Windows 7 doesn't turn monitor off properly

[Fardringle]

I have a computer running Windows 7 Home Premium on a Dell Vostro 200 with a Dell 17 inch LCD (1708FPb). This same computer running Windows XP did not have this problem, but with a clean install of Windows 7 the LCD no longer turns off when the computer is idle (based on the power management settings). Windows stops sending a signal to the monitor as it should, but it apparently isn't sending the signal to monitor to turn itself off as well. Instead of going to sleep, the monitor just goes into "Self Test/No Signal" mode and stays there until I either manually turn it off with the power button or I wake the computer with the mouse or keyboard. I have installed the driver for the monitor and verified that the power management settings are correct.

I've searched using every combination of wording that I can think of on Google and got a few results about laptop screens that don't apply, and lots of results about computers not booting at all, but nothing related to this issue.

This isn't a huge problem since I can use the monitor's power button if I have to, but I'd rather have it just work the way it is supposed to and have the screen to go to sleep when the Windows Power Management tells it to so that it isn't using power and so that it isn't lighting up the room while flashing the "no signal/self test" message.

 

[ViRGE]

What video card are you using? And are you on the latest drivers?

 

[Emulex]

make sure the monitor drives are loaded and the video drivers are up to date and the power settings are set to maximize your power savings. there's a ton of new power savings in win7 - not all old devices got drivers.

 

[lxskllr]

Sounds like Win7 is maybe cutting power too aggressively? That's the kind of behavior you get when you disconnect the video cable, or the computer was shut down hard, as from a power drop.

 

[Fardringle]

The video card is an ATI 5670. The computer has the newest drivers available from ATI/AMD's site. The monitor driver from Dell is installed and Windows reports the correct monitor model number in Device Manager and the Control Panel Display applet. I have tried the High Performance, Balanced, and Power Saver preset power options, as well as making my own custom power profile with different settings. All options do the same thing.

It's not a problem with the monitor. It worked before I installed Windows 7 on this machine, and it still works when I connect it to another PC that is still running XP. I get the same results with different monitors on this computer so it's definitely this PC that is not sending the sleep signal to the monitor.

 

[BCVolkert]

I'm also having this problem on a Dell 8700 running two monitors. One monitor turns off, the other acts as though the video cable is unplugged. I get the same behavior with other monitors of the same type connected to the offending machine. The same monitors work properly on other PCs. I agree this is a problem with the PC. I have not figured out how to solve the problem.

Did you, or anyone, ever come up with a solution?

 

[jjmIII]

I did a fresh install of Win7 recently on a new SSD. It is doing the same thing. I checked everything above already and it is driving me crazy!

 

[C1]

Check for power management settings in your BIOS. Ive never had to mess with them, but there typically are options for display control and sometimes for the hard drives. Try different settings.

A guess is that your Win 7 install loaded a HAL that doesnt work as well with your current monitor (maybe because of its vintage).

There may be free third party software solution for power management available so check the networks for anything there.

 

[VirtualLarry]

It's not a problem with the monitor. It worked before I installed Windows 7 on this machine, and it still works when I connect it to another PC that is still running XP.

It's either a problem with the monitor or video card (physically, not drivers). To shut off a monitor, Windows tells the video driver to cut off the sync signals. There is no "power down command" that gets sent.

If your monitor is displaying "signal not found", then Windows sucessfully shut off the sync signals. It's up to your monitor what to do next.

I would unplug your monitor completely, both from the computer and the wall, and let it sit for 30 minutes. (Maybe an hour?)

I had a monitor that had its active firmware image that it was running, corrupted by a power glitch, and it wouldn't display at the normal native res when waking up the monitor. (It was no longer sending the EDID data properly.)

I had to reset it the same way. Then it was OK again.

If you haven't powered down and disconnected the monitor completely during troubleshooting, then I would try this.

Or get another monitor.

I get the same results with different monitors on this computer so it's definitely this PC that is not sending the sleep signal to the monitor.

Hmm, then the video card needs to be replaced.

 

[Fardringle]

Well, this is a blast from the past. I get the rare pleasure of reporting a necro thread on my own thread!

BCVolkert, if you have a problem and the only search result you can find is from a thread that is several years old, it's best to just start your own new discussion thread..



(By the way, a format and reinstall of Windows 7 fixed the problem. Nothing else I tried had any effect so I went for the "nuke and start over" option and never had another problem with that machine up until I replaced it early this year.)

 

[jjmIII]

Funny thing is, since the monitor wouldn't power down, I shut it off before leaving work. Well the next day that 6-7 year old monitor wouldn't turn back on. It plain died.

I bought a new monitor. It does the same thing!!