Half of CRT monitor suddenly fuzzy

gt123 · Dec 6, 2004, 02:49 AM

Well, I'm back...i guess i knew i would be. I got by i think a month or two without any problems, that was a good time...

Anyways, here's my problem: half of my monitor just went fuzzy. It looks like its a very thick, vertical stripe down the middle-left portion of the screen. It wasn't gradual or anything, I just looked up and it was fuzzy.

I did spill water all over myself and the keyboard right before it happened, but none of it got near the monitor, and the keyboard is fine...I don't know what could have triggered it. I did accidentally shut down the computer when i was cleaning off the keyboard too, though, and i think the fuzzy stripe came up shortly after that. I've got a generic Dell keyboard and it doesn't have any kind of restart or shutdown key on it, so i'm not sure what i pressed to shut it down.

Uhhhh...heh, alright...just as i finished typing that last word it looks like it disappeared...maybe God is just messing with me.

Anyways, I'm almost positive it'll come back, it's never this simple...so if anyone has any ideas, i'd appreciate it.

I have an Optiquest Q95 19' (possibly 20') monitor, 3 or 4 years old. Never had a problem before, save the windows '98 startup image burned very faintly into it. No big deal there, though, that's just from shutting down wrong one too many times or something (and it has been there for a good year or two).

MythicaL · Dec 6, 2004, 02:51 AM

Got any electronics near the monitor? Did you try degaussing it?

gt123 · Dec 6, 2004, 02:56 AM

I love this site, the post is up half a second and I get a reply...

Electronics? There's a lamp, speakers and a phone on the shelf the monitor's on, and the CPU, cable modem and a big Surge-protector socket thing are on the lower shelf where i can put my feet...

I tried the degauss thing and it I don't think it worked...at least, it was still fuzzy afterwards, i did it a few times. But maybe it did work, it was just delayed..is that possible? Because the stripe still hasn't come back yet as far as I can tell.

Judas · Dec 6, 2004, 03:01 AM

..is the phone a cordless?... try moving it....

When did this start... right away?

did you make any changes just recently?

gt123 · Dec 6, 2004, 03:29 AM

Yea the phone's cordless, but Im sure it's not the phone. It's been there for years, no problem.

And yes, i started just awhile ago, first time. Im not sure when exactly...It could have started once the computer booted back up after i accidentally shut it down, and i just didn't notice it for a couple minutes.

And no, I haven't made any changes to the monitor or computer or anything. The only thing i've done recently is disable a few nonessential windows startup items, none having to do with monitor or anything like it.

edit: I really appreciate your help, but I don't want you guys spend a whole lot of time on this...it still hasn't come back, and it may have been just a temporary thing...But, I will come back and post again on this thread if it does come back. And if you have any revelations, i'd still be glad to know what could have caused it in the first place..

Judas · Dec 6, 2004, 03:39 AM

... you mentioned accidental shutdown.... was there a power outage... or a brown out of the sorts? this may have somewhat messed it up...

You may need the monitor full deguassed .... the internal monitor degauser probably and most likely isn't powerful enough... i'm hoping it wasn't a brown out as a surge protector cannot protect against brown outs..... (Brown outs are sometimes considered worse the surges)

gt123 · Dec 6, 2004, 07:02 PM

No, there definitely wasn't a power outage. The computer shut down normally, through Windows (with the "windows is shutting down" page and everything). Stripe still hasn't come back.

pr0digal jenius · Dec 6, 2004, 07:21 PM

i doubt it was delayed...but it could have just been a moire malfunction, as 'fuzzy' is usually a moire problem...degausing deals more with discoloration.

Whatever it was...glad it's fixed!!!!

Judas · Dec 7, 2004, 02:55 AM

Moving the monitor can cause the color distortions.. when the monitor needs to be digaused.. the appearance can be discoloration and fuzzyness....

Dec 6, 2004, 02:49 AM	#1
gt123 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	Half of CRT monitor suddenly fuzzy Well, I'm back...i guess i knew i would be. I got by i think a month or two without any problems, that was a good time... Anyways, here's my problem: half of my monitor just went fuzzy. It looks like its a very thick, vertical stripe down the middle-left portion of the screen. It wasn't gradual or anything, I just looked up and it was fuzzy. I did spill water all over myself and the keyboard right before it happened, but none of it got near the monitor, and the keyboard is fine...I don't know what could have triggered it. I did accidentally shut down the computer when i was cleaning off the keyboard too, though, and i think the fuzzy stripe came up shortly after that. I've got a generic Dell keyboard and it doesn't have any kind of restart or shutdown key on it, so i'm not sure what i pressed to shut it down. Uhhhh...heh, alright...just as i finished typing that last word it looks like it disappeared...maybe God is just messing with me. Anyways, I'm almost positive it'll come back, it's never this simple...so if anyone has any ideas, i'd appreciate it. I have an Optiquest Q95 19' (possibly 20') monitor, 3 or 4 years old. Never had a problem before, save the windows '98 startup image burned very faintly into it. No big deal there, though, that's just from shutting down wrong one too many times or something (and it has been there for a good year or two).

Dec 6, 2004, 02:51 AM	#2
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Got any electronics near the monitor? Did you try degaussing it? __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Dec 6, 2004, 02:56 AM	Thread Starter #3
gt123 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	I love this site, the post is up half a second and I get a reply... Electronics? There's a lamp, speakers and a phone on the shelf the monitor's on, and the CPU, cable modem and a big Surge-protector socket thing are on the lower shelf where i can put my feet... I tried the degauss thing and it I don't think it worked...at least, it was still fuzzy afterwards, i did it a few times. But maybe it did work, it was just delayed..is that possible? Because the stripe still hasn't come back yet as far as I can tell.

Dec 6, 2004, 03:29 AM	Thread Starter #5
gt123 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	Yea the phone's cordless, but Im sure it's not the phone. It's been there for years, no problem. And yes, i started just awhile ago, first time. Im not sure when exactly...It could have started once the computer booted back up after i accidentally shut it down, and i just didn't notice it for a couple minutes. And no, I haven't made any changes to the monitor or computer or anything. The only thing i've done recently is disable a few nonessential windows startup items, none having to do with monitor or anything like it. edit: I really appreciate your help, but I don't want you guys spend a whole lot of time on this...it still hasn't come back, and it may have been just a temporary thing...But, I will come back and post again on this thread if it does come back. And if you have any revelations, i'd still be glad to know what could have caused it in the first place..

Dec 6, 2004, 07:02 PM	Thread Starter #7
gt123 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 92 Rep Power: 0	No, there definitely wasn't a power outage. The computer shut down normally, through Windows (with the "windows is shutting down" page and everything). Stripe still hasn't come back.

Dec 6, 2004, 07:21 PM	#8
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	i doubt it was delayed...but it could have just been a moire malfunction, as 'fuzzy' is usually a moire problem...degausing deals more with discoloration. Whatever it was...glad it's fixed!!!!