Last couple of days, I've been having black squares (3" or so across) pop up randomly all over the screen. They are fast (think strobe-effect).
At 1st I thought it was cell-phone interference, since I have had my old cell phone's transmition come thru my speakers but moving it across the room doesn't fix these squares.
The machine still works, and I can get my work out on time but it IS irritating as hell. AND has me wondering about being hacked and somebody snooping even though my antivirus and firewall both show clean.
Ideas ? The router is right beside the machine, but it hasnt caused any problems before.
How big a square? Big can be the LCD/LED screen. Small can be video "board" problem. (Video built into MoBo/laptop can have similar problems or not as standalone cards.) Same area or random spots?
Try another screen. even if it's laptop.
Desktop may need cleaning. dust/dirt blocks air flow to many parts and then same parts over heat. Turn off and pull all plugs at take outside and use "can air" or compressor set low, < 20psi or ~ 1 bar depending gauge used. Do Not Pinwheel the Fans. That can wreck them but might die a week or month later.
If laptop need cleaning then more work and done wrong can easily wreck the whole thing. Dirt is often buried in small fans or in/under heat sinks. Can air etc may help or just move the dirt to other areas and make you problem worse.
If video "board" gets too hot then can have crap RoHS solders that crack because many non lead solders doesn't like big hot/cold cycles when computer is off or asleep. That can cause this to totally fail.
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html and others may help finding hot CPU/GPU etc or not. Many "Brand Name" systems like Dell and HP hind most to all monitor items to the OS and software run on them.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
This that "gaming" laptop? Check and make sure GPU fans are clean and functioning. I think you said HP, they have had overheat issues in the past. Check drivers too.
Naw, this is "old faithfull". Dell desktop that I do most of my work on...AND its kept very lightly loaded. MS Office, Chrome, Opera, VLC player. not much else besides a BOATLOAD of movies on a second drive in it.
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac: Naw, this is "old faithfull". Dell desktop that I do most of my work on...AND its kept . MS Office, Chrome, Opera, VLC player. not much else besides a BOATLOAD of movies on a second drive in it.
"very lightly loaded" often doesn't matter. Dirt can plug up even these systems. Most times cleaning helps keep stop crashing etc but sometime overheat cranks solder joints. Example: mostly use for MS Office (old pictures I took...)
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Most Dust bunnies on PSU fan fell down while carrying to shop. dust on/in everything else. Like many in a business, Sits on desk and inhales every crap near it for months. This CPU heatsink is behind small fan and nearly block w/ same crap. GPU etc doesn't have a heatsink. Many systems are on the carpeted floors dirt is way worse then this. I spend Thousands of hours cleaning systems over years doing IT work.
At home where people smoke cook or have wood heating are far worse because smoke and grease are very sticky. I've told many home users to buy another PC because too much crap polluting it.
Many Dell HP and other Desktop systems have GPU on MoBo or on Cards w/o fansinks but dirt can still attach to whatever little heatsinks used and drive up operating temps.
Originally posted by ls3mach: So instead of fixing the problem you suggest tossing the machine and getting a new one that will inevitably have the same problem? Sharp.
Another having no clue. When you charge $75-$100 or more per hour for a service call... Most don't want to pay 2-4 hours, often more, to clean smoke/grease filled systems that often fails to work again in just a few days later. Most look at Walmart or Amazon and can get new and often better PC for $300 to $500 for Desktops and Many Laptop aren't much more for home/student use and been so for 20 years or more.
Is not like unit in pictures above w/ loose crap can clean easy by blowing and/or vacuum. Even then takes ~ 1 hour for a call. PC sim to above I often use both at same time so customers don't breath the crap. PC on floors are as bad or worse then above because almost everything on the floor will get sucked into the PC. Cleaning by you or "janitors" mostly stir up dust/dirt on floors desks etc and PC just gulps it inside. And I mean carefully using a 3M "Toner" Vacuum costing ~$300 and similar made to do the job. Not a Shop Vac or home vac that fry them easy from static electricity and often can't handle small particles even tho many claim have HEPA filters.
Smoke/grease victims often need complete take apart everything, often need solvents to remove crap for plugs and other parts, many parts like PSU can't be cleaned even then because of legal/safety reasons and then complete rebuild and Hope it works. (Take apart a PSU and customers are shocked for any reason later then expect to get sued.)
Frankly I'm not interested clean the crap because many of these "customers" will call back days to few weeks and often call me a fraud and worse, often refusing to pay via CC charge backs and whine to Yelp et al too.
Originally posted by Blacktree: You could try updating or reinstalling the video driver.
Can try but often won't help the problem posted. Reinstall before upgrade because many upgrade versions have different/more problems.
Before that If external screen(s)... move screen to another PC to see if problem moves w/ it. Even if other is a laptop w/ same connector if available so can use same cable.
And yes, backup important files before doing Anything. Including cleaning or replace hardware.
I'm in the process of backing everything up, then I'll open it up and give it a blowjob cleaning on the weekend.
BUT, I back up regularly any way, most everything is ALREADY in-the-cloud via gmail. So...if it dies, it dies. I'll just save the movie drive and toss the rest. I ve got my good laptop, and desktops like this are $150-$200 at any pawn shop around here. Not a biggie to replace it.
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac: BUT, I back up regularly any way, most everything is ALREADY in-the-cloud via gmail. So...if it dies, it dies. I'll just save the movie drive and toss the rest. I've got my good laptop, and desktops like this are $150-$200 at any pawn shop around here. Not a biggie to replace it.
Pull All HD/SSD out then junk/recycle the machine. Even if you don't reuse the old drive(s) wipe or destroy them before junk them.
Windows since a least 7 have built in wiper (diskpart "clean all" function) but is easy to wipe the wrong drive. Is a text program run in CMD or Power Shell.
