We watch movies on the PC, and here lately I get the following on the screen...

- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
I used a dash and spacebar toe simulate it, but there are manymany lines, smaller and they for an inch or so wide 1/4 tall rectangle. All over the screen, and if you minimize and open it back up they go away. But they always come back.

It happens on Window Media Player and the SMPlayer. Has anyone ever experienced this and maybe can offer some advice?

thanks for any help you may have.

I am adding to this, I am surfing the net alittle and notcie the lines while I am moving the mouse and when moving from one page to the next. Quickly and faintly. Is this the signs of a dying monitor??

Two things I would try is to update/reinstall the video driver for the computer. Also, if it's a stand-alone video card and has a fan, make sure it works and the GPU heatsink isn't plugged with dust/lint

Could you refresh me on how to find the video card, also dusting the whole pc inside should be go enough, no? I don't know if I could find the specific parts you are talking about

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial118.html

Ok, first of all Happy thanksgiving.

I updated the video driver like you suggested and the problem still exists. During start up it is really noticable on the black screen with the windows icon in the middle, and when we watch movies on any video player we have except for the one called VLC. I have windows media player, VLC, Winamp, and SM Player. Can you have too many video players? I mean can they sort of cause havoc for one another?

Anyway, I looked at the tutorial, and really didn't see what I was supposed to be cleaning with my air can. I cleaned everything that I could get to throught the entire tower. rebooted and my problem still exists.

What do ya think I should try now? or should I really focus on finding the video card and heatsink?

Not unless they are all running at the same time

What is the make and model number of your computer?

Dell Dimension E 521

As I type, I have very faint retangles of lines in five verticle rows going down my screen, and as I each key they get smaller until they disappear, then they start over again. It sort of reminds me of when a scroll of adding machine paper is through it has the big blue stripe, that is this only a a dotted white line, sort of.

is my monitor going bad do ya think?

The only way to know for sure is to try another monitor, if possible

Well, sir I connected my older monitor and the problem exists on it as well. So what would you suggest? i have updated like you asked. I cleaned with an air canister inside my tower as best as I could. Do you have other suggestions?

If the spare monitor does the same thing, it's the graphics GPU
You have the slot for a PCI-E card
I wouldn't get a real expensive one or you'll need a new power supply as well to power it

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814121347
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.as...y=48&page=3