Display problems.

703810995 · 24 Sep 2025 at 14:17

Hello.

Two monitors are connected to the two DVI connectors on the graphics card. The motherboard also has onboard graphics, which is set to 'Auto'. The monitors automatically use the graphics card for video.

If I disconnect both monitors from the graphics card and leave the onboard option to 'Auto' (and connect one of the monitors to the onboard DVI graphics connector) , the monitor does not come on at all and goes on stand-by.

If I want to try the onboard graphics, do I need to to change the option from 'Auto' to onboard? If yes, and the monitor still does not come on, if I connect the monitors to the graphics card again, will they work again automatically even though BIOS has now been changed to use onboard graphics or will my computer be stuck without video with no way to change the setting back to 'Auto' as there is no display?

Thank you.

703810995 · 24 Sep 2025 at 19:59

Thank you for your reply.

Both the motherboard and CPU are old! The motherboard definitely has onboard graphics. Not sure about the CPU but it's about 15 years old!

As the title says, I am having display problems. It is possible that it may be the graphics card that's failing, so I want to use the onboard graphics. I don't need anything fancy for graphics, so onboard graphics would suffice. The graphics card was mainly to run my dual monitors. One monitor will do for now.

Thank you for your advice. I will try setting it to onboard. If I don't post back with an update, that means everything has gone wrong! Haha.

703810995 · 24 Sep 2025 at 20:12

I set the motherboard to DVI, but the monitor still did not come on. Do I need to take the graphics card out entirely for this to work?

When I connected the monitor back to the graphics card, the monitor came on and worked even though the BIOS setting has been set to onboard DVI.

703810995 · 25 Sep 2025 at 20:00

Thank you for your replies.

I do apologise, I normally include system specs, but I just thought it was a generic query and might not require additional specifics.

Motherboard
CPU
Graphics Card
Monitors
OS - Linux
No idea if motherboard graphics driver is installed.

Makes sense but the title on its own is rather vague.

I deliberately omitted additional info as I just wanted to know how to get the onboard to work and not concentrate on trying to fix the issue with the graphics card.

Just for your information, the issue is flickering and taking several minutes for the monitors to show anything. Initial startup showed fine, but not login screen, however, now even the initial startup doesn't show at times. Anyway, as mentioned, this post is about getting the onboard to work, not trying to fix the issue with the graphics card.

Thank you.

703810995 · 6 Oct 2025 at 19:57

Thank you for your replies.

I had already checked that the IGX was set to UMA, which it was.

I used to use Ubuntu but the only reason I changed to another distro was due to the problems with getting nVidia drivers to work! I really did give it a mighty big chance, but the sheer volume of troubleshooting steps (most of which didn't work) was enough for anybody to be forced to ditch it! My current distro works fine with my hardware without needing to manually install anything. The nVidia drivers are already installed via the Software Centre. I will probably have done this myself but can't remember as it was a long time ago. The nouveau drivers are also installed.

I pressed the button to change the brightness or contrast in the actual monitors own menu and automatically set everything to maximum again and adjusting the settings back have proved to be impossible! It keeps resetting back every time I try. I have just about managed to set it to 75% brightness, which is still way to bright, but any further press of the buttons would risk it setting back to 100! I am having to change all my backgrounds to grey to avoid the discomfort! I'm assuming this behaviour may be due to the constant flickering that just won't allow the settings to be adjusted, but that's just a wild guess.

My current display settings only has one refresh rate, which is 60.

No, I've been using Linux for nearly 30 years! I started with Ubuntu but have been using PCLinuxOS for several years.

I will try the motherboard suggestions after I have posted this message. The monitor takes its time to come on and stabilise!

Two suggestions which I would like to avoid until I have tried all other suggestions is purchasing a new cable and messing with the nVidia drivers (re-install).

703810995 · 10 Oct 2025 at 16:44

After I posted my last message, I noticed that the graphics drivers (nouveau, not nvidia) showed an upgrade icon, which I clicked on and I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but the computer suddenly broke. All the USBs stopped working and I couldn't log on to any of my drives. Luckily, I had an old PS2 keyboard which helped! Luckily also, I was able to boot into an old live USB Linux drive (not sure how) and managed to install it onto a different hard drive! So, sorry for the late reply!

