My own impending Dell hell
Last night, after spending a good hour editing photos on my Mac, I turned off the Dell Ultrasharp TFT monitor while the photos uploaded and I did some chores. An hour later, I turned the monitor back on and saw only a white screen. Slowly, vertical lines of color appeared across the screen.
I’ve tried disconnecting and reconnecting all inputs and outputs, several times, and making sure there was no dust or anything else interfering with the connections. Still, the problem persists.
This monitor is 13 months old. It is very rarely used (a couple of times a week, max) and I often turn it off when the Mac is busy but I’m away from the desk.
If you have any ideas or suggestions - I’m avoiding Dell customer service for now, knowing what I do about them - I will gratefully entertain them.
UPDATE: What’s that code that tech support people use when customers are in error? It’s something like PEBKAC (problem exists between keyboard and chair). I’d accidentally - and unknowingly - pulled out a lead that runs from the monitor into one of the Mac’s USB ports, and which seems not to be an optional input. Many thanks to Antoine for asking, as we were moving the monitor off the desk in order to replace it with another one, “Hey, isn’t this supposed to go into the computer?”
Filed under: Life
Have you tried plugging a different computer into the screen? It sounds to me more like a problem with the graphics hardware on the Mac rather than the display.
Via consumerist.com - a commenter said that if you call 1-800-624-9896, ext 7254339 - it will take you to customer service in Utah, and apparently they know what they are doing. I have no idea if it works, I haven’t had to use it. Yet.
http://consumerist.com/consumer/dell/dell-absolutely-free-vista-upgrade-70-off-243037.php
Sometimes turning a monitor on and off shortens its life as the power supply is stressed and also heating then cooling in short cycles. However I’m not 100% convinced this is a faulty monitor it could be a faulty PC. When you turn on the monitor and press a button that would bring up a on-screen menu does anything appear ?
If it doesn’t then the monitor is faulty. If you do get something then odds on the problem is the PC.
Try using the online chat with customer service. It is a lot faster response than the hold times on the phone. Plus you don’t have to worry about trying to understand a foreign accent. I just used it a couple weeks ago when my dell was acting up.(mouse problems)