My screen has dimmed with no explanation

Hello everyone.

Just a few days ago, my computer has been acting weird. The displa
keeps dimming for no reason that I can see.

I can turn on my computer, log in, and stay at the desktop for about 3
seconds with a fine and bright display, but then it suddenly dims an
stays that way. The only time it will un-dim is if I put my password i
again after the screensaver comes on. It will then turn bright as i
brings up the desktop, but that's only for about 2 seconds. Then whe
the desktop is back up, it will dim again.

I really do not think it has anything to do with my monitor because:
1. It's always bright when I've mentioned, and then turns dim. It'
like clockwork.

2. THE MOUSE CURSOR IS THE ONLY BRIGHT THING ON THE SCREEN. IT DOES NO
DIM AT ALL, AND REMINDS ME OF HOW THE SCREEN DIMS WHEN VISTA ASKS YOU I
YOU WILL ALLOW A PROGRAM TO OPEN OR WHATEVER

However, if I do start up a program where it asks me if it ca
continue, the screen only gets DARKER for that portion, and then turn
back to dim when I pick an option.


I really have no clue what could be causing this, and it's ver
annoying. The only thing that "changed" during the time this happene
was that I bought a new Dell laptop (my computer is made by Dell, too
and both have Vista) and connected it to my home internet. I used tha
for about a day, and then when I returned to my main computer, I sa
this problem.

It reminds me of how on my laptop I can set the battery to "power save
and it dims the screen. It looks just like that, except for the mous
cursor remaining bright. But I'm not sure how that can affect my mai
computer at all. I just figured I should mention it anyways.


Either way, thank you for your time and any help that you give me! :


--
Flash 103

Is it a laptop?
There is a power setting that will do that on a portable, usually under
'when running on battery' power scheme.

"Flash 103" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Hello everyone.
>
> Just a few days ago, my computer has been acting weird. The display
> keeps dimming for no reason that I can see.
>
> I can turn on my computer, log in, and stay at the desktop for about 30
> seconds with a fine and bright display, but then it suddenly dims and
> stays that way. The only time it will un-dim is if I put my password in
> again after the screensaver comes on. It will then turn bright as it
> brings up the desktop, but that's only for about 2 seconds. Then when
> the desktop is back up, it will dim again.
>
> I really do not think it has anything to do with my monitor because:
> 1. It's always bright when I've mentioned, and then turns dim. It's
> like clockwork.
>
> 2. THE MOUSE CURSOR IS THE ONLY BRIGHT THING ON THE SCREEN. IT DOES NOT
> DIM AT ALL, AND REMINDS ME OF HOW THE SCREEN DIMS WHEN VISTA ASKS YOU IF
> YOU WILL ALLOW A PROGRAM TO OPEN OR WHATEVER.
>
> However, if I do start up a program where it asks me if it can
> continue, the screen only gets DARKER for that portion, and then turns
> back to dim when I pick an option.
>
>
> I really have no clue what could be causing this, and it's very
> annoying. The only thing that "changed" during the time this happened
> was that I bought a new Dell laptop (my computer is made by Dell, too,
> and both have Vista) and connected it to my home internet. I used that
> for about a day, and then when I returned to my main computer, I saw
> this problem.
>
> It reminds me of how on my laptop I can set the battery to "power save"
> and it dims the screen. It looks just like that, except for the mouse
> cursor remaining bright. But I'm not sure how that can affect my main
> computer at all. I just figured I should mention it anyways.
>
>
> Either way, thank you for your time and any help that you give me!
>
>
>
>
> --
> Flash 103

Flash 103;824221 Wrote:
> Hello everyone
>
> Just a few days ago, my computer has been acting weird. The displa
> keeps dimming for no reason that I can see
>
> I can turn on my computer, log in, and stay at the desktop for about 3
> seconds with a fine and bright display, but then it suddenly dims an
> stays that way. The only time it will un-dim is if I put my password i
> again after the screensaver comes on. It will then turn bright as i
> brings up the desktop, but that's only for about 2 seconds. Then whe
> the desktop is back up, it will dim again
>
> I really do not think it has anything to do with my monitor because
> 1. It's always bright when I've mentioned, and then turns dim. It'
> like clockwork
>
> 2. THE MOUSE CURSOR IS THE ONLY BRIGHT THING ON THE SCREEN. IT DOES NO
> DIM AT ALL, AND REMINDS ME OF HOW THE SCREEN DIMS WHEN VISTA ASKS YO
> I
> YOU WILL ALLOW A PROGRAM TO OPEN OR WHATEVER
>
> However, if I do start up a program where it asks me if it ca
> continue, the screen only gets DARKER for that portion, and then turn
> back to dim when I pick an option
>
>
> I really have no clue what could be causing this, and it's ver
> annoying. The only thing that "changed" during the time this happene
> was that I bought a new Dell laptop (my computer is made by Dell, too
> and both have Vista) and connected it to my home internet. I used tha
> for about a day, and then when I returned to my main computer, I sa
> this problem
>
> It reminds me of how on my laptop I can set the battery to "power save
> and it dims the screen. It looks just like that, except for the mous
> cursor remaining bright. But I'm not sure how that can affect my mai
> computer at all. I just figured I should mention it anyways
>
>
> Either way, thank you for your time and any help that you give me! :
>
>
>
>
> -
> Flash 10

check your power and screen saver setting

--
chinga6

CHEERS CHINGA69

Not Even Me;709406 Wrote:
> Is it a laptop?
> There is a power setting that will do that on a portable, usually unde
>
> 'when running on battery' power scheme.
>

No no, it's a desktop computer. I just mentioned the laptop becaus
that what it reminds me of. But, it's a desktop computer.


