Author Topic: white dot on desktop? (Read 26839 times)

GoTTi · « **on:** October 20, 2009, 11:29:54 AM »

its been bugging me for a while now...i dont know what is causing it.

this is this annoying small white dot on the desktop. i have taken a screen shot of it and pasted below. the dot is there at all times UNLESS i click the show desktop button, then it vanishes. but if i have active windows it is there. the screen shot i took is without the icons showing, and its still there.

any ideas?

GoTTi · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:30:57 AM »

that image is kind of small on here lol...here is link to the screenshot directly http://i37.tinypic.com/20r7i2s.jpg so you can see it in full resolution and the white dot

patio · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2009, 05:20:18 PM »

Burnt out pixel...
No fix available.

GoTTi · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2009, 06:49:05 PM »

Quote from: patio on October 20, 2009, 05:20:18 PM

Burnt out pixel...
No fix available.

cant be. it goes away when i minimize to desktop. it only shows itself when i load any tabs or programs back

Spoiler · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2009, 11:08:53 AM »

Burn pixel....

try to swap out your monitor for a test. See if the white dot shows up.

Carbon Dudeoxide · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2009, 11:20:57 AM »

I can see the white dot in the image above.....Does that mean it's a burnt pixel?

In any case, try another monitor.

GoTTi · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2009, 09:01:04 PM »

it isnt a burnt pixel. its showing up on my 32 inch lcd as well...just did a test...its something to do with something, i just dont know what it is....

let me explain it again...

you know the "show desktop" button/tool that minimizes everything open? when i click that button it goes away. when i reopen the tab(s) or anything that is minimized, the white dot comes back.

JJ 3000 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2009, 11:51:51 PM »

Have you tried to do a system restore to before the problem started?

GoTTi · « **Reply #8 on:** October 24, 2009, 03:40:07 PM »

nah i didnt do a system restore. i dont really like doing those, and i dont know how long the white dot has been there. i know its been on the system for a long time though....

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #9 on:** October 24, 2009, 05:24:37 PM »

check your wallpaper settings

Tranc3r · « **Reply #10 on:** October 24, 2009, 05:29:19 PM »

dude... it's just a white pixel dot.... just ignore it.

billrich · « **Reply #11 on:** October 24, 2009, 05:41:22 PM »

If you don't want a background picture, change the color to blue.

Press F5 ( refresh screen more often )

Troubleshoot your monitor.

Right click My Computer
Choose Properties
Click the Hardware Tab
Click Device Manager

+ Click the Expand Button

Right Click your Monitor and Choose Properties
Click the Troubleshoot Button

GoTTi · « **Reply #12 on:** October 25, 2009, 10:31:51 AM »

i updated the drivers with the current ones for win7 from nvidia, and my friendly dot is still there. device says it is working properly. what else can i try?

Carbon Dudeoxide · « **Reply #13 on:** October 25, 2009, 10:36:05 AM »

Tried changing your background?

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #14 on:** October 25, 2009, 12:13:03 PM »

Quote from: Carbon Dudeoxide on October 25, 2009, 10:36:05 AM

Tried changing your background?

I asked that already and got ignored.

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #15 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:51:53 PM »

Very possible video hardware driver issues... with both ATI and Nvidia cards driver updates have been known to cure this problem.

patio · « **Reply #16 on:** October 25, 2009, 04:17:09 PM »

Windows may be running out of Black pixels....
This has been known to happen if you spend alot of time on conspiracy websites...
Re-boot and see if it improves...

GoTTi · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:12:21 AM »

must have over looked the first time that was asked about bg change...

i have change it yea. i put a random image as the bg from the web, still there..

i changed the color...still there...

i changed the resolution sizes as well, and its still showing up....

the only time the dot doesnt show is when i minimze everything to the desktop using the show desktop button on win7, and when i click the tab to reopen the window, the dot comes back...

billrich · « **Reply #18 on:** October 26, 2009, 09:35:39 AM »

This is a guess since I had a similar problem with my Dell monitor:

The Dell cables are not well insulated and the monitor cable can pick up interference from other cables it has contact with. I made sure the monitor cable had no contact with other cables and the problem disappeared.

Good Luck

GoTTi · « **Reply #19 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:15:30 AM »

Quote from: billrich on October 26, 2009, 09:35:39 AM

This is a guess since I had a similar problem with my Dell monitor:

The Dell cables are not well insulated and the monitor cable can pick up interference from other cables it has contact with. I made sure the monitor cable had no contact with other cables and the problem disappeared.

Good Luck

im on a laptop

GoTTi · « **Reply #20 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:16:26 AM »

Quote from: patio on October 25, 2009, 04:17:09 PM

Windows may be running out of Black pixels....
This has been known to happen if you spend alot of time on conspiracy websites...
Re-boot and see if it improves...

does not improve. the white dot goes away whenever i click on the show desktop button. when i open the button/program back up to show itself, the dot comes back

GoTTi · « **Reply #21 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:17:23 AM »

Quote from: Salmon Trout on October 25, 2009, 01:51:53 PM

Very possible video hardware driver issues... with both ATI and Nvidia cards driver updates have been known to cure this problem.

i updated the nvidia driver, and the dot is still there

Carbon Dudeoxide · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:21:49 AM »

Can you post another full desktop screenshot?

