Monitor and video problems

• Incorrect characters are displayed

• Blank screen issue or screen flickering

• Screen goes blank when you start some application programs

• The monitor has screen jitter, or the screen image is wavy, unreadable, rolling, or distorted

• The wrong characters appear on the screen

Incorrect characters are displayed​

Blank screen issue or screen flickering​

1. If the server is attached to a KVM switch, bypass the KVM switch to eliminate it as a possible cause of the problem: connect the monitor cable directly to the correct connector on the rear of the server.

2. The management controller remote presence function is disabled if you install an optional video adapter. To use the management controller remote presence function, remove the optional video adapter.

3. If the server is installed with the graphical adapters while turning on the server, the Lenovo logo is displayed on the screen after approximately 3 minutes. This is normal operation while the system loads.

4. If the USB port 4 (with display support) on the front of the server is connected to a gaming monitor with Adaptive Sync support, perform one of the following steps listed below until the problem is solved. If you can not solve the problem after performing all steps, contact the monitor manufacturer for support.

   1. Change the display refresh rate on the monitor. For example, the refresh rate of Window O/S is set as 60 Hz by default, proceed to the following steps to change the refresh rate higher or lower:
      1. Right-click on the desktop and choose Display Setting.
      2. Click on Related settings > Advanced display > Choose a refresh rate.
   2. Disable the Adaptive Sync feature.

5. If the system is installed with the operating system Ubuntu 24.04.2, to configure the system in multi-monitor environment, check if the following steps is followed until the problem is solved:

   1. The display ports on the server can be separated into two types of groups. To avoid causing any problem to the display function of the connector, it is only allowed to connect the monitors to the connectors in either group A or group B. See “Server components” in SE100 User Guide to locate the connectors.

      Group A	Group B
      USB port 4 (with display support)	USB port 3 (with display support)
      HDMI 2.0 connectors	XCC system management port (10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45) Do not support accessing the remote console functionality only. Before accessing the remote console functionality, connecting the monitors to this port and the connectors in group A at the same time, the display function can still work normally.

   2. Make sure the display mode is set as “Mirror Display”.

6. Make sure that:

   • The server is turned on and there is power supplied to the server.

   • The monitor cables are connected correctly.

   • The monitor is turned on and the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted correctly.

7. Make sure that the correct server is controlling the monitor, if applicable.

8. Make sure that the video output is not affected by corrupted server firmware; See Update the firmware.

9. If the problem remains, contact Lenovo Support.

Screen goes blank when you start some application programs​

1. Make sure that:

   • The application program is not setting a display mode that is higher than the capability of the monitor.

   • You installed the necessary device drivers for the application.

The monitor has screen jitter, or the screen image is wavy, unreadable, rolling, or distorted​

1. If the monitor self-tests show that the monitor is working correctly, consider the location of the monitor. Magnetic fields around other devices (such as transformers, appliances, fluorescents, and other monitors) can cause screen jitter or wavy, unreadable, rolling, or distorted screen images. If this happens, turn off the monitor.

   Attention

   Moving a color monitor while it is turned on might cause screen discoloration.

   Move the device and the monitor at least 305 mm (12 in.) apart, and turn on the monitor.

   Note

   1. To prevent diskette drive read/write errors, make sure that the distance between the monitor and any external diskette drive is at least 76 mm (3 in.).

   2. Non-Lenovo monitor cables might cause unpredictable problems.

2. Reseat the monitor cable.

3. Replace the components listed in step 2 one at a time, in the order shown, restarting the server each time:

   1. Monitor cable

   2. Video adapter (if one is installed)

   3. Monitor

   4. (Trained technician only) System board (system board assembly)

The wrong characters appear on the screen​