Question Monitor goes black for few seconds

Feb 5, 2021
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0
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Hi everyone I have this annoying issue with my monitor connected to my laptop in which it becomes black for some seconds and then comes back. Consider that the problem occours with both windows and ubuntu and that the problem is not present while using a nintendo switch or a chromecast, here is the list of what I tried:
  • connected to 3 different monitors
  • connected with 4 different hdmi cable and with a usb c to hdmi cable
  • updated drivers of both integrated and dedicated graphics card
  • updated bios
  • clean install of windows
  • disabled and enabled graphics cards
  • set all possible resolutions and refresh rates
Can anyone help me? Thank you
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Update your post to include laptop hardware specs and OS information.

Laptop age? Heavy use for gaming, video editing, etc.?

When the monitor is working, very gently wiggle the applicable video cable plug at the laptop end. Determine if signal is lost.

Could be a physical problem with the video port(s).

At some point, I would expect that the laptop will need to be opened.

Get all data backed up and verify that the data is recoverable and readable.

Just in case....
 
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Feb 5, 2021
7
0
10
Update your post to include laptop hardware specs and OS information.

Laptop age? Heavy use for gaming, video editing, etc.?

When the monitor is working, very gently wiggle the applicable video cable plug at the laptop end. Determine if signal is lost.

Could be a physical problem with the video port(s).

At some point, I would expect that the laptop will need to be opened.

Get all data backed up and verify that the data is recoverable and readable.

Just in case....
Laptop specs:
I7 7500u
16gb of Ram ddr4, 8 gb installed by me
Intel hd 620 integrated graphics card
Nvidia gtx 950m
Ssd samsung 860 evo + 1tb hdd
Windows 10 20h2 19042.746
Or Ubuntu 20.4
I also already opened my laptop to do some cleaning and I have also disconnected the ram expansion
 
Feb 5, 2021
7
0
10
Laptop specs:
I7 7500u
16gb of Ram ddr4, 8 gb installed by me
Intel hd 620 integrated graphics card
Nvidia gtx 950m
Ssd samsung 860 evo + 1tb hdd
Windows 10 20h2 19042.746
Or Ubuntu 20.4
I also already opened my laptop to do some cleaning and I have also disconnected the ram expansion and already tried to wiggle the hdmi cable. I use my laptop for programming, studying, some gaming
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Windows 10.

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer for error codes, warnings, or even informational events that correspond with the blackouts.

Likewise use Task Manager and Resource Monitor (use both but only one at a time) to observe system behavior.

What resources are being used, to what extent (%), and what is using the resource. Especially if there are any precursors to the blackouts such as system slowness or flickering...

Overall, I suspect a physical/hardware problem primarily because both Windows and Ubuntu are impacted - correct?

You had 8GB of RAM and installed a second 8 GB module - correct? Did the problems begin at that time?

RAM should be installed in matched sets. A kit of 2 x 8 GB modules versus two different, unmatched 8 GB modules that may not play well together in either OS environment.
 
Feb 5, 2021
7
0
10
Windows 10.

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer for error codes, warnings, or even informational events that correspond with the blackouts.

Likewise use Task Manager and Resource Monitor (use both but only one at a time) to observe system behavior.

What resources are being used, to what extent (%), and what is using the resource. Especially if there are any precursors to the blackouts such as system slowness or flickering...

Overall, I suspect a physical/hardware problem primarily because both Windows and Ubuntu are impacted - correct?

You had 8GB of RAM and installed a second 8 GB module - correct? Did the problems begin at that time?

RAM should be installed in matched sets. A kit of 2 x 8 GB modules versus two different, unmatched 8 GB modules that may not play well together in either OS environment.

In the event viewer there is no sign of something related to this, in addition I am not able to reproduce the issue but seems more frequent while gaming or when I am in video conference. The issue occours both with windows and ubuntu and the extra Ram was added a couple years ago while I bought the monitor 2 months ago
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
My thought is some laptop power problem.

Basis being that gaming and video power demands generally demand more wattage,

And once the applicable power source starts to falter then problems occur.

The new monitor may not have anything to do with it at all other than the fact that perhaps you used the laptop more and some festering/pending power problem simply arrived sooner.

If there are no "blackouts" during lower or lessor video related activities then that would indicate (to me) that sufficient power is available.

However, once some threshold power requirement is reached or exceeded any problems thereafter are likely power related.
 
Feb 5, 2021
7
0
10
This was also one my guesses so I tried to use the laptop with and without connecting to the power supply and also by disconnecting the battery but the issue remains, do you have any suggestion on how to check if it is the problem? Thank you