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Product Specific Problems

Dell™ E176FPFlat Panel Monitor

  Monitor Specific Troubleshooting

 Common Problems

 Product Specific Problems

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the Safety Instruction.

Monitor Specific Troubleshooting

Self-Test Feature Check (STFC)

Your monitor provides a self-test feature that allows you to check whether your monitor is functioning properly. If your monitor and computer are properly connected but the monitor screen remains dark, run the monitor self-test by performing the following steps:

1. Turn off both your computer and the monitor.
2. Unplug the video cable from the back of the computer. To ensure proper Self-Test operation, remove the Analog (blue connector) cables from the back of computer.
3. Turn on the monitor.

   The floating 'Dell™ - Self-Test Feature Check' dialog box should appear on-screen (against a black background) if the monitor cannot sense a video signal and is working correctly. While in self-test mode, the power LED remains green. Also, depending upon the selected input, one of the dialogs shown below will continuously scroll through the screen.

4. This box also appears during normal system operation if the video cable becomes disconnected or damaged.
5. Turn off your monitor and reconnect the video cable; then turn on both your computer and the monitor.

If your monitor screen remains blank after you use the previous procedure, check your video controller and computer system; your monitor is functioning properly.

OSD Warning Messages

For OSD-related issues, see OSD Warning Messages

Common Problems

The following table contains general information about common monitor problems you might encounter.

COMMON SYMPTOMS	WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE	POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
No Video/ Power LED off	No picture, monitor is dead	Check connection integrity at both ends of the video cable Electric outlet verification Ensure power button depressed fully
No Video/ Power LED on	No picture or no brightness	Increase brightness & contrast controls Perform monitor self-test feature check Check for bent or broken pins
Poor Focus	Picture is fuzzy, blurry or ghosting	Push Auto Adjust button Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD Eliminate video extension cables Perform monitor reset Lower video resolution or increase font size
Shaky/Jittery Video	Wavy picture or fine movement	Push Auto Adjust button Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD Perform monitor reset Check environmental factors Relocate and test in another room
Missing Pixels	LCD screen has spots	Cycle power on-off These are pixels that are permanently off and is a natural defect that occurs in LCD technology
Stuck-on Pixels	LCD screen has bright spots	Cycle power on-off These are pixels that are permanently on and is a natural defect that occurs in LCD technology
Brightness Problems	Picture too dim or too bright	Perform monitor reset on "All Settings" Push Auto Adjust button Adjust brightness & contrast controls
Geometric Distortion	Screen not centered correctly	Perform monitor reset on "Position Settings Only" Push auto-adjust button Adjust the centering controls Ensure monitor is in proper video mode
Horizontal/Vertical Lines	Screen has one or more lines	Perform monitor reset on "All Settings" Push Auto Adjust button Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD Perform monitor self-test feature check and determine if these lines are also in self-test mode Check for bent or broken pins
Sync Problems	Screen is scrambled or appears torn	Perform monitor reset on "All Settings" Push Auto Adjust button Adjust Phase and Clock controls via OSD Perform monitor self-test feature check to determine if scrambled screen appears in self-test mode Check for bent or broken pins Boot up in the "safe mode"
LCD Scratched	Screen has scratches or smudges	Turn monitor off and clean the screen For cleaning instruction, see Cleaning for Your Monitor.
Safety Related Issues	Visible signs of smoke or sparks	Do not perform any troubleshooting steps Monitor needs to be replaced
Intermittent Problems	Monitor malfunctions on & off	Ensure monitor is in proper video mode Ensure video cable connection to computer and to the flat panel is secure Perform monitor reset on "All Settings" Perform monitor self-test feature check to determine if the intermittent problem occurs in self-test mode
Missing Color	Picture missing color	Perform monitor self-test feature check Check connection integrity at both end of the video cable Check for bent or broken pins
Wrong Color	Picture color not good	Change the color to "User Preset" Adjust R/G/B value of "User Preset"

Product Specific Problems

SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS	WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE	POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Screen image is too small	Image is centered on screen, but does not fill entire viewing area	Perform monitor reset on "All Settings"
Cannot adjust the monitor with the buttons on the front panel	OSD does not appear on the screen	Turn the monitor off and unplug the power cord and then plug back and power on
The monitor will not go into power saving mode.	No picture, the LED light is green. When press “+”, “-” or “Menu” key, the message “ No input signal ” will appear.	Move mouse or hit any key on the keyboard on the computer or  activate video player,  then access the OSD to set both Audio/Video to “ off ” state.
No Input Signal when user controls pressed	No picture, the LED light is green. When press “+”, “-” or “Menu” key, the message “ No input signal ” will appear.	Check the signal source Make sure the Computer is not in power saving by moving mouse or pressing any key on the keyboard. Check whether the signal cable is plugged in and seated properly.  Re-plug the signal cable if necessary. Re-boot the computer or video player.
OSD Lock	All buttons are locked except the "menu" button. No user adjustments are allowed.	Press the "menu" button for over 15 seconds to unlock the OSD menu.

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