Troubleshooting Video issues

Resolving The Problem

1. To begin troubleshooting, check the following top issues. If your issue is listed, select the link; otherwise, proceed to step 2.
   
   
   • Video card not receiving sufficient power, performance lowered
   • Flat panel monitor troubleshooting
   • CRT monitor troubleshooting
   
   
2. Ensure that the most recent video driver and firmware has been installed.
   
   
   • Download the latest video driver for your system
   
   Some native operating system video drivers are known to have performance issues with IBM video chipsets. For Microsoft Windows:
   
   
   1. Right click the Windows desktop.
   2. Click Properties.
   3. Click the Settings tab.
   4. Click the Advanced button.
   5. Click the Adapter tab.
   6. Click the Properties button.
   7. Click the Driver tab.
   8. Compare the Driver Version: listed as installed with the current version of the video driver, and update if needed.
      
      
3. If running Linux, make sure the graphical interface was setup correctly during install. Please refer to your system's Operating System installation instructions for further details.
   
   
4. Run the monitor setup program. Some monitors are supplied with setup programs on CD-ROM or diskette. Follow the manufacturer's directions.
   
   
5. Check the video signal cable connector for bent or missing pins. Check the cable for cuts.
   
   
6. Check to see if moving the monitor connections slightly causes color changes. Tighten loose connections.
   
   
7. In the case of systems with multiple video output connections, verify that the correct connection is being used. Some systems ship with two video connectors on the back (on-board video, and an optional video adapter), however only one is enabled. Some system boards ship with the AGP slot disabled and plugged. These slots have been disabled at the chipset level and do not work. The plugs should not be removed.
   
   
8. If the monitor has multiple inputs, remove the secondary connections from the computer.
   
   
9. Remove all signal cable extensions and Keyboard, Video, and Mouse (KVM) switch boxes. If your system is connected to a monitor, mouse, and keyboard through a Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) switch box, or console selector switch, then disconnect the switch and connect monitor, mouse, and keyboard directly to the system. If this solves the issue, please contact your switch manufacturer for support and compatibility on the switch. Some switches can have a firmware update applied for the most common fixes. Use of these devices can result in severely degraded video quality or no video symptoms.
   
   
10. Eliminate wire bundles and magnetic fields from nearby appliances. Electromagnetic interference from electric devices such as speakers, fans, or lights can have a negative impact on display and color quality.
    
    
11. Check to see if the display is visible and working correctly with proper color during startup and in the IBM System Configuration Utility. This will check if the problem is with the display itself, or with the driver or settings within the operating system.
    
    
12. Verify that the video is working by booting to the operating system in Safe Mode in Microsoft Windows or VGA mode in Windows NT 4.0. To enter Safe mode, press F8 when the Windows logo first appears on the screen during system startup. This will indicate if it is a driver or driver setting issue.
    
    
13. Check display settings for resolution (screen area) and color depth. The wrong settings may cause the display to appear to have a black border when a resolution is used that is smaller than the actual screen size.
    
    
    1. For Microsoft Windows 2000: click Start, select Settings, then click Control Panel. Double-click Display.
       For Microsoft Windows XP: click Start, then click Control Panel. Click Appearance and Themes, then click Display.
    2. Click the Settings tab.
    3. In the Screen Area box, increment the slider one position at a time to increase the size and click Apply until the screen is filled and the black border minimized or eliminated.
    4. Click the Advanced button to verify the advanced display settings for Monitor, Refresh rate (frequency), and Hardware acceleration.
       
       Note: Setting the video resolution to 640x480x16 colors in Device Manager is not the same as changing the hardware to a VGA adapter. You must change the adapter selection from the installed adapter (e.g. S3, nVidia, or Matrox), to a standard VGA adapter in the Display Properties dialog box.
       
       
14. Check video quality by changing the hardware video adapter to the lowest available resolution. For Microsoft Windows:
    
    
    1. Right click on the Windows desktop.
    2. Click Properties.
    3. Click the Settings tab. Use the Screen resolution sliding selector to change resolution. The resolution selections available should be limited to the capabilities of the video adapter. Some of the selections available may exceed the monitor capabilities and result in a temporary black screen.
    4. Click OK.
    5. Compare results with other screen resolution selections.
    6. Set resolution to the best results.
       
       
15. Ensure that the display being used can support the video refresh rate and screen resolution specified in display properties. The manual for your monitor should list the supported refresh rates and screen resolutions. For Microsoft Windows, open the Display Properties dialog box to verify that the refresh rate and screen resolutions are set properly:
    
    
    1. In the Properties window, click Settings.
    2. Click Advanced.
    3. Select the Monitor tab to view or change the refresh rate.
       
       
16. Check the brightness setting. A lowered brightness setting may cause the display to appear dim.
    
    
17. Try a known good monitor that supports the desired video resolution. Make sure the connector has no bent pins and fits securely.
    
    
18. If getting a beep code related to video (2-2-2, 1 long/1short, 1 long/2 short, 2 long/2 short), reseat video cable and try a known good monitor that supports the desired resolution. If still getting the same beep code, the video adapter may be faulty. Click here to decipher POST beep codes.
    
    
19. If applicable, remove and reseat the video adapter card. Some AGP adapters use a retaining clip, which must be moved to one side to prevent damage when removing the adapter.
    
    
20. Some Intel video chipsets use Dynamic Video Memory technology (DVMT) to allocate the amount of video memory to be used by the system. This can cause the initial memory count to indicate less than the expected system memory count at POST/startup. When the system is initially powered on, it allocates 1MB of system memory to the video adapter so that the system can utilize VGA video mode. Once the operating system is loaded, the chipset will employ more system memory as video cache if needed. If the system is running in VGA mode, then the video adapter will display only 1MB of video memory in use. The system BIOS will only register the 1MB of video memory that is reserved for the chipset to function in VGA mode. DVMT has the ability to dynamically allocate additional memory whenever it is required, and conversely, release it when it is no longer needed. Many diagnostic programs will only recognize the 1MB of video memory allocated by the system for Legacy support (i.e. VGA mode). The amount of video memory in use by the system will vary depending on the system's total amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) and the need for video memory.
    
    
21. If these steps have not solved your problem,
    refer to your system's Problem Determination and Service Guide (PDSG), or refer to "Need more help?"
    
    

NVIDIA System Sentinel reports that the NVIDIA-powered graphics card is not receiving sufficient power

Symptom

After installing a video card and booting into the operating system, the following message appears:

Nvidia Power Indicator Error message:

Problem report:
The Nvidia system sentinel is reporting that Nvidia-powered graphics card is not receiving sufficient power.

To protect hardware from potential damage or causing a potential system lockup, the graphics processor has lowered its performance to a level that allows continued safe operations.

Solution

1. Check power supply cabling to the video card. Some video cards require additional power to be supplied to them from a separate Molex power supply connector, (the same type used by hard drives to receive power). The PCI or AGP bus alone do not supply sufficient power to these cards. Connect a power supply lead to the video card. If your power supply has leads specifically designed for case fans, be sure you haven't inadvertently connected one of these leads to your video card, instead of a normal power connector lead. Don't share the power supply connector lead with a hard drive or anything else via a Y cable. Plug the video card on a connector lead that has nothing else (e.g. hard drive) attached to it.
   
   
2. Check the wattage requirements of your system. Your power supply may not be providing sufficient wattage to meet the demands of all the devices installed in your system. You may need to upgrade your power supply, or disconnect unnecessary devices.
   
   
3. Update your video device driver and video card firmware to the latest levels. You may need to contact NVidia or your video card vendor to download the latest support files for their video card.
   
   
   • Download the latest video support files for your system

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