# Why is my computer screen turning black and white? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715 "2011-12-10T08:38:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/1 "2011-12-10T08:38:13Z")
OS is Linus Mint 10. Shortly after logging onto my laptop, it turns to black and white. Any idea what could be causing it and/or how to fix it? Thank you very much, Cadolphin aka Kathy ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/2 "2011-12-10T08:54:59Z")
Sounds like overheating. To test it leave the laptop for some time on the logon screen but do not log in. See if it happens again. Alternatively you can enter BIOS and let it there for some time. If it happens even in BIOS then it is definitely overheating. ---
**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/3 "2011-12-10T20:19:20Z")
Upon further checking it only happens on a browser while I’m trying to access a Flash or Java website. Only the browser goes monochrome. Not the whole OS. Either Firefox or Chromium. Does that narrow it down any more? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/4 "2011-12-10T21:24:19Z")
is the browser freezing up? I’ve seen that on Ubuntu a few times, if a program hangs or becomes unresponsive the window will turn gray. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/5 "2011-12-10T21:27:32Z")
I’m no help, but hi Kathy! I haven’t seen you in forever! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/6 "2011-12-11T07:21:11Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > is the browser freezing up? I’ve seen that on Ubuntu a few times, if a program hangs or becomes unresponsive the window will turn gray. That sounds exactly like what is happening. ---
**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/7 "2011-12-11T07:22:33Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I’m no help, but hi Kathy! I haven’t seen you in forever! 🙂 I’ve missed you! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/8 "2011-12-11T14:50:43Z")
> [@cadolphin](#): > > Upon further checking it only happens on a browser while I’m trying to access a Flash or Java website. > > Only the browser goes monochrome. Not the whole OS. Either Firefox or Chromium. > > Does that narrow it down any more? which browser or both? versions of browser? versions of Flash or Java? ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-computer-screen-turning-black-and-white/605715/9 "2011-12-11T20:40:15Z")
> [@cadolphin](#): > > I’ve missed you! 🙂 Likewise!