I have been forced to concentrate on fixing the computer instead of the original issue of the graphics, but I can now provide more details that may help diagnose the problem, for example, a brand new install of the latest Linux on a different hard drive from scratch still has the same graphics issues. Everything works fine (USBs etc) with the new drive but still can't boot into the old drives, even with the PS2 keyboard. I could try safe mode next.

Have I understood correctly that is it the CPU that you suggested changing (the computer's processor)?

I think even for testing purposes, I would rather buy new parts, as second hand would only be an extra item to troubleshoot if it turns out not to be working!

I am very wary of setting init display first to on-chip because I tried disconnecting the graphics card completely but the monitors went on standby instantly, no signal at all and I don't want to be stuck on that setting without any way of accessing it again! Shouldn't it have automatically used the on-chip graphics regardless of the init display first setting if the card was removed? I'm not sure what the default setting is, but would the suggestion above of taking out the battery and replacing it allow me to get back in if I installed the card again?

703810995 · 13 Oct 2025 at 19:42

Sounds like an OS problem rather than a new hardware fault which is why booting from a different OS on your USB stick worked.

I didn't think that would be it because there were two different hard drives with two different versions of the OS on them.

Could be a corrupt OS, a faulty hard drive or the newer drivers or kernel might not be compatible with your old hardware.

I am also thinking this might not be it, as, although not impossible, I don't think BOTH OSs or drives have developed a fault at the exact same time. I haven't installed any new drivers or kernels, so this can't be it.

Some distros also have encryption enabled if it was encrypted you wouldn't be able to access your files by booting from a different OS drive either.

Luckily, I am able to access all my files from the new hard drive. I have another drive in which the OS did automatically encrypt, so would not be able to access those files.

Newer Linux kernels sometimes drop support for older hardware, so occasionally an older version can work better than the current release.

Yes, this can possibly be an issue, but I have been neglectful in updating the OSs, so on one drive, it's probably still the one I originally installed and the unstable display was evident from the very first install of the OS on the second drive.

So have you tried different distros / kernels since you started having problems?

No, I tried several before settling on the one I have now, some of which didn't even allow me to boot into them. I think the ones that were based on the same 'things' (I don't know the technical term) as the old Ubuntu didn't work for me.

I haven't tried any others for current testing purposes yet, but thanks for the suggestion. I could give that a try.

No, I don't have Windows 10 or any other Windows close to this version.

so if you don't want second hand parts then you probably need to build a complete new PC.

I meant just things like cables, etc. for testing purposes.

you also need to remember that the flickering etc could also be your monitors dying.

Yes, I have considered this (and the cables) for the longest time! For the most part (not always), the monitor displays fine up until the login screen appears. Would this be the case if it was a monitor issue?

I will try out a few of the suggestions and reply if I have any success (or not!).

703810995 · 15 Oct 2025 at 00:10

You didn't mention trying two drives with different OS versions...

I mentioned the following, which indicates I had at least two drives.

All the USBs stopped working and I couldn't log on to any of my drives.

You literally said it stopped working when it "showed an upgrade icon, which I clicked on".

Sorry, I'm still referring to the display problems. I hadn't installed any new drivers so that couldn't have caused the display problems. It is when I clicked the upgrade icon to try to fix the display problems that computer itself broke.

So you have got two drives that stopped booting but now have another that is working?

Correct.

If they are old then they could be failing but it could be a bad sata cable, psu or mobo starting to fail or changes to the BIOS settings if it wasn't clicking "upgrade" that broke it.

I'm reluctant to think it's both drives that have failed or two different SATA cables at the same time. Yes, it could be the PSU or motherboard.

7 or XP then

Don't have these either!

Id say refresh rate or resolution are wrong

It's been the same from the start.

Do you know anyone with a Windows PC that could try the graphics card for you?

I'll try some of the other suggestions first.

When was the last time the CMOS battery was replaced, if its old take it out and check it with a multi meter it should be 3v.

I can't remember. I don't have multi-meter.

you need to get something a bit newer.

I only use the computer for the very basics. I am trying to avoid buying a whole new system when it could just be one component that needs replacing. I'll start with the cables.

