Q: Monitor not displaying properly I have this persistent problem whereby my LG LCD monitor keeps displaying "Digital/Analog Power Save Mode" whenever I boot up my PC. When this happens, I reconnect my DVI cable and the monitor is able to display properly sometimes.

What is the cause of the problem? I am using a Core 2 Duo E4500 processor with 1 GB RAM and Nvidia GT8500 256DDR graphics card.

Yew Leong

A: The Digital/Analog Power Save Mode message on the screen is a sign that there is no signal coming into the monitor. Perhaps the process of plugging and unplugging has misplaced or bent some of the pins in the cabling.

Your best bet is to get hold of a new DVI-D cable and securely fasten both ends. You may also want to consider these suggestions:

• Install the LG display drivers that come with the CD-ROM. Many users just discard the CD-ROM to one side and completely forget about it.The display drivers are crucial as they let the graphics card know the model of monitor as well as the resolutions that can be displayed.
• Ensure that you have set the resolution of both the monitor and the graphics card correctly. You can check by clicking on Start - Settings - Control Panel. Then click on the Nvidia Control Panel. On the left column, click on Change Resolution and set the display resolution to match that of your LG monitor. If you have a wide-screen 16:9 monitor, it is usually 1,440 x 900. For 24-inch or larger screens, set to 1,920 x 1,200. Read the instructions in the LG monitor instruction manual first before setting this resolution.
• Also ensure that you set the graphics card to display at a refresh rate of no more than 60Hz. LCD monitors are not able to go beyond this refresh rate. To get to the settings, click on Start - Settings - Control Panel - Display - Monitor. Ensure that the refresh rate is set to 60Hz.
• Lastly, you can try updating the drivers of your graphics card. Go to www.nvidia.com to download the drivers.

Answers by MK Wong, an IT lecturer with 30 years' experience in the IT industry

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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