Grains on my screen

[ShinzuiUindo]

Video: Link
Once every few days this happens and there is not any reason for its occurance. I have tried to update the graphics card driver, to restart explorer.exe, and to scan for viruses. So far the only solution is to restart Windows. More grains appear when there is animation on the screen. They react to change (right now they are changing every every half a second when the typing symbol blinks). Since I am posting here it's needless to say that I searched and couldn't find a permanent solution.

[Anupam]

It could be a problem with the cable. Maybe reseat the graphics card. Can be a hardware problem rather than a software one.

BTW, the video is not very clear.. it's hazy, can't really make out the grains.

[ShinzuiUindo]

If it is a hardware problem, why would it disappear on restarting? Also the video seemed quite clear to me and the grains were obvious. Were you watching in 720p?

[Anupam]

OK, I saw the video in 720p, and it was much clearer, and saw the grains.

I still guess that it's a hardware problem.

Malware won't cause such problems.

explorer.exe won't have any hand in the matter either.

If it was a software problem, it would be occurring all the time, and not in some few days. I would look for a hardware problem.

Maybe others might give you a better reply. If you get no solution, I will advise showing it to a local technician.

[rhiannon]

Originally Posted by ShinzuiUindo

If it is a hardware problem, why would it disappear on restarting? Also the video seemed quite clear to me and the grains were obvious. Were you watching in 720p?

If there isn't enough air moving in and around the graphics card it could be overheating. That would cause the problem to disappear until it became overheated.

[Remah]

As others have already pointed out, check your hardware as it is unlikely to be software related but a hardware component:

• cable from PC to monitor
• monitor
• graphics subsystem: card or module on the motherboard
• power supply

I'd vote for the graphics subsystem for the reasons I've provided below. I could have given you some further diagnostic steps but they vary depending upon the basic specs for your system. The minimum would be the version of Windows (or other OS), the type of computer, and the type of graphics module (integrated, card, both).

From what you have said it is almost certainly the graphics subsystem:
1. The problem is not entirely random which suggests it is most likely to be the graphics card/module rather than the power supply or monitor/cable.

So far the only solution is to restart Windows.

2. Restarting Windows fixes the problem for a while. This suggests a heat problem but these are usually related to graphics loading too.
When you restart Windows do you also turn the PC off?
How long after the startup does the problem take to recur? Does the problem recur more quickly if the graphics load is increased?

More grains appear when there is animation on the screen

3. The problem gets worse the more graphics load there is which suggests it is a defect in the graphics module which appears more quickly under loading which also increases heat.

They react to change (right now they are changing every every half a second when the typing symbol blinks)

4. The random pattern does not occur whenever the screen or memory is refreshed which is many times a second. It only occurs when processing is required. This suggests it is not related to the power supply, memory refresh (PC and graphics card) or monitor refresh. It is most likely to be the graphics module/card specifically the graphics processor.

[Anupam]

Thanks Remah for a detailed response .

[Sahil Waste]

Impressive expert advice...