Problem with graphics/monitor after sleep mode

[Hibernian]

Hi, I bought my PC from PCSPECIALIST in 2013.

Here are my specs...
Windows 7 64-bit
Intel i7-3770k Quad Core (3.50GHz)
ASUS P8Z77-V pro motherboard
2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 680
Asus PB278Q 27" Monitor

The problem I'm having is that whenever I turn the computer onto sleep mode and then reactivate it, the monitor starts to flicker and the desktop screen does not appear for an indeterminate amount of time (sometimes it lasts only 20 seconds, other times it last for several minutes). I think the problem also occurs when turning the PC on from a hard reboot, but I don't really want to experiment with it right now, as it took me a long time to get it working this morning so that I could come on here and ask.

To perhaps better describe the issue; When I turn the computer on the monitor just displays the ASUS logo (saying "persistent perfection", or whatever) for about half a second and then it goes black. Then a few seconds later it will flick back on and show the logo again and then go to black again and this just repeats for up to several minutes before the desktop finally appears.

When I have had the PC on sleep mode, something similar but slightly different happens. When it starts to come back on, I get an image on the monitor of the desktop for half a second, but then it goes black and it cycles like that for potentially a few seconds or a few minutes. Then the desktop just miraculously appears and everything works normally. On a few occasions when it was waking up from sleep, it just wouldn't stop flickering, so I turned the power off and rebooted, and that allowed it to get to the desktop screen after a short about of flickering. Sometimes I had to try this several times to get it working.


I don't know if the problem is being caused by the Monitor (it seems to be working fine in all other aspects), or by the GPU, or by the Motherboard. Or possibly even by a cable (the GPU is connected to the monitor by a DVI cable, I have tried plugging it out and in again several times, seems to make no difference to the issue though). I have not encountered any problems with any of the components when the computer is on and working, everything seems normal. The issue seems to isolated to the startup or reboot sequence.

This problem only started about a week or 10 days ago. It might have something to do with the Nvidia graphics drivers, because I did update them shortly before these problems started, but I can't be sure. Is it possible that there's some incompatibility in my older graphics card and the newer drivers?

Anyway, if any of you guys could help me track down the source of this problem, that would be much appreciated, because I really need to use my PC on a daily basis and this is becoming a big obstacle.

 

[Hibernian]

Oh, sorry. I see that I've accidentally put this post in sales advice, I was trying to put it in Technical support - Desktops.

Can a mod move it there? Or should I delete this?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Firstly, you're on windows 7 which has been unsupported for a year now, it's inherently insecure and you NEED to upgrade to windows 10 NOW.

It's still free and very easy:

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free

Sorry, Microsoft finally closed this loophole in 2023.

www.theverge.com

 

[Hibernian]

Hmm, I did already perform a clean install of the Nvidia drivers. In fact, I did it twice, once before the problem existed and then I looked again at the Nvidia website when I was having the problem and saw there was a new driver update, so clean installed that.

But I'll look into your link.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Hmm, I did already perform a clean install of the Nvidia drivers. In fact, I did it twice, once before the problem existed and then I looked again at the Nvidia website when I was having the problem and saw there was a new driver update, so clean installed that.

But I'll look into your link.

I changed the comment when I saw you were on windows 7

 

[Hibernian]

I changed the comment when I saw you were on windows 7

Well, that sounds like a hassle.

What if the issue is hardware based? Changing OS won't do anything.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Well, that sounds like a hassle.

What if the issue is hardware based? Changing OS won't do anything.

You don't know until you know the software is an issue.

Troubleshooting is a methodical process, you have to eliminate things on a step by step basis, you never assume things.

The first thing to do is make sure you're on a supported OS. Windows 7 has zero protection and is completely open to attack. Even if you're using a virus scanner, it can't offer any protection because the OS it's hosted on has no security.

At the moment, your PC is literally broadcasting like a beacon whenever it's connected to the internet and there is zero protection on it.

Whilst it's on Windows 7, you can't do any troubleshooting because the OS itself is a problem.

