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Troubleshooting: Dell™ E171FP Flat Panel Color Monitor User's Guide

Monitor Specific Troubleshooting • Common Problems • Product Specific Problems

Monitor Specific Troubleshooting

Self-Test Feature Check (STFC)

Your monitor provides a self-test feature that allows you to check whether your monitor is functioning properly. If your monitor and computer are properly connected but the monitor screen remains dark, run the monitor self-test by performing the following steps:

  1. Turn off both your computer and the monitor.
  2. Unplug the video cable from the back of the computer. To ensure proper Self-Test operation, remove the Analog (blue connector) cable from the back of computer.
  3. Turn on the monitor.

    The floating 'Dell - self-test Feature Check' dialog box should appear on-screen (against a black background) if the monitor cannot sense a video signal and is working correctly. While in self-test mode, the power LED remains green and the self-test pattern will scroll through the screen continually.

    This box also appears during normal system operation if the video cable becomes disconnected or damaged.
  4. Turn off your monitor and reconnect the video cable; then turn on both your computer and the monitor.

If your monitor screen remains blank after you use the previous procedure, check your video controller and computer system; your monitor is functioning properly.

OSD Warning Messages

A warning message may appear on the screen indicating that the monitor is out of sync range.

Cannot Display This Video Mode

This means that the monitor cannot synchronize with the signal that it is receiving from the computer. Either the signal is too high or too low for the monitor to use. See Specifications for the Horizontal and Vertical frequency ranges addressable by this monitor. Recommended mode is 1280 X 1024 @ 60Hz.

Occasionally, no warning message appears, but the screen is blank...this could also indicate that the monitor is not synchronizing with the computer or the monitor is in a power save mode.

See Troubleshooting for more information.

Common Problems

The following table contains general information about common monitor problems you might encounter.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

WHAT YOU SEE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
No Video/ Power LED off No picture, monitor is dead
  • Check connection integrity at both ends of the video cable
  • Electric outlet verification
  • Ensure power button depressed fully
No Video/ Power LED on No picture or no brightness
  • Increase brightness & contrast controls
  • Perform monitor self-test feature check
  • Check for bent or broken pins
Poor Focus Picture is fuzzy, blurry or ghosting
  • Push Auto adjust button
  • Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD
  • Eliminate video extension cables
  • Perform monitor reset
  • Lower video resolution or increase font size
Shaky/Jittery Video Wavy picture or fine movement
  • Push Auto Adjust button
  • Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD
  • Perform monitor reset
  • Check environmental factors
  • Relocate and test in other room
Missing Pixels LCD screen has spots
  • Cycle power on-off
  • These are pixels that are permanently off and is a natural defect that occurs in LCD technology
Stuck-on Pixels LCD screen has bright spots
  • Cycle power on-off
  • These are pixels that are permanently on and is a natural defect that occurs in LCD technology
Brightness Problems Picture too dim or too bright
  • Perform monitor reset
  • Push Auto Adjust button
  • Adjust brightness & contrast controls
Geometric Distortion Screen not centered correctly
  • Perform monitor reset on "Position Settings Only"
  • Push auto-adjust button
  • Adjust the centering controls
  • Ensure monitor is in proper video mode
Horizontal/Vertical Lines Screen has one or more lines
  • Perform monitor reset
  • Push Auto Adjust button
  • Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD
  • Perform monitor self-test feature check and determine if these lines are also in self-test mode
  • Check for bent or broken pins
Sync Problems Screen is scrambled or appears torn
  • Perform monitor reset
  • Push Auto Adjust button
  • Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD
  • Perform monitor self-test feature check to determine if scrambled screen appears in self-test mode
  • Check for bent or broken pins
  • Boot up in the "safe mode"
LCD Scratched Screen has scratches or smudges
  • Turn monitor off and clean the screen
Safety Related Issues Visible signs of smoke or sparks
  • Do not perform any troubleshooting steps
  • Monitor needs to be replaced
Intermittent Problems Monitor malfunctions on & off
  • Ensure monitor is in proper video mode
  • Ensure video cable connection to computer and to the flat panel is secure
  • Perform monitor reset
  • Perform monitor self-test feature check to determine if the intermittent problem occurs in self-test mode

Product Specific Problems

SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS WHAT YOU SEE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Screen image is too small Image is centered on screen, but does not fill entire viewing area
  • Perform monitor reset on "All Settings"
Cannot adjust the monitor with the buttons on the front panel OSD does not appear on the screen
  • Turn the monitor off and unplug the power cord and then plug back and power on

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