Second monitor keeps on temporarily going black at random

Anonymous
2023-01-08T02:47:33+00:00

I am working off of a laptop and have a second monitor to extend my displays. I have been using this set up for two years now and have not had a problem until last night. It seems that my attached monitor only (main monitor on laptop is not affected) will go black for a few seconds before turning back on and showing my screen. It should be noted that my laptop does not reset the display to place the windows back onto the main screen when this happens but the extended monitor goes black at random. Note that I am running Windows 10 and unable to upgrade to Windows 11 as of now.

So far, I have tried the following solutions but still cannot figure this out.

  1. Bought brand new chords (HDMI + Adapter)
  2. Bought a brand new second monitor (issues happening with both old and new monitor)
  3. Checked for updates on all drivers
  4. Reinstalled both graphics drivers
  5. Rolled back graphics drivers
  6. Checked basic settings (sleep/power/screen saver settings)
  7. Disabled all services in background apps in "System Configuration"
  8. Restarted Windows explorer

This means I have spent time replacing and even buying new equipment to get around this issue but cannot seem to figure it out! This is very important since I work at home as well. Please let me know if there is anything else I can possibly do outside of hard resetting the computer (which I cannot do for a few reasons). Thank you!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-08-31T02:28:41+00:00

    Found a setting I had not seen before in the Intel Graphics Command Center that says "Dynamically regulate frame rate during game play" and was on and set to lower to 48hZ even under plugged in power. Maybe that could be the cause? Will have to see. Might take a day to see if I still blank. However woul dniot explain why the laptop built-in display does not blank.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-08-31T11:14:30+00:00

    Trying the only other refresh rate choice of 60.11. Shall see if that helps.

    So many sites recommend turnign "turn off monitor" to never. Makes no sense to me. Would never want it on 24/7.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-08-31T13:23:22+00:00

    Did a reboot and just had a black screen after maybe 15 minutes of browsing, but while doing absolutely nothing. So refresh rate was not the hoped for solution.

    But UPDATE (fingers crossed) might be onto something. Been several hours and no black screen !!:

    1. Screen Saver NONE and set to 15 minutes
    2. Screen off in 20 minutes in power settings (both these have been my standard for years)
    3. On the monitor settings, there is a Monitor Sleep setting which was "after timeout". Changed to Never

    So maybe the monitor was being triggered, or rather checking to see if being triggered, to sleep.

    The unknown right now is what will happen to Screen saver and screen off settings. I am used to those two working as expected. Perhaps "screen tuen off" and "monitor sleep" are two different things.

    Here's hoping....

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-08-31T17:58:00+00:00

    Damn. Just blanked for a second or two.

    Next to try: Win key+CTRL+SHIFT+B to refresh video drivers and see what that does when this happens.

    Frustrating gremlin, no?

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-09-01T01:44:50+00:00

    OK, new tack....

    Many in Unix forums wiith this issue claim the cause is audio riding along with the video on HDMI and/or DP cables. My monitor does not have speakers! (could add a sound bar, but no). So the question then becomes where to disable?

    1. Setting under sound devices? Easy. But enough?
    2. Device manager for Intel Display Sound?
    3. Both?

    I started with control panel. Lets see what happens.

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