Dell 2001FP, no image until login screen using DVI cable

Lynggaard · n00b Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 22

I just got my new Dell 2001FP monitor, and I like it very much :-)

I do however have one small,very annoying problem.

I don't get any image until the operating system, is loaded and the logon screen is ready. My computer normally does the following:

1. various BIOS screens
2. Boot loader (grub)
3. Operating system loading (windows XP or Gentoo Linux)
4. Login Screen

During the first 3 steps in this process the monitor is stuck in powersave mode, bot when the 4 step is reached and the OS changes to the "normal" display resolution then the picture appears. Here after there is no problems at all (until next reboot).

I have tested a few things like updateing graphics driver,Bios etc and discovered it is most likely a bios problem.

When I upgraded my BIOS it cleared my CMOS and the first time it booted after that, the picture was there from step 1. Naturally the BIOS displayed "CMOS is cleared, load defaullts or enter setup?"

The next time I boot (after having loaded defaults) the picture is gone again in step 1-3. I can repeat this process, by re-flashing my bios thus clearing my CMOS, I will get the first boot with picture, but once the default settings (or something close to defaults) is loaded I get no picture

Given the reproduceability of the above, I think it must be some incorrect settings in the BIOS, but I haven't found it yet.

My System:
MSI K8T Neo mobo with athlon64 3200+ cpu (newest bios)
ATI radoen 8500 (newest catalyst drivers.)

Can anyone help ??

logon · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:06 am Post subject:

Well i dont know what a DEll bla bla bla monitor is, but i suppose its an tft monitor with dvi am i right? If it is maybe your graphic card has the dvi port as the second port and because of that there is no booting on tha port. Try to change that! My nvidia card actually boots on both ports... but i suppose this should be possible with ati too. I don't have one so this is just a guess.
Hope this helps.

Lynggaard · n00b Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 22

The problem is that it seems to boot on DVI, since flashing the BIOS (and thus resetting cmos) will get me a picture.

Are you suggesting that the bios does somehting with the gfx card to make it not boot on DVI?

logon · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:58 pm Post subject:

The graphic card has it's own bios. Which one did you flash?

I am just saying that: It is possible the card only has a signal on the first port as long as the operating system and the driver are not loaded. And you probably want to change that in the card settings. There must be a way. I don't know if it has something to do with your computer bios. Actually i am pretty sure, but you never know...

Lynggaard · n00b Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 22

logon · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:54 am Post subject:

Did you try all their proposed solutions? I think this is exactly the error you ran in. So there seems to be a solution for this and at least you should contact customer support before buying a new card. If they can't help you, do yourself a big favour and buy an nvidia card. The linux driver support is far superior. Really sorry for ati but this is nothing but the truth.

EDIT: Happy new year!

greenagain · n00b Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Posts: 5 Location: Atlanta, GA

Okay, I noticed this problem too when I got my 2001fp. Here's the story:

So I had a sony xdm73 17 inch lcd running fine off lcd on my 3rd party 9600 non-pro. It didn't just show the picture in X, the normal console and post, and grub were all there. So anyway, I upgraded to the 2001fp, and I experienced the same problems. So I thought, wtf, and started doing some experimenting with the Dell 2001fp, the Sony xdm73, cheapo 9600 non-pro, and ATI-branded 9800 pro. Here were the results:

9600 with Sony LCD: Worked fine on DVI
9600 with Dell 2001 LCD: Didn't display anything until X
9800 with Sony LCD: Worked fine on DVI
9800 with Dell 2001 LCD: Worked fine on DVI

So, to the point: it appears that theres something about the combination of my 9600 card and the Dell 2001fp. I imagine the manufacturer of the card cut some corners on display modes and stuff to keep the prices down. Similarly, the dell make lack something that the Sony had that allowed it to overcome the problems with the 9600.

Anyway, this is just my own little analysis of the situation. Bottom line: I wish I had bought an nVidia card.

prattrs · n00b Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 21

I had a Dell 2001fp that I couldn't get working with my nVidia 5900U. They apparently have some problems. I sent it back and got a Samsung 213T instead.