time back, and even though I had updated the drivers, I found that updating the MOBO drivers helped.