Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2023 December 14

= December 14 =

Intel UHD Graphics 630 Random Quick Blackout
I am now using a pretty low end Windows 10 computer with:


 * Intel Core i3-8100