# I think my computer monitor is dying. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2002, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548 "2002-11-13T07:28:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/1 "2002-11-13T07:28:29Z")
It will flicker, turn off, then come back on almost immediately. Especially if it is hit or if there is vibration. Also, it will some times shrink a bit, where the left side of the screen (my left, when facing the screen) will move in, but the right side will not. If I lightly tap the screen it will go back to normal, if it does not reset the screen altogether. So, does anyone know specifically what might be wrong? Can it be fixed? Should I start shopping for a new screen now? I would hate to have to throw out my 21 inch screen after only three years of use. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/2 "2002-11-13T08:35:46Z")
Most monitors are too expensive to fix, I think. They’re mostly solid state. Generally the idea is to get a whole new one. It sounds to me like your problem is fairly severe, and soon enough it’ll just die beyond repair, so best to get a new one kind of now-ish. I am, however, not an expert on such matters. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/3 "2002-11-13T12:39:32Z")
I’m with **Guanolad**. I had very similar problems to yours once. The zapping on and off, and mucked up resolution gradually grew more frequent until, one day, a large puff of smoke went up from behind the monitor. That was fun. Fixing monitors is dangerous and requires a great deal of technical expertise. It would be far cheaper to buy a new one. I’ve been salivating over a flat-panel LCD, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/4 "2002-11-13T13:06:39Z")
Regardless of the above opinions, it sounds like you have a loose contact or a joint that needs resoldering. Not hard to fix if you can solder - it is just that getting things apart to look for the problem can be a bitch. If you know somebody who knows a bit about electronics (and how not to kill oneself in the presence of high voltage,) then 'em to take a look. If I was there it’d be no problem to take a look, but California is just a little farther than I can drive on my lunch break … ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/5 "2002-11-13T14:59:34Z")
Until you repair or replace your monitor, don’t leave it turned on while you’re away from the computer. It’s been quite a few years, but I have seen faulty monitors start crackling, making smoke, and generally threatening to set fire to their surroundings. (Call to Help Desk: “My monitor is making smoke. What should I do?” Answer: “Pull the plug!!!”) ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/6 "2002-11-13T15:17:52Z")
Disconnect it from the back & reconnect it. Might just be a loose cable & while you are back there, look for the date of manf & the model. If its more than three, four years old its probably time for a new one. IN the forum at [techbargains.com](http://techbargains.com) they are talking about the $99ish deal for a 19" crt vga monitor at [staples.com](http://staples.com) So they aren’t that expensive these days. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/7 "2002-11-13T17:54:11Z")
\>\> until, one day, a large puff of smoke went up from behind the monitor Electronic devices are built with many components which hold smoke inside them but once the smoke escapes the device ceases to work. As it is almost impossible to catch the smoke and put it back where it was, it is best to just replace the entire device. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tourbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@tourbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tourbot)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/8 "2002-11-13T18:23:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*Electronic devices are built with many components which hold smoke inside them but once the smoke escapes the device ceases to work. As it is almost impossible to catch the smoke and put it back where it was, it is best to just replace the entire device. 😉 \*\* Huh. I’ve always been able to avoid this by just loading [nosmoke.com](http://nosmoke.com) from my config.sys file. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/9 "2002-11-13T21:55:38Z")
We had an old mainframe that had a “haltandcatchfire” command in its instruction set. ---
**Author:** ![Theios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e8c25b/32.png) [@Theios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theios)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-computer-monitor-is-dying/136548/10 "2002-11-14T08:33:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*\>\> until, one day, a large puff of smoke went up from behind the monitor > > Electronic devices are built with many components which hold smoke inside them but once the smoke escapes the device ceases to work. As it is almost impossible to catch the smoke and put it back where it was, it is best to just replace the entire device. 😉 \*\* No, you are only half right. You see, today’s high tech equipment really runs on smoke and mirrors. It’s all just smoke and mirrors. But once you let the magic smoke out, the whole thing ceases to work. Or so a Cisco employee once told me.