Updating is rediculously easy, it's a 10 minute job of clicking ok butttons and stuff.

 

[Hibernian]

Updating is rediculously easy, it's a 10 minute job of clicking ok butttons and stuff.

I mean, it's not though really. More like a day-long process of making sure everything is backed up, reinstalling all sorts of stuff and then fiddling with unfamiliar settings for hours. It's a rather daunting task, which is why I've put off doing it.

And I haven't had one single security issue in years. Windows Defender still gets updates on WIN-7 like every day.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I mean, it's not though really. More like a day-long process of making sure everything is backed up, reinstalling all sorts of stuff and then fiddling with unfamiliar settings for hours. It's a rather daunting task, which is why I've put off doing it.

And I haven't had one single security issue in years. Windows Defender still gets updates on WIN-7 like every day.

you’re assuming it’s difficult rather than just doing it and realising how simple it is. Your data should already be backed up anyway, programs don’t matter so much, and there are no settings you have to adjust.

I have got time to educate you on how an OS works. Windows defender is obviously still getting updates because it’s still supported, that’s not the issue.

The issue is that the OS itself hasn’t received updates for over a year now, windows defender can’t protect the OS, only what’s running ON the OS, it’s a different layer. Basically it goes BIOS / OS / Driver / Application. Windows defender is only protecting the application layer, it can’t do anything below that.

I won’t offer any support on windows 7 as it’s a pointless exercise. No drivers are supported on windows 7 anyway as it’s unsupported.

 

[Rakk]

If it only happens after sleep and you really dont want to move from Win7 (not recommended btw) you might want to consider just not letting it sleep, that's how I "fixed" a sleep problem that one of my machines had from the beginning - it always went funny after sleep (might've been Win7, might've been Win8 cant remember)

As Spyder said, it could be anything but without an up to date OS with upto date drivers its going to be really difficult to tell whether it is indeed software or whether its hardware.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Just for a bit of education on the risk you're taking on a daily basis. You would never know if your system was compromised as windows defender isn't protecting at the level that's exposed, it's windows updates that do that. So you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes:

Windows 7 is dead: How to stay as safe as possible after the security updates stop

Windows 7 is officially end of life, meaning it will no longer receive security updates. If you're going to keep using it, here's how to stay as safe as possible.

www.pcworld.com

 

[Hibernian]

My problems have multiplied. The computer has been acting the same over the last week, with the constant flickering on starting up (and I can confirm that it is not just happening when it comes back from Sleep mode, it happens on all fresh boots and restarts). It's been annoying but I've just dealt with it.

Today my mother tried to turn it on when I wasn't there (since she uses it too), but the screen didn't come on for her for ages, so she plugged it out and turned it on again. And it didn't work again, so she plugged it out another time while starting.

That obviously wasn't good for the system, since when I came to turn it on it gave some beeping error sounds (3 beeps) and would not start up at all (like no hard drive activity, no BIOS, no loading, nothing).

So, I had to just turn it off (it turned off with a single press of the power button, which it usually doesn't do, since it usually will only do the hard shut off when you hold the button down for 3 seconds). I tried 2 or 3 times and got those beeping error sounds and no start up. But eventually after leaving it alone for a while I tried again (because what else can I do in that situation) and it did start up without too much trouble.

On that session things seemed to be slow and not quite normal. Anyway I went to turn Google Chrome on, and that's when the whole system just shut itself off. Like as if the power just deactivated and then it restarted.

This is the error message I got when it restarted:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 6153

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 116
BCP1: FFFFFA800D76F010
BCP2: FFFFF8800FFA5E48
BCP3: FFFFFFFFC000009A
BCP4: 0000000000000004
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\050121-10015-01.dmp
C:\Windows\Temp\WER-95503-0.sysdata.xml

Read our privacy statement online:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104288&clcid=0x0409

If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:
C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt

Once it loaded up again displaying this message, it took several minutes for the screen to properly load. At first it was a black screen with only the Taskbar at the bottom on screen and the mouse cursor was just a loading circle. It did eventually load up the desktop correctly, though some of the programs had not started up correctly (like the iCUE that runs the keyboard or Corsair Link that runs the cooler).

Anyway, it seemed to be stable enough that I was able to go online. So since I don't know what else to do I went to the Nvidia website and installed a set of drivers which were older (I'm on version 457.51), since the problems started after I updated my drivers, so I think it's a possibility that they might have something to do with the problems. I don't know for sure though.

And I'm online now and everything seems to be functioning normally with the computer. Although the hard drive did make some loud grinding noises when it was installing the drivers (louder than normal).


Does anyone know what caused that crash and what these three warning beeps are when trying to turn the PC on sometimes?

 

[SpyderTracks]

As above, it's not something that's worth trying to troubleshoot on an unsupported OS, it's a pointless exercise as there are likely many contributing factors down to the OS.

You would need to upgrade to windows 10 as a first port of call, from there we could troubleshoot.

 

[Hibernian]

I'm not even sure the system is stable enough to start installing a new OS.

In my experience those require a lot of restart procedures. There's a high chance that the PC will fail half way through them and I'll end up with no functioning OS.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I'm not even sure the system is stable enough to start installing a new OS.

In my experience those require a lot of restart procedures. There's a high chance that the PC will fail half way through them and I'll end up with no functioning OS.

BSODs are very rarely hardware related, it’s possible it’s a hardware issue but until it’s on a stable OS it’s just impossible to do any kind of troubleshooting.

 

[Hibernian]

BSODs are very rarely hardware related, it’s possible it’s a hardware issue but until it’s on a stable OS it’s just impossible to do any kind of troubleshooting.

Well come on, it's not impossible. You just don't want to do it.

If I were to attempt that I would need some kind of walk through, I am not familiar with the procedure (it's been like a decade since I tried installing an OS).


But I'm also just not really comfortable attempting it right now with the current unstable state of the computer. I feel like maybe the best thing to do would be to leave the PC running, then go buy an external HD and back up everything (because I currently have no backups) and then attempt the OS install.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Well come on, it's not impossible. You just don't want to do it.

If I were to attempt that I would need some kind of walk through, I am not familiar with the procedure (it's been like a decade since I tried installing an OS).


But I'm also just not really comfortable attempting it right now with the current unstable state of the computer. I feel like maybe the best thing to do would be to leave the PC running, then go buy an external HD and back up everything (because I currently have no backups) and then attempt the OS install.

No, it is actually impossible, that’s why no one would do it, it would flag up so many flags it would be impossible to work through.

 

[Hibernian]

No, it is actually impossible, that’s why no one would do it, it would flag up so many flags it would be impossible to work through.

Well what do you suggest then? Do you not think it would be risky to attempt the OS option with a computer that is not starting up correctly?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Well what do you suggest then? Do you not think it would be risky to attempt the OS option with a computer that is not starting up correctly?

The start up may well be software related.

The first thing we would do would be to either check the log files, or recommend a clean install to rule out a software issue.

That's no different in this instance other than it's pointless trying to troubleshoot an unsupported OS, as nothing on it apart from the software is supported.

I take it you didn't read any of the links we posted above?

 

[Hibernian]

The start up may well be software related.

The first thing we would do would be to either check the log files, or recommend a clean install to rule out a software issue.

Ok, how do I do that? (log files I mean)

That's no different in this instance other than it's pointless trying to troubleshoot an unsupported OS, as nothing on it apart from the software is supported.

I take it you didn't read any of the links we posted above?

I did read it, but it's not a step-by-step guide. And it says the upgrade to Windows 10 "should" work, but that it is unofficial (or something). That doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence.

It also says that I will lose all settings and installed programs, though my data will be backed up. Now sure, it will be annoying to have to spend hours getting the settings back to what I want (because I am quite particular about that), but I can deal with that.

I am worried about the backup system working 100%. What if the OS upgrade fails half way through? Where is my data then?


There's also a lot of stuff I have that I need to keep, but which are not just files in folders. Like game save states, modding, Steam workshop files, Google Earth data, etc. I'm not certain how to back all that up.