For the last week or so, I've been having a strange batch of computer issues.
Randomly, the display will stretch so that the left half fills the entire screen and anything on the right disappears from view and becomes inaccessible. (Like a document that's been "snapped" to the right). I can't even reach the charms menu to shut the computer down or restart. It did it again while I was typing this the first time to make this thread. But oddly, if even a corner of a document is in sight after the stretch, the mouse will still map the top edge of the widow as normal so that I can pull the full window into view.
Everything on screen stretches including the typeface when I'm working, and if I try to keep working after the stretch, it still functions normal, just distorted. This happens if I'm online or offline. Sometimes it'll happen three times in five minutes. Sometimes it'll go all day without destabilizing more than once.
I was pretty sure this was a graphics card issue at first. Now, I'm not so sure.
If it stretches, I have to cut the power at the power strip to turn it off, since it won't let me turn it off via command. Once it comes back on, the screen is usually back to normal ratios, but not always, and after a few times of doing this, I started getting a prompt that Windows wasn't loading properly. It couldn't run the auto-repair sequence. I "refreshed" the computer, basically restoring it to factory settings. (lost my Office, Scrivener, etc in the process) because it was the only way to get it to come back on. For a while, this seemed to help, but it's starting up again. Yesterday it stretched twice, and it's done the same this morning in about an hour, along with one prompt of "windows won't load properly."
There's always a flash to black before the stretch, and on occasion (such as right now) even if the screen is already stretched, it will flash to black and come back still stretched.
I'm a bit reluctant to pull the graphics card to reseat it, but I will if someone if more knowledge thinks that's the root of the issue.
I'm using an HP Phoenix Envy desktop with an Asus GTX-660 graphics card and Windows 8.1. Norton security. A black widow mechanical keyboard (not new). Basic USB/bluetooth mouse. Firefox on whatever the most recent version is. I've updated all of the drivers for both the graphics card and the monitor (HP Pavilion 27). No new programs, add-ons or hardware.
Any ideas?
Randomly, the display will stretch so that the left half fills the entire screen and anything on the right disappears from view and becomes inaccessible. (Like a document that's been "snapped" to the right). I can't even reach the charms menu to shut the computer down or restart. It did it again while I was typing this the first time to make this thread. But oddly, if even a corner of a document is in sight after the stretch, the mouse will still map the top edge of the widow as normal so that I can pull the full window into view.
Everything on screen stretches including the typeface when I'm working, and if I try to keep working after the stretch, it still functions normal, just distorted. This happens if I'm online or offline. Sometimes it'll happen three times in five minutes. Sometimes it'll go all day without destabilizing more than once.
I was pretty sure this was a graphics card issue at first. Now, I'm not so sure.
If it stretches, I have to cut the power at the power strip to turn it off, since it won't let me turn it off via command. Once it comes back on, the screen is usually back to normal ratios, but not always, and after a few times of doing this, I started getting a prompt that Windows wasn't loading properly. It couldn't run the auto-repair sequence. I "refreshed" the computer, basically restoring it to factory settings. (lost my Office, Scrivener, etc in the process) because it was the only way to get it to come back on. For a while, this seemed to help, but it's starting up again. Yesterday it stretched twice, and it's done the same this morning in about an hour, along with one prompt of "windows won't load properly."
There's always a flash to black before the stretch, and on occasion (such as right now) even if the screen is already stretched, it will flash to black and come back still stretched.
I'm a bit reluctant to pull the graphics card to reseat it, but I will if someone if more knowledge thinks that's the root of the issue.
I'm using an HP Phoenix Envy desktop with an Asus GTX-660 graphics card and Windows 8.1. Norton security. A black widow mechanical keyboard (not new). Basic USB/bluetooth mouse. Firefox on whatever the most recent version is. I've updated all of the drivers for both the graphics card and the monitor (HP Pavilion 27). No new programs, add-ons or hardware.
Any ideas?
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Last time I had an odd graphics issue, it turned out to be the hard drive. Yep, that's right, I said the hard drive. 