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #23 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:36:23 AM »

I zoomed into the screenshot posted above; there is a white blob in the ringed area; due to to jpeg compression can't see the structure properly

billrich · « **Reply #24 on:** October 26, 2009, 11:44:05 AM »

Quote from: GoTTi on October 20, 2009, 11:29:54 AM

This annoying small white dot on the desktop. I have taken a screen shot of it and pasted below. The dot is there at all times UNLESS I click the show desktop button, then it vanishes. But if I have active windows it is there. The screen shot I took is without the icons showing, and its still there.
Any ideas?

Take the computer to your trusted local computer shop.

Send the bill to BR549.

Geek-9pm · « **Reply #25 on:** October 26, 2009, 11:48:54 AM »

Have you tried to swatch between performance and appearance settings?
Can you turn on your magnifier and run it a 8X and see if the dot shows up inside the mangier?

GoTTi · « **Reply #26 on:** October 26, 2009, 08:11:15 PM »

Quote from: Geek-9pm on October 26, 2009, 11:48:54 AM

Have you tried to swatch between performance and appearance settings?
Can you turn on your magnifier and run it a 8X and see if the dot shows up inside the mangier?

the dot is showing in the magnifier

Karnac · « **Reply #27 on:** October 26, 2009, 08:23:03 PM »

http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Stuck-Pixel-on-an-LCD-Monitor

Geek-9pm · « **Reply #28 on:** October 26, 2009, 08:36:48 PM »

Quote from: Karnac on October 26, 2009, 08:23:03 PM

http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Stuck-Pixel-on-an-LCD-Monitor

Just read that real fast. Basically, you take a very tiny felt tip pin and with a black background on the LCD you find the white dot and...
Put the tipe of the pen on it!

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #29 on:** October 27, 2009, 02:51:13 AM »

The dot has NOTHING AT ALL to do with the monitor. It is present in the video memory. This is proved by the fact that a screen dump shows it. It is either a software (e.g. driver, desktop background setting) or hardware (display card or chipset) issue.

GoTTi · « **Reply #30 on:** October 27, 2009, 11:16:35 AM »

Quote from: Salmon Trout on October 27, 2009, 02:51:13 AM

The dot has NOTHING AT ALL to do with the monitor. It is present in the video memory. This is proved by the fact that a screen dump shows it. It is either a software (e.g. driver, desktop background setting) or hardware (display card or chipset) issue.

well its driving me nuts that i cant seem to fix it, and im a IT guy ;( makes me wanna throw in the towel. there has to be something we are missing here to get this dot to remove itself...

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #31 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:25:05 PM »

Could be a hardware fault. No amount of altering settings or changing drivers will fix that.

I presume that it shows up in Safe Mode?

GoTTi · « **Reply #32 on:** October 27, 2009, 02:09:42 PM »

Quote from: Salmon Trout on October 27, 2009, 12:25:05 PM

Could be a hardware fault. No amount of altering settings or changing drivers will fix that.

I presume that it shows up in Safe Mode?

thanks for idea. the dot did not show up in safe mod.

Salmon Trout · « **Reply #33 on:** October 27, 2009, 02:32:05 PM »

That is a possible pointer. In safe mode, no 3rd party (Video card maker) video drivers are loaded, only Windows generic driver. So maybe the video hardware driver is causing the problem, or possibly in normal mode the card is being run in a way that reveals a hardware problem.

I don't see any answer from you about display settings. Have you tried to disable some or all of the performance features like hardware acceleration?

Geek-9pm · « **Reply #34 on:** October 27, 2009, 06:03:38 PM »

OK, Thar's it!
you have been infected by...
Prank Ware!

Somebody you know is having fun with you!

GoTTi · « **Reply #35 on:** October 28, 2009, 10:47:54 AM »

so for a update to this. the dot is gone....ill explain what i did...

i started to play with the themes in win7. i first started to cycle through them all changing the colors of the bg and the pictures that win7 has and kept seeing the dot remain...

then i went to the windows themes webpage and checked out their themes, and downloaded the avatar theme, and when i activated that theme, the dot was still there. i cycled through the pictures and the dot was still there....

then i looked around the windows theme settings areas under personalize, and i saw the classic windows theme option. when i clicked that, the dot went away. i changed the background to black, click show desktop 2 times, and the dot isnt there....

so i put the theme back to win7 default, and the dot isnt there still. i restarted, still gone.

so something somewhere in the themes between win7 and classic windows got the dot to fix itself....

i hope this is a problem solved!

GoTTi · « **Reply #36 on:** October 28, 2009, 10:50:47 AM »

i spoke too soon!!! when i was done typing the last reply, and i closed IE, the dot was sitting there looking at me lol...and thats under win7 theme. i changed it to classic windows theme and the dot went away....

so porbably this issue is something to do with how the windows 7 themes load? this part of the theme world i know nada about too....so no clue where to look for these config's as to theme loading and styles

patio · « **Reply #37 on:** October 28, 2009, 11:22:37 AM »

Unlock Hidden Themes in Win7

Spoiler · « **Reply #38 on:** October 28, 2009, 11:30:40 AM »

Just wondering....have you tried to reseat the video card?

