276144 - Screen Blackout/Flickering

Status: VERIFIED INVALID

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[Jared]

Note: I appologize for not checking which version I'm using, as I was unsure
which option applied. According to "Help->About" I am using Firefox version 1.0
(Mozilla 5.0, rv. 1.7.5, Gecko/20041107/Firefox 1.0). I believe this is the most
recent version, but please correct me if I'm wrong, and should try downloading a
newer version, uninstalling my current Firefox, and reinstalling.

I recently (in the past week) moved from the Mozilla suite to Firefox and
Thunderbird. However, I have been experiencing seemingly random screen blackouts
and flickering while using both pieces of software. While browsing, the entire
screen (not just Firefox) will go black, as if the monitor was attempting to
refresh after being turned on. The blackout will last only a second, but
multiple blackouts may occur in a couple of seconds, causing a strobe-like
flickering.

I am unable to specifically point to what causes the blackout, as it has
happened at multiple sites, and while browsing both with and without tabs. I
can, however, say that some sites (http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/ for example)
cause blackouts more often than others. At http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/,
especially while switching between tabs, Firefox becomes almost unusable due to
the strobe-like effect.

These flickerings do not crash my system, and after they stop I can continue
browsing as normal. However, because they seem to happen often on some sites,
and the strobe effect of continuous flickering is headache-inducing, this is a
more serious problem than an ocasional screen refresh.

I should note that I recently upgraded my videocard to an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700
Ultra. I realize this could potentially be causing the problems (as it's the
only thing, other than Firefox itself, that has recently changed on my
computer). However, no other software has been having similar issues (or any
problems at all), and the blackouts are limited to Firefox and Thunderbird. I
have tried multiple NVIDIA driver updates ( ), under all of which Firefox and
Thunderbird continue to expereince intermitend screen flickering and blackouts.
So, while I hope this isn't the case, it may be that this is not a reproducable
bug outside my specific hardware configuration.

I would appreciate any gelp or suggestions, as I very much enjoy Firefox and
Thunderbird, but have become afraid to check my email, lest the horrible
flickering attacks again...

-Jared

Comment 1

[Jared]

Sorry, forgot to add which GeForce drivers I've tried.
56.72, 61.21, 66.74, and 66.93. None have prevented the screen flickering. I am
currently using 66.74, as it is the version recomended by my computer manufacturer.
-Jared

Comment 2

[Jared]

Realized i should have tried the latest nightly build, so downloaded and
installed Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8a6)
Gecko/20041227 Firefox/1.0+. Same problems. =(
-Jared

Comment 3

[Chris Blore]

Could you please read the Bug Writing Guidelines 
at <http://www.mozilla.org/quality/bug-writing-guidelines.html> to see the 
kinds of information we need in a bug report. 

This does not appear to be a bug with Firefox but more of a problem with your PC
system and should not be posted here at Bugzilla. 
I am unable to reproduce this bug under Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1;
en-US; rv:1.8a6) Gecko/20041226 Firefox/1.0+.

Comment 4

[Chris Blore]

Suggesting this is marked as INVALID.

Comment 5

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

*** Bug 276145 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 6

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

This is either a hardware problem (Monitor, Monitor cable)or a software problem
(Graphic card drivers) with your system itself.

-> invalid

Comment 7

[Ryuichi KUBUKI]

*** Bug 280334 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***