JohnWeidner
asked on
Invisible Text
I am running Win2000 with service pack 2. On most days my system gets into a state where the text that should be displayed in a window is invisible. You can cursor around as if the window has text in it, but you don't see anything. Once this happens it effects many of the applications that I'm running - including MicroSoft Word, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Visual Studio. Has anyone seen this before, know how to fix it, or have suggestions on how to debug this problem?
Unless someone is playing games with you by changing the FOREGROUND COLOR (i.e. the TEXT color) to match the BACKGROUND color, I'd suspect you have a defective display adapter driver.
I would also check for viruses.
I would also make sure you VGA cable is connected properly.
I hope this helps !
I would also make sure you VGA cable is connected properly.
I hope this helps !
Is anything else on the screen affected?
What happens if you select/highlight the "invisible" text?
What happens if you select/highlight the "invisible" text?
If it isn't a virus then the card is probably defective as jhance suggests or it may be overheating a little. Some cards have heat sinks and/or cooling fans on them. You may want to check to see if your card has a fan and if so make sure it is working properly.
The Crazy One
The Crazy One
ASKER
I highly doubt that it is a problem with the video card because it only effects some of the running applications. To me it seems like it is a problem with Windows 2000. I had been running NT for a couple of years without seeing this problem once. But after "upgrading" to 2000, I'm seeing this problem daily.
I currently don't have any virus checking software installed, so maybe my system is infected. Any suggestions on what virus detection software to use?
I currently don't have any virus checking software installed, so maybe my system is infected. Any suggestions on what virus detection software to use?
I prefer Norton AntiVirus. I know that McAfee Anti is also popular but I've never had much success with it...
Hovever, I think you should rethink your statement:
"I highly doubt that it is a problem with the video card because it only effects some of the running applications"
Perhaps these applications are the only ones that use certain driver features.
And also, your statement:
"To me it seems like it is a problem with Windows 2000"
is also highly questionable. In fact, the same argument you used above to discount a driver error could be used to eliminate W2K as a problem.
Since W2K is WIDELY used and is known to be pretty good. I think you would be wise to check things suggested and not assume that ANYTHING is NOT the problem until you can prove that it isn't the problem.
Hovever, I think you should rethink your statement:
"I highly doubt that it is a problem with the video card because it only effects some of the running applications"
Perhaps these applications are the only ones that use certain driver features.
And also, your statement:
"To me it seems like it is a problem with Windows 2000"
is also highly questionable. In fact, the same argument you used above to discount a driver error could be used to eliminate W2K as a problem.
Since W2K is WIDELY used and is known to be pretty good. I think you would be wise to check things suggested and not assume that ANYTHING is NOT the problem until you can prove that it isn't the problem.
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>>>But after "upgrading" to 2000, I'm seeing this problem daily.
You may not have the appropriate drivers for it. Check the vendors site of the card or the computer to see if they have an updated driver specifically for Win2000.
Also just because the problem only happens periodically in certain situations doesn't mean as jhance said that the problem doesn't reside with the card or the drivers. Flaky drivers and devices aren't always consistent in the problems they can cause.
If you are really convinced that it is a Win2000 issue then you can try this.
Start > Run sfc /scannnow
and if that doesn't do it then you can try this. However I would advise at looking deeper into this being a driver and/or device issue before doing the following.
This is a in depth look at "Repair, Recovery, and Restore"
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/samplechapters/fndc/fndc_rec_uctu.asp
The download is actually a MS Word Document with the info
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/samplechapters/fndc/fndc_rec.exe
The following is from the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
Differences Between Manual and Fast Repair in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q238359
You may not have the appropriate drivers for it. Check the vendors site of the card or the computer to see if they have an updated driver specifically for Win2000.
Also just because the problem only happens periodically in certain situations doesn't mean as jhance said that the problem doesn't reside with the card or the drivers. Flaky drivers and devices aren't always consistent in the problems they can cause.
If you are really convinced that it is a Win2000 issue then you can try this.
Start > Run sfc /scannnow
and if that doesn't do it then you can try this. However I would advise at looking deeper into this being a driver and/or device issue before doing the following.
This is a in depth look at "Repair, Recovery, and Restore"
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/samplechapters/fndc/fndc_rec_uctu.asp
The download is actually a MS Word Document with the info
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/samplechapters/fndc/fndc_rec.exe
The following is from the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
Differences Between Manual and Fast Repair in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q238359
ASKER
Seems like I had a virus. Thanks all. The Norton AnitVirus program seemed to clean things up nicely.