Monitor starts off fine. Randomly it will go black and says no signal detected.

J Smith 0 Reputation points
2026-09-19T23:53:58.4666667+00:00

Has happened randomly for awhile but started happening more frequently. Monitor and PC will boot up fine, but monitor will go black and I'll receive a message that no signal is detected. After manually shutting down and starting the PC, it will usually work correctly, although sometimes I continue to get the message, requiring multiple manual shut down/starts.

I've also noticed that when the boot up MSI display comes up, it frequently says refresh rate is 60hz, even though I have it set to 240hz. Sometimes it will reset to 60hz, so I'm not sure if this could be part of the problem.

Things I've tried so far:

Tried different input HDMI on monitor.

Verified input is coming from GPU.

Windows is updated.

Updated monitor firmware.

Updated graphics card drivers.

Thanks in advance.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Display and graphics
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  1. Ivan B 123.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-20T15:40:52.8966667+00:00

    Hi,

    That’s very strange. Your HDMI port might be shorting out—either on the GPU or the monitor—so if possible, try testing with a DisplayPort (DP) cable.

    There is a chance it’s a hardware failure.

    Can you tell where the sound is coming from?

    Is your PC sitting on a non-metal surface, like a glass or wooden desk?

    Thanks.

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  2. J Smith 0 Reputation points
    2026-09-20T14:42:54.1533333+00:00

    GPU is NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. Manufactured by MSI. Monitor is Alienware 34 240Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor - AW3425DW. Both are less than 1 year old.

    I haven't tried new cables or DisplayPort yet but I will do that.

    One possible clue, when it is working, right before it stops and goes black, there is a brief electronic buzz/static type sound.

    Thank you !

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  3. Ivan B 123.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-20T00:29:54.1966667+00:00

    Hi,

    What is the GPU model?

    What is the monitor model?

    Have you tried testing it without HDMI, or using new HDMI cables?

    For example, testing via DisplayPort?

    Thanks.

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  4. AI answer

    2026-09-19T23:54:18.0966667+00:00

    Since Windows, monitor firmware, and graphics drivers are already updated, the next supported troubleshooting path is to focus on the display connection mode and the display driver state.

    1. Check the physical connection again.
      • Make sure the cable is fully seated on both the GPU and monitor.
      • Try a different cable or a different monitor to rule out a cable or display fault.
      • If available, try a different output path such as DisplayPort or a USB-C video adapter instead of HDMI. A similar case isolated the issue by testing another output path.
    2. Reset the graphics driver when the screen drops.
      • Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B.
      • A beep or screen flicker indicates the graphics driver reset was triggered.
    3. Check display mode in Windows.
      • Press Windows + P, then press P again and Enter to cycle display modes.
      • This helps if Windows is switching output unexpectedly.
    4. Roll back the display driver if the issue became worse after an update.
      • Open Device Manager.
      • Expand Display adapters.
      • Right-click the display adapter > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.
      • If the option is unavailable, Windows does not have a previous driver to restore.
      • Restart the device after rollback.
    5. If rollback is not available or does not help, reinstall the display driver.
      • Open Device Manager.
      • Expand Display adapters.
      • Right-click the adapter > Uninstall device.
      • Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device if shown, then uninstall.
      • Restart, then return to Device Manager > Display adapters.
      • Right-click the adapter > Update driver > Search automatically for updated driver software.
    6. If the problem happens with more than one monitor or cable, test whether the GPU output itself is the issue.
      • Use one monitor only.
      • Try all available GPU output ports.
      • If another port type works reliably while HDMI does not, that points to the HDMI path or port.
    7. About the 60 Hz behavior:
      • If the display repeatedly falls back to 60 Hz or becomes unstable at higher refresh rates, that aligns with display path or driver instability.
      • A similar reported case recommended testing DisplayPort specifically to determine whether the HDMI port or HDMI path was at fault.

    If none of these steps help, file a report through Feedback Hub with the exact sequence: normal boot, signal loss, and whether the refresh rate changed before the black screen.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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