I've built a new PC and installed CachyOS, but my Acer XV272U monitor has gone completely blank. I've tested the hardware with Windows, and everything was fine, but after switching to CachyOS using the Niri desktop environment, my main monitor stopped displaying anything, although I could still see the cursor on the black screen. I tried reinstalling CachyOS, switching to the i3 window manager, and several other troubleshooting steps, including accessing the BIOS, but the Acer monitor remains unresponsive. I've managed to get it to display through HDMI using a MacBook, but every attempt to revert back to my setup results in the monitor going black again. I suspect it might be an issue with the display port or some configuration within the monitor itself. Any advice on what might be causing this or how to possibly recover my monitor?
4 Answers
If you're able to access the on-screen display (OSD) of the monitor, then it's not bricked. Have you checked your cable connections? Sometimes it's just a loose cable or a bad connection that causes the display issue.
It sounds like there may be a configuration issue within your monitor’s settings or possibly in the BIOS. If it's convenient, try switching off the integrated GPU if you have one, and see if changing PCIe link settings helps too. Also, swapping out the display cable might be worth it—sometimes those can be the culprit!
I've adjusted settings in the OSD before, but I'll give it another go. Thanks for the tips!
It's unlikely that an operating system could permanently damage your hardware unless you're doing something extreme like flashing firmware. Have you tried completely shutting down your PC and monitor, disconnecting them from power, and letting them sit for a while? Sometimes a full cold boot can help reset things.
That's the current plan, thanks for the suggestion!
Actually, that's not entirely true; if you mess with the GPU settings incorrectly, it can definitely cause issues.
You might want to check for any FreeSync settings on the monitor; turning those off can sometimes resolve strange issues. Also, make sure any auto source detection features are disabled—weird things can happen if it’s trying to guess the input.
I already turned FreeSync off, but I can double-check the source detection settings.
You're right, the OSD works, but it feels like the connection to the GPU might be the problem.