And to the next poster down, the system and screensaver setting wer
the first thing I checked. Apparently, I've had the computer on powe
save mode since the first day I got it about over a year ago. I neve
dimmed the monitor during all that time, though. I don't think that'
the problem, but still, I've changed it to High Performance, bu
nothing has changed.


I still don't understand, though, why it's the whole screen that dim
except for the mouse cursor. It's like some weird visual effect th
computer is using


--
Flash 103

can you try another screen just to check if its vista or your scree

--
chinga6

CHEERS CHINGA69

Andrew Rossmann;710004 Wrote:
> In article , Flash.103.3008987
> @vistabanter.com says...-
> I still don't understand, though, why it's the whole screen that dims
> except for the mouse cursor. It's like some weird visual effect the
> computer is using.-
>
> Have you tried reinstalling and/or updating your video drivers? If the
>
> video drivers have their own control panel, did you double-check any
> possible settings in there?
>
> --
> If there is a no_junk in my address, please REMOVE it before replying!
> All junk mail senders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
> law!!
> 'Andy's UnEmpty Web Page' (http://home.att.net/~andyross)


Sorry about the delayed response. I've been busy with college stuff.


Anyway, to chinga69, I cannot try another monitor, but I do know for a
fact that it's something wrong with Vista or some sort of hardware and
not the monitor. I've tested it a few times and I can start up the
computer and sit at the login screen for a long while (and probably
forever) without any dimming. Once when I log in, it usually takes 30
or 40 seconds for the screen to finally dim. Also, as I've mentioned,
the mouse cursor stays bright. I've never heard of a malfunctioning
monitor that can dim everything but one thing that I can constantly
move. Maybe it could dim all but one area of the monitor, but that
isn't the case...


To Andrew Rossmann, I've updated my video driver and there is no
change. I'm not sure how to uninstall it or where to go to install it
again... I've check the controls on the driver (it's an ATI Catalyst,
it says) and they all look normal, nothing has been changed and they
all seem to be set on the high performance options instead of the
power-saving ones, etc.

So I'm still clueless on what is causing this. I can only guess that
some sort of program on start up is doing this, but I don't know what,
or how to check...




--
Flash 103

it almost sounds like you may have some accessibility setting (maybe high
contrast) turned on and mal-adjusted.

"Flash 103" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Andrew Rossmann;710004 Wrote:
>> In article , Flash.103.3008987
>> @vistabanter.com says...-
>> I still don't understand, though, why it's the whole screen that dims
>> except for the mouse cursor. It's like some weird visual effect the
>> computer is using.-
>>
>> Have you tried reinstalling and/or updating your video drivers? If the
>>
>> video drivers have their own control panel, did you double-check any
>> possible settings in there?
>>
>> --
>> If there is a no_junk in my address, please REMOVE it before replying!
>> All junk mail senders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
>> law!!
>> 'Andy's UnEmpty Web Page' (http://home.att.net/~andyross)
>
>
> Sorry about the delayed response. I've been busy with college stuff.
>
>
> Anyway, to chinga69, I cannot try another monitor, but I do know for a
> fact that it's something wrong with Vista or some sort of hardware and
> not the monitor. I've tested it a few times and I can start up the
> computer and sit at the login screen for a long while (and probably
> forever) without any dimming. Once when I log in, it usually takes 30
> or 40 seconds for the screen to finally dim. Also, as I've mentioned,
> the mouse cursor stays bright. I've never heard of a malfunctioning
> monitor that can dim everything but one thing that I can constantly
> move. Maybe it could dim all but one area of the monitor, but that
> isn't the case...
>
>
> To Andrew Rossmann, I've updated my video driver and there is no
> change. I'm not sure how to uninstall it or where to go to install it
> again... I've check the controls on the driver (it's an ATI Catalyst,
> it says) and they all look normal, nothing has been changed and they
> all seem to be set on the high performance options instead of the
> power-saving ones, etc.
>
> So I'm still clueless on what is causing this. I can only guess that
> some sort of program on start up is doing this, but I don't know what,
> or how to check...
>
>
>
>
> --
> Flash 103

Not Even Me;712907 Wrote:
> it almost sounds like you may have some accessibility setting (mayb
> high
> contrast) turned on and mal-adjusted.
>

It might have been that... but it seems to have fixed itself somehow..
I had the computer off for like a day or so because I just couldn't dea
with it and this morning I turned it on to print something out reall
quick. I didn't realize it then because I was in such a hurry to go t
class, but the screen didn't dim.

Now about four hours later, I come home and find the screen stil
didn't dim. I'm relieved everything is back to normal, but I have a ba
feeling that it may relapse. I don't understand how it could just act s
bizarre and then suddenly stop. I wonder what the problem was.

Hopefully I'm wrong and it stays fixed..


--
Flash 103

I just got the same problem. It started last night. I'm using vist
home premium 32bit. I'm on a laptop and when I hook up an externa
monitor, that screen is still bright. Only on the laptop's display do
get the bright cursor but everything else dimmed

--
mrawde

My display dims whenever computer is idle and no app is running on th
screen (not minimized) because I had set the Vista display mode to Bes
appearance. Its not the display or drivers - its the Vista settings
Easy solution - in Control Panel's Performance, switch to "Bes
Performance.

--
Tom100