Just wondering if you a small pc of drity on a contact.

GoTTi · « **Reply #39 on:** October 28, 2009, 12:10:31 PM »

Quote from: Spoiler on October 28, 2009, 11:30:40 AM

Just wondering....have you tried to reseat the video card?

Just wondering if you a small pc of drity on a contact.

what??

GoTTi · « **Reply #40 on:** October 29, 2009, 12:57:20 AM »

did a restart and the white dot showed itself....went to the personalize settings and clicked on windows classic theme, and it went byebye...so annoyed with this.

azulyx · « **Reply #41 on:** October 30, 2009, 07:04:15 AM »

Hi All

You Can Also pick the Destop image , open it in PAINT and paint it for another color.

Then save and check if is still there.
Hope that Helps.

GoTTi · « **Reply #42 on:** October 30, 2009, 09:15:52 AM »

Quote from: azulyx on October 30, 2009, 07:04:15 AM

Hi All

You Can Also pick the Destop image , open it in PAINT and paint it for another color.

Then save and check if is still there.
Hope that Helps.

did that. didnt work.

juxta · « **Reply #43 on:** November 16, 2009, 03:18:52 AM »

I have a similar problem! White dot on top left corner.
http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=260&threadid=122104&enterthread=y
sys: WIN7, ATI RADEON HD 4730, BENQ G2020HDA, Phenom X3, AMD770.

GoTTi · « **Reply #44 on:** November 28, 2009, 10:16:59 PM »

wow finally someone with the same issue!

im still having the issue also, comes and goes...

jbehnke145 · « **Reply #45 on:** February 27, 2010, 07:34:25 PM »

I had the same problem and tried everything mentioned here including changing monitors. - I have AOL and what worked for me was to do the following:
Open AOL sign on screen
click on start up settings located at lower right hand corner
disable the "Fast Start"
Click on save
Good luck

killerb255 · « **Reply #46 on:** March 02, 2010, 06:25:31 PM »

Quote from: GoTTi on October 28, 2009, 12:10:31 PM

what??

Normally, that would be good advice for PCs with actual video cards.

Since you have a laptop:

Quote from: GoTTi on October 26, 2009, 10:15:30 AM

im on a laptop

...that's of limited use.

Then again, some laptops have what's called miniPCI video cards. If your laptop has such a thing, then it may be worth reseating it. You'll have to download the instructions for disassembling your laptop from the manufacturer's website and follow those if you're going to even get to the video card (and avoid losing a ton of screws in the process and not being able to get it reassembled).

However, if your laptop does NOT have a miniPCI video card, then the problem is either:
a) The motherboard
or
b) The VGA cable between the laptop's lid/LCD screen and the port on the motherboard that it connects to.

In either case, contact the manufacturer of the laptop. If it's under warranty, they should be able to replace the motherboard and/or cable. If not, then you're SOL.

jeffrockr · « **Reply #47 on:** October 21, 2011, 11:55:25 PM »

I got a temporary solution that will almost erase that annoying dot... just go to personnalize , window color, choose the preset color the one to the right on the 2nd row, which should be called ''icy or freeze'' in french its 'givre' , anyway pick that color, and activate the transparency , and your white dot will almost be almost invisible....

Hope this helps until they patch that problem out....

By the way, this had never hapened to me before tonight and it started after i installed my new nvidia drivers to the 280.26 version.. I should have kept my old drivers, but I was having an issue with a 'the display driver was not responding and was restarted' message....

since ati users have the same problems, i guess the its linked to something included in both nvidia and ati latest drivers...

CharlesWong · « **Reply #48 on:** March 11, 2012, 02:14:36 PM »

Hello all.
I know this is an old thread, but I was experiencing the same issue, white dot on my desktop, clicking show desktop also made it go away (until i did anything), and quickly found out after shutting down the "gametap" background application did the trick.

If you are still having this problem, are you, or someone that uses your computer by chance using gametap?

There are other programs known to do this, as I guess it's there way of letting you know that the processes is still running.
I find it quit annoying aswell tho.

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Author Topic: white dot on desktop? (Read 26839 times)

GoTTi

GoTTi

patio

GoTTi

Spoiler

Carbon Dudeoxide

GoTTi

JJ 3000

GoTTi

Salmon Trout

Tranc3r

billrich

GoTTi

Carbon Dudeoxide

Salmon Trout

Salmon Trout

patio

GoTTi

billrich

GoTTi

GoTTi

GoTTi

Carbon Dudeoxide

Salmon Trout

billrich

Geek-9pm

GoTTi

Karnac

Geek-9pm

Salmon Trout

GoTTi

Salmon Trout

GoTTi

Salmon Trout

Geek-9pm

GoTTi

GoTTi

patio

Spoiler

GoTTi

GoTTi

azulyx

GoTTi

juxta

GoTTi

jbehnke145

killerb255

jeffrockr

CharlesWong