Monitor and video problems

• Incorrect characters are displayed

• Screen is blank

• 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​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

Screen is blank​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

1. If you have installed new DIMMs recently, make sure the capacity of the new DIMMs is the same as the previously installed ones. If not, remove the newly installed DIMMs, and power on the server again.

2. If there are other monitors that are connected to the server, remove them.

3. 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.

4. Make sure that:

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

   • The monitor cables are securely connected.

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

5. Disconnect the cable and select another video connector for connection.

6. Replace the following components one at a time, in the order shown, restarting the server each time:

   1. Monitor cable

   2. Monitor

   3. (Trained technician only) System board

7. 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 with resolution that is higher than the capability of the monitor.

   • The necessary device drivers for the application are all installed.

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

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

1. If the monitor self-tests show that the monitor is working correctly, examine 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 inches) 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 inches).

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

2. Reseat the monitor cable.

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

   1. Monitor cable

   2. Monitor

   3. Video adapter (if one is installed)

   4. (Trained technician only) System board

The wrong characters appear on the screen​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.