S3221QS, black screen, replacement fix the issue

Question

I bought my S3221QS monitor a few months ago. Delightful, works without issue connected via DP to my XPS 8930 running Windows 11. Until today, when all of a sudden it started blanking the screen to black for a second or two and doing this every 10-30 seconds.

At the time I was updating the Nvidia studio graphics driver to a new version 472.47 using the Nvidia GForce Experience app. The app was running the pre-install stage (downloading the driver install package) when the blanking started, so the actual update process hadn't yet started. It didn't interfere with anything, and the update happened without issue so the new driver is now installed.

And the blanking has stopped.

In peeking at the Event Viewer to see if there are any clues there, I noticed two identical entries for two app crashes for the Dell Display Manager version 1.54.0.2068 which runs from when the PC starts up. I've not touched this app so it's using whatever defaults there are.

As far as I can tell, the crashes happened after the Nvidia driver update completed. The entries are a bit bare bones, but say this:

Faulting application name: ddm.exe, version: 1.54.0.2068, time stamp: 0x2a425e19
Faulting module name: ddm.exe, version: 1.54.0.2068, time stamp: 0x2a425e19
Exception code: 0xc000041d
Fault offset: 0x00135f8a
Faulting process ID: 0x5630
Faulting application start time: 0x01d7e157eda6b221
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\Dell Display Manager\ddm.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\Dell Display Manager\ddm.exe
Report ID: bc21eccb-c394-4562-a67e-f55ad6764420
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

Nothing here gives me any clue as to why DDM crashed.

All I know now is that, since the crashes and therefore DDM not running, I have experienced no further blanking and black screens. All back to normal.

Does the DDM app have any essential use? I don't feel inclined to run it again and most likely I'll uninstall it. The monitor works perfectly fine without it.

Luke717 · Accepted Answer

This is probably my final post in this thread. Last week, Dell replaced the monitor under warranty. After using this replacement monitor for seven days now - in test mode as the solo display as well as with the setup I have had previously with an additional secondary monitor connected to the graphics card - I have not experienced a single incident of screen blanking.

Indeed, this replacement monitor has not shown any unexpected behaviour: it behaves normally as would be the natural expectation. I have even reinstalled the Dell Display Manager app that I thought originally was the culprit with screen blanking. Not so as nothing untoward has happened since I installed the app.

As I understand it from Dell, they have looked into the screen-blanking and found no reports of this. As a reminder, this video I made in February shows the screen-blanking I experienced over many months.

https://youtu.be/s-8g99UG0OI

So in the absence of any confirmation that it is an issue, I think it is reasonable to conclude that what happened with my original monitor is due to an unknown fault. Replacing the monitor has fixed it, in a manner of speaking.

DELL-Chris M · Answer

Some users find DDM to be useful. I like my Windows 10 startup to be clean, so I do not allow apps like DDM to start on bootup. I know with a monitor firmware update, the recommendation is to first disable DDM. So it is possible that we might also have to do this with newer Nvidia and AMD driver updates.

DDM (Dell Display Manager) FAQ

Luke717 · Answer

Thanks for the link to the FAQ, useful.

My black-screen experience is definitely due to the DDM. I conclude this because if I run DDM, the monitor repeats the behaviour I experienced: blanking the screen to black for a second or two and doing this every 10-30 seconds. If I don't run DDM, this does not happen at all.

I shall uninstall DDM.

Luke717 · Answer

An update on this screen blanking issue.

A few weeks ago I bought a new XPS 8940 to which my S3221QS monitor is now connected via a new DisplayPort cable. I get the screen blanking at random times for 1 second each time.

I suppose a logical conclusion would be that this fault is in the monitor, all else being equal. If I connect another monitor as the primary display - I have a Samsung S24D330 FHD monitor I use as the secondary display but tested it as the primary - the screen blanking doesn't happen at all. The 8940 also doesn't have the Dell Display Manager program installed.

I checked other things again: the ports, all the Dell and Windows 11 settings (everthing up to date) , Nvidia settings and driver (running the latest version), couldn't see anything obvious. Except, I noticed I'd set the Power Setting at High Performance just after I first set up the PC.

I changed that to Balanced - and the blanking hasn't happened since.

Surely it can't be that: high-performance power setting on the computer results in the Dell monitor blanking to black for 1 second at random times?

I don't know what to make of that! Still, I'll monitor the situation, so to speak, to see if the blanking really has stopped.

Luke717 · Answer

Another update on this screen-blanking issue. It's not solved at all. In fact, everything I've said before looks as though it's not valid at all in terms of pinpointing the cause.

The only hardware difference since my last post here is that I swapped out the DisplayPort cable for a brand new one as the one I've been using is pretty old, at least 5 years. It didn't make any discernable difference. On software, there's been a few Windows 11 updates, Dell BIOS update, the odd driver here and there including the latest Nvidia Studio driver.

