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February 16th, 2025 04:02
Inspiron 3670, P2219H, Intel UHD, no signal is detected
Inspiron 3670
I have an Inspiron 3670 PC running Windows 10 with integrated UHD Graphics 630 and a P2219H monitor. Both are about 6 years old and have been working very well. Recently, I got a blinking display that alternately showed for 10 seconds or so, and then went dark for another 10 seconds. Now it stays dark and the monitor says that no signal is detected. Device Manager sees only a generic PnP monitor driver, not the P2219H driver that it used to see when things the display worked normally. When I switched the computer HDMI cable for a working TV HDMI cable, the monitor stays dark, suggesting that the problem is not with the computer HDMI cable. When I connect the computer to a TV via HDMI cable, I can see the computer display and operate it with mouse, and it responds normally, suggesting that the video card is ok. When I connect the monitor to the TV box, I can see the normal TV display on the monitor. And when I connect the monitor to a laptop running Windows 10, it mirrors the laptop display, all suggesting that the monitor is ok (and Device Manager on the laptop sees the P2219H driver). It seemed that the issue might be software related. Since I hadn't updated the bios since purchasing the PC, I just updated the bios, which had no effect on the problem. There seems to be a communication problem between the PC and the computer, but not between the computer and the TV or between the monitor and the TV (or another computer). I'm scratching my head as to what the problem might be and on whether it is on the monitor side or the PC side. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
RoHe
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February 20th, 2025 16:31
You're quite welcome.
Yes, we want all our hardware to last as long as possible. Dell's monitor warranty is typically 3 years. So you got 2x those years out of yours.
My old monitor was really nice too, and lasted ~6-7 years, while being on ~8-10 hr/day.
I recycled it.
Hope you find another monitor that meets your needs...and lasts a long time!
If your questions have been answered, please mark a post in this thread as the Accepted Answer.
Ceepyou
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March 1st, 2025 21:52
The rest of the story: I got a refurbished P2219H along with a 3-year warranty on Amazon to replace the faulty original monitor. I connected it to the Inspiron 3670 and the display started right up. Problem solved. The next day I awoke the computer from sleep, but the monitor stayed dark! Now I started to suspect the PC. A friend had loaned me an AMD Radeon 6450 graphics card for the troubleshooting. I installed the graphics card into the PC and started it up. The monitor display started normally. Throughout the day it worked fine, and started from sleep normally. The next day after booting up, the monitor worked fine. I swapped the "new" monitor with the original monitor, and the original worked fine! The problem was not the monitor after all, but the UHD 630 integrated graphics on the PC, which was likely intermittently acting up. In hindsight, I should have checked with the graphics card earlier, but my judgement was biased toward the monitor being the issue (even though I realized it could be the PC). I'm obviously not a computer technician, so live and learn.
(edited)
Ceepyou
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February 16th, 2025 18:24
To update, I unplugged the monitor from the power strip and unplugged the power cord to the PC and left overnight. This morning the display appeared normally for a time, but Microsoft asked me to log in another way due to the recurrent shut downs and restarts yesterday. Once I did, the monitor display started to flash on and off again intermittently, mostly dark and on for only a second or two. When I attached the HDMI cable to another monitor, the display appeared normally. For some reason, the signal between the PC and monitor isn't maintained.
Ceepyou
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February 16th, 2025 18:47
I also got a message from the monitor saying that the timing was set incorrectly and should be set to 1920 x 1080 at 60 Hz. But when I go into the display settings on the monitor, it only takes me to the input settings, which is correctly set for HDMI. I can't get to any of the other settings.
Ceepyou
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February 17th, 2025 15:37
I've made some progress. I connected the monitor to the laptop and it showed it as a second monitor. I then checked the resolution and refresh rate in the display settings and saw that it was set for 1920 x 1080, 60 Hz (but wasn't sure if that was for the laptop display or the 2219). I then connected the 2219 back to the PC and saw the display settings on the 2219, set correctly. I closed the settings window and the display worked perfectly! It worked normally, without any blinking on and off. I thought I had fixed the problem. The computer and monitor went to sleep as they should. This morning, on waking the PC up, the monitor stayed dark! It didn't wake up. It seems it didn't get a wake up signal from the PC. Not sure if this is software related or a hardware issue.
RoHe
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February 18th, 2025 01:57
When was last time you replaced the motherboard battery? A weak/dead battery can cause odd problems. If the battery is old, replace it before going any further.
(edited)
Ceepyou
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February 18th, 2025 04:19
Thank you for the suggestion RoHe. I've never replaced the motherboard or, as far as I can remember, the battery. I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes.
RoHe
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February 18th, 2025 20:27
Let's hope a new motherboard battery solves the problem...
Ceepyou
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February 18th, 2025 20:48
I plan on purchasing the battery this evening and installing it. Will report back.
Ceepyou
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February 19th, 2025 03:03
I got the battery, installed it, connected the monitor and peripheral devices and restarted the computer. The monitor did not start up. I wasn't too optimistic about it working because an Acer B277U monitor has always responded to being connected to the PC via HDMI cable even though the Dell monitor did not. Strangely, when I connect my work laptop to the Dell monitor via HDMI cable, it mirrors the laptop display as it should, although with some flashing on and off and some snowiness for awhile, before settling down. Why does the Dell monitor respond to the laptop but not to to the PC? I wonder if the problem is with the timing controller or some other component of the monitor.
RoHe
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February 19th, 2025 21:14
Well, at least you've ruled out the battery....
Are you saying the Acer monitor works all the time with the Inspiron 3670, even though the Dell monitor doesn't?
Assuming you're using the same HDMI cable from Inspiron to each of these monitors, that implies the Dell monitor is failing. The on/off flashing and snowiness on Dell monitor when connected to your laptop supports my suggestion the monitor is on its way out.
FWIW, when the monitor connected to my Dell XPS desktop started acting up, I tested it with my Inspiron laptop using same HDMI cable. It worked OK with laptop, but still didn't work with the desktop. After a few days connected to the laptop, it gave up and died. A new monitor for the desktop solved my problem, and it also works OK with my laptop too.
Ceepyou
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February 20th, 2025 04:36
The Acer monitor is for work and usually connected to a work laptop. But for testing purposes I connected the PC to it, and each time I did it worked every time, when the Dell monitor didn't. It's interesting that your experience with your dying monitor and laptop was similar to mine. Yes, I think it's time for a new monitor. I'm disappointed that the P2219H only lasted 6 years. I bought it new, have taken good care of it, and I love its design and performance. I feel like it should have lasted longer. I'm also ecologically minded and am averse to our disposably oriented economy. But I'll recycle it. Thank you for your help Ron.