703810995 · 20 Oct 2025 at 17:43

I managed to borrow a monitor for testing and I am not 100% sure, but I think it could be both monitors that are faulty.

I first connected the new monitor to the onboard graphics VGA to VGA and it just didn't work, nothing came on, but I didn't change any settings in BIOS first.
I then connected the new monitor to the graphics card, VGA to DVI (via VGA adapter) and it worked fine, so I would've thought that would rule out a graphics card or motherboard issue.
I then connected the old power cable to the new monitor and it worked fine, so I would've thought that would rule out the power cable.
I then connected the old DVI to HDMI cable to the new monitor and it worked fine, so I would've thought that would rule out the DVI to HDMI cable.
I then connected the old monitor to the graphics card, VGA to DVI (via VGA adapter) and it came on for a while but then went off apart from the led on the power button, so this is leading me to believe that it's the monitor, BUT if it is, why does it work 99% of the time up until the OS boot menu?

To add even more confusion, when I re-connected the old monitor as it was before, the display still takes a while to come on but seems to be stable now without the flickering! I'm guessing that moving around the monitor and plugging and unplugging various cables may have given it a little shake up. Just as I was about to post this, it has started flickering again!

I think the only way to know for sure is to connect the monitor to a different PC, which is not an easy task!

703810995 · 21 Oct 2025 at 22:23

Thanks for your suggestions and answers to my questions. I appreciate it.

I think I might prioritise finding new monitors whilst I can before the current ones go off completely, which is looking to be very soon judging by their symptoms!

Your advice does seem to make sense and I will post back if I conduct any further tests.

To answer your questions, transporting my monitor isn't such an easy task either! The test monitor was only small. I can't say anything about the quality of the internals of the test monitor, but it was just a standard Dell probably not even 21" and I'm guessing 1280 x 1024.

703810995 · 22 Oct 2025 at 19:39

Thanks NetMan.

I guess if you had a TV with a HDMI port you would have already tried using that?

No, I don't have that.

703810995 · 23 Oct 2025 at 19:40

I managed to test the monitor with another PC and it suffered similar issues, so as I am thinking it's probably a monitor issue, have decided to buy new monitors.

Thank you all for all your advice and suggestions.

703810995 · 23 Oct 2025 at 21:55

One of the monitors failed first, then the other, but I still wasn't sure if it was the monitor or something else.

703810995 · 24 Oct 2025 at 21:43

Personally I would ditch your HDMI to DVI cable and just use a HDMI cable (onboard VGA connect output then set to = D-sub/HDMI).

Would you believe I managed to procure a monitor and a PC for testing, but not an HDMI to HDMI cable? Haha.

If the issue was using a DVI to HDMI cable, then I would've thought that the monitors wouldn't have worked previously before malfunctioning, however, I will still be anxious until I see the new monitors actually working, as the manual for them say:

"Using a DVI to HDMI / DP (DisplayPort) to HDMI cable may cause compatibility issues."

This is worrying!

The graphics card does have a mini HDMI option (includes adapter for normal HDMI) and the onboard also has this option, so I can physically connect both monitors to the PC via HDMI to HDMI, but I would have to investigate if my card, CPU and onboard would support using the card and onboard at the same time. Let's hope I don't need to!

703810995 · 2 Nov 2025 at 16:13

The flashing problem doesn't seem to be present with the new monitors so it's possible that it was the monitors that were faulty. The flickery problem is still present but it happens only at the top of the monitor. It is not anywhere near as bad as before. It happens with both the brand new HDMI 2.0 cable that I bought and my existing DVI cable. I did have to use an HDMI to mini HDMI adapter as the card only has the mini option. I think the adapter is version 1.4 (not certain). According to websites, Version 1.4 supports a maximum resolution of 3840x2160, but I might buy a new one to check just to be sure. The card only supports HDMI 1.3a, which does or does not support higher than 1920 x 1080 depending on which website you visit!

Unfortunately, I have other priorities now! I'm stuck at maximum 1920 x 1080 resolution with the default Nouveau drivers and attempting to install Nvidia drivers has rendered the PC unbootable. Dual monitors is also not being handled very well with crashing of the screen.