Bigtoe HELP...Fuzzy red Screen

[Myrtle]

 Big toe you have helped me out of more pc problems than I would like to think about...now another one..I do appreciate all your help..
I am running Home Premium..highest 32 bit...I've had this Pc not quite 2 years....Had a new video card put in about 6 months ago...
My new problem is...last night I was on the PC and the screen went all fuzzy and red...real staticy  looking...I can shut the computer down for a few minutes then start it back up and it wil be fine for about 10 to 15 minutes...then the same red fuzzy screen again...just a few minutes ago the screen went black then it come back on with the red fuzzy...stacaty look...the colors just don't look right...my desktop is sunflowers..now they are all red and flickering with what looks like static....I've never had this happen before..
Thank you so much for all the help..
Myrtle

[bigtoe]

When screen resolutions are incorrectly set with the various versions of Vista, the screen display can get distorted, stretched out, fuzzy appearing..... just uncomfortable to look at....

Rather than asking some additional questions for information, here is a link to a Vista Forum that gives some good visual screen resolution setting info depending on the size of screen display you have.... http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/84291-screen-resolution.html .... Hopefully, since you have already taken care of the video card that won't be a part of the problem.

Have you added or uninstalled any programs recently, or made other changes that might have preceded this new problem? Hopefully you won't need to take the case off the box and check to be sure that all cards and hardware are seated properly, since it almost sounds like something is loose. Before doing something like that it is always helpful to unplug and replug all the connections on the outside of the box to be sure nothing has worked its way loose. Perhaps there is something other than the resolution adjustment that might be taking place, but hopefully the Vista Forum page info takes care of the problem....

As I recall from a previous post this was a Gateway computer which is still under warranty until later this year with the potential of replacement if it continues to have problems.... If my memory isn't too far off, I would just verify the resolution settings and checks for loose connections/wires and then if still under warranty, I would have the repair folks get involved again and perhaps you have earned that replacement. Hopefully, you don't have to go thru all that trouble getting back to Happy Camper land again....

***ADDITIONAL***
Did a little more snooping for similar problems and found a poster had given this set of directions to resolve similar distortion problems that others were suffering periodically and needing to restart their systems to get some temporary relief.... His directions resolved issues:
Anyway, right click on you desktop, go to personalize, then display settings, THEN... go to your advanced settings, here you should see a tab for whatever graphics card you have, mine is a Geforce Tab, click on your video cards tab, then start the control panel, mine is an Nvidia Control panel, this will take a second, then select the display category in your control panel, then select display configuration, THEN SELECT USE ONLY ONE DISPLAY, this was the problem for me. The screen went back to normal and the clock went from oval to circle. That should be it, no more having to restart. Maybe that set of directions can be of help to you if you are wanting to try some things to prevent going to the shop..... 

[Myrtle]

Thank you so much for all your help...I had done all  that you had suggested...nothing helped...so finally my screen went black, like it was not connected...so I loaded it up and back to Best Buys I go..now this is my 3rd time at taking this comp back..they have put a new fan in and a new video card..all this in the year and half I 've had this comp...I asked to speak to the manager about a replacment and she said it had to be brought in 4 times...I was not a happy camper..as I paid almost $2,000 for this comp..and my warrenty runs out in Sept..so after talking to the manager I went back over to the Geek Squad..who was checking my comp out..they couldn't get it do do a thing...so they took the case off..and he said it looked like the motherboard went out.the fan wasn't working and some wires had been burned...by this time I was getting really upset with the whole sitution(I'm a redhead and my temper was beginning to show)...as he was asking my phone number and different questions in order to`send it off( for maybe up to 3 weeks) I asked him to put in that order that I was extremely upset with the whole sitution from the very begining..and that i've owned comps for many years and have  never had the problems like I have had with this one...and that I wanted a replacement...he read the order back to me and he put in just what I asked...so I guess it will be a wait and see thing now...I have always bought my comps from Best Buys for many years...and have never had a problem...Best Buys says something about after the 4th time they can request a new one under something called a lemon buy...and in my opinion I did buy a lemon...
I had to dust off my laptop and I thank the good Lord that I had something to fall back on....I have gone from a 22 inch wide screen, to a 15 inch screen...and thats taking some getting use to also...but i'm not complaining...at least i'm connected...

Bigtoe thank you so much..you have always helped..and I do appreciate it so much..

[bigtoe]

Wow.... I'm so sorry you have had to endure all this trouble over that computer... With all they found wrong this time, it will be a wonder if the whole internals have not been replaced by the time this repair job is done. You would think that since their one competitor Circuit City has folded, they would want to be sure and keep their customer base happy so the same predicament doesn't happen to them in this difficult economy - not just in the USA but really world wide it seems. I think I would follow this up with a letter to the corporate headquarters of Best Buy and a copy of the letter to the BBB for your state, letting them know the history with this product. Maybe Gateway Support folks might be able to assist with this extensive problem and repair history on the machine... https://support.gateway.com/support/contact/contact_tech2.shtml ...

Your experience is hopefully out of the norm for both Gateway and Best Buy, quite a nightmare to go thru.. Sounds like a problem one of those TV station 'Investigative Reporter" stories that might help since this is the 3rd time....

I wish you all the best in getting issue resolved..... Don't know how you financed / purchased the computer, but do know that some credit card companies do double the warranty on items purchased with some levels of their cards, and don't know if that might be of assistance.... Sounds like that laptop is like the little train engine going up the hill, "I know I can do it. I know I can do it.".... certainly worth holding onto it for times like these.....

Best wishes... BigToe (Al)

[Myrtle]

Thank you so much Big Toe for the link..I just sent them a email...The least they could do is replace it..I paid cash for it...I am just hoping they will do the right thing..I just don't have the confidence in Gateway that I once had..so I guess its a wait and see situtation now..
Thank you for all your help..
Myrtle

[bigtoe]

Wishing you luck.... Recently a local So Calif CBS station did an investigative story on Best Buy because they were really pushing folks to buy their extended warranties, and if one didn't want to buy the plan they were told that the computer was out of stock and unavailable - even if the customer asked about 3 or 4 different laptops, same "out of stock" response if the customer wouldn't buy the warranty. Yet, when an operative went in and agreed to buy the extra cost warranty, the store mysteriously had the computer in stock.. Hmmmmm?? I know that extended warranties is something that places like Consumer Reports and other independant financial and customer focused places often suggest NOT buying. Seems in this instance, as I remember, it was the store manager or a regional manager that was only profit motivated and not customer motivated and not Best Buy overall company practice that was the problem being encountered by the public .... The news stations do follow-up investigations months later, so we'll see how it works out.....

I know that ACER bought out the Gateway in 2008 (and a couple of other former competitors), although the computers maintain their original names.... Hopefully they will be customer oriented ..... Keeping fingers crossed... Al