The random blank-to-black for 1 second is still happening with this monitor. If I disconnect it and connect another UHD display as the sole monitor, with similar config and also via the DP port, the screen blanking does not occur at all. I have a secondary monitor connected, a Samsung FHD monitor via HDMI; if I disconnect it so there's only the Dell monitor connected, the blanking still happens.

In any case, what I've found that seems to work (ie, stops the blanking) is when it occurs to turn off the Dell monitor via the on/off button at lower right below the bottom bezel, wait 5 seconds or so for the secondary display to take over the role of sole primary display, then switch the Dell monitor on again. That causes the Dell monitor to become the primary display with the Samsung one taking back its role as the secondary display.

What happens, though, is interesting: both monitors literally go through a flickering dance where both screens cycle through a flashing on/off sequence before that stops after 4 or 5 seconds. From that point on, there is no more screen blanking on the Dell monitor until I shut the computer down or restart it.

I made a short video of this happening: YouTube link - https://youtu.be/s-8g99UG0OI

Any suggestions or insights appreciated! Thanks.

DELL-Chris M · Answer

Good video, thanks!

Run this =

* Turn the XPS 8940 and S3221QS off
* Disconnect all other monitors from the XPS 8940
* Disconnect every cable (including the power cable) from the S3221QS
* Press the S3221QS power button in for 8 seconds (clears any residual power in the circuits)
* Reconnect the power cable and DP to DP cable to the S3221QS and XPS 8940
* Turn the XPS 8940 on, then the S3221QS and retest

Clarify, did the XPS 8940 ship with an added bottom back discreet video card or are you using the XPS 8940 upper onboard DP out port?

If the XPS 8940 did not ship with an added bottom back discreet video card, disconnect the DP to DP cable and test the provided HDMI to HDMI cable from the S3221QS to the XPS 8940 upper onboard HDMI out port.

Luke717 · Answer

@DELL-Chris M thank you for the test suggestion. A procedure so I need to set aside some time for this. Weekend project I'll report outcomes.

To your question:

Clarify, did the XPS 8940 ship with an added bottom back discreet video card or are you using the XPS 8940 upper onboard DP out port?

It shipped with the Nvidia card to which the monitors are connected. I've not used the upper connectors at all. And there was no cable for connecting a monitor included in the overall package.

Luke717 · Answer

@swamped207 thanks for the suggestion, I'll run that as well. I don't have DDM installed at all.

swamped207 · Answer

Here's something to test with both monitors connected:

1. Close any open applications, especially DDM if its installed

2. Right-click on the Windows desktop, and select "Display properties" from the popup menu

3. Watch the screen for any blanking during step #2, while Display properties loads

DELL-Chris M · Answer

'And there was no cable for connecting a monitor included in the overall package.' Agreed that we did not ship a DP to DP cable. The online S3221QS User's Guide shows that when shipped new directly from Dell, you should find the following cabling in the box =

DELL-Cares · Answer

Hello,

This is Sanal from Dell Social Media Team. Hope you are doing good.

We want to make sure your system is working fine and hence following up. Having said that, we do not want to disturb you with numerous messages.

You could get back to us with an update when you’re ready, and one of our experts will assist you further. We look forward to your response.

Luke717 · Answer

@swamped207 wrote:

Here's something to test with both monitors connected:

1. Close any open applications, especially DDM if its installed

2. Right-click on the Windows desktop, and select "Display properties" from the popup menu

3. Watch the screen for any blanking during step #2, while Display properties loads

Tested. Right-click on Windows desktop, Windows 11 so called 'Display settings', appeared instantaneously: no blanking or any display glitch apparent on loading or at any time.

Settings show this (screenshot):

DELL-Cares · Answer

Thank you for reaching out to us. We’d be glad to look into this for you right away. Before we proceed, Also, as our interaction would involve sharing personally identifiable information, please private message us so that we can start working toward a resolution.

Luke717 · Answer

@DELL-Chris M just for the record, the monitor arrived with no video cable at all. It had the power cord plus the USB upstream cable, but no HDMI cable. The packing list didn't list it (but it didn't list the USB cable either). Luckily I already had cables.

I think perhaps this was the configuration of the overall package I bought at a keen price: it didn't include a video cable.

Either that or a mistake. I'm sure mistakes at the factory or place of assembly and packing do happen. Indeed, the XPS 8940 I bought in January arrived with no accessories at all - no power cable. no mouse, no keyboard, just an empty accessory box with a leaflet or two. That definitely was a packing mistake!

Luke717 · Answer

@DELL-Chris M I ran the procedure you suggested. PC running an hour or so since then, no issues at all (which was usually the case before all this).

I'm going to run the machine for the next few days with just the S3221QS connected, no second display, let's see if that makes any difference. Then, if not, connect the Samsung second-display monitor via HDMI to see what happens.

Will advise. Thanks!

Monitors

S3221QS, black screen, replacement fix the issue

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