Solved Unlocked computer to find desktop off center and rapidly shaking

Using 21H2 (OS Build 22000.675), AMD 5800X, Asus Tuf B550 Pro Gaming motherboard, Asus TUF RTX 3060 Ti, 3 displays (1920x1200 max res), most recent Windows updates and Nvidia driver.

I leave my computer on 24/7, lock it when I'm away, and have been doing this for many years. This morning, when I unlocked it after about 6 hours of being locked, I saw something I've never seen before, and it affected only my primary monitor. The desktop including taskbar was shifted to the left about 25%, with the part off-screen on the left wrapping around and appearing on the right. The desktop above the taskbar was rapidly shaking a few pixels back and forth, but the taskbar itself was steady. The computer was operable but obviously unusable in this state. I have a batch file that restarts the Nvidia driver, but that didn't help. Rebooting solved the problem. There was nothing anomalous in the event log. Has anyone seen this before?

I've not seen it but if a restart fixed it, I wouldn't worry about only one occurrence.

Turns out this was due to the AmazonBasics DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter I was using with my main display. Besides this one-time problem, I had a reproducible issue which took the form of the main display flashing blue for a split second when I started a YouTube TV program in a full-screen browser window on a secondary display, after the displays had woken from sleep (just the displays - I don't sleep my computer). A few days ago, I was sick enough of it to finally try the Insignia (Best Buy house brand) adapter I bought to use up my Best Buy bucks last month, and it worked fine, as did a real DisplayPort cable. (I didn't use the cable from the start because it's too thick and 15' long. I've since bought a nice braided Maxonar 10' cable.)

In summary, my problems were due to some deficiency with this AmazonBasics active adapter:


When I checked the reviews yesterday, I even found someone posted a video on July 15 of the problem I described in my OP two months ago:

barreleye said:

Turns out this was due to the AmazonBasics DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter I was using with my main display. Besides this one-time problem, I had a reproducible issue which took the form of the main display flashing blue for a split second when I started a YouTube TV program in a full-screen browser window on a secondary display, after the displays had woken from sleep (just the displays - I don't sleep my computer). A few days ago, I was sick enough of it to finally try the Insignia (Best Buy house brand) adapter I bought to use up my Best Buy bucks last month, and it worked fine, as did a real DisplayPort cable. (I didn't use the cable from the start because it's too thick and 15' long. I've since bought a nice braided Maxonar 10' cable.)

In summary, my problems were due to some deficiency with this AmazonBasics active adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08989D7RZ

When I checked the reviews yesterday, I even found someone posted a video on July 15 of the problem I described in my OP two months ago:

Check out this Amazon review of Amazon Basics DisplayPort (4k@60Hz) to HDMI Female Converter (Not Compatible with a USB Port), Black, 9.25 x 0.87 x 0.47 in

Broke after 5 months

www.amazon.com

Click to expand...

Went through 3 x DisplayPort (monitor) to HDMI (PC) adapters (none Amazon brand), none worked. Seems to have something to do with frequency/refresh rate between graphics adapter (card/chip) and screen resolution .... or sumfink like that. If they (graphic h/ware -vs- monitor) can't sync/match/adjust/whatever, an adapter isn't going to help.

Gave up, bought a HDMI monitor.

idgat said:

Went through 3 x DisplayPort (monitor) to HDMI (PC) adapters

Click to expand...

I hope you kept your old monitor for a spare. The key is to not use adapters but buy a high quality hdmi to dp CABLE.

glasskuter said:

I hope you kept your old monitor for a spare. The key is to not use adapters but buy a high quality hdmi to dp CABLE.

Click to expand...

HDMI to/from DisplayPort normally requires active electronics to convert the signals. It doesn't matter if the circuit board is in an adapter or cable. The exception is for dual-mode DisplayPort (DP++), but that applies only to the source. It wouldn't help the guy you're replying to, because his DP was on the monitor side. There are limitations to passive adapters when they do work WRT resolution and refresh rates. I would definitely recommend an adapter, which is usually a short cable, less than a foot, over buying a full-length cable. I just wouldn't recommend the AmazonBasics one I had problems with and linked to. lol

BTW, if the adapter/cable doesn't specify whether it's active or passive, see if it's described as "unidirectional". If so, it's active.

Had that same thing last week, only an 8 hour long reboot finally sorted it, in the end I put it down to the tequila

glasskuter said:

I hope you kept your old monitor for a spare. The key is to not use adapters but buy a high quality hdmi to dp CABLE.

Click to expand...

My poor choice of words - it was actually a cable ... but still no joy.

barreleye said:

I would definitely recommend an adapter, which is usually a short cable, less than a foot,

Click to expand...

That's the one I bought, but alas .....

CornishRattler said:

... in the end I put it down to the tequila

Click to expand...

That didn't cause my problem, but it certainly helped my get over it

Update for lolz. I've been using the nice Maxonar DP cable I mentioned earlier for a couple of days now, and this morning, I found that my main display (HP Z24i circa 2014) was not detected. This is after the monitor had gone to sleep, which it had done numerous times before with this new cable, always waking up successfully before now. Again, my PC is on 24/7, and only the monitors sleep. Turning the monitor on/off, unplugging/plugging the DP cable, etc didn't help. Finally, I decided to try the Insignia DP-to-HDMI adapter on the same port I was using the DP cable, the same port I've been using for this display since getting the RTX 3060 Ti, and the monitor woke up. I never had sleep/wake problems in the four months I used the otherwise problematic AmazonBasics adapter, and I expect this to continue with the Insignia. HDMI rulz, at least with this display/card combination. (I use the card's two HDMI ports with my other two displays, and using the first DP for the main display ensures the BIOS is visible during boot.)

The one setting on the monitor that might apply is called "DP Hot-Plug Detection", but it was already set to "Always", which is supposed to avoid this problem. So there's nothing left to try. The only drawback to using the Insignia adapter is that being active, it's one more thing that can break, but that's not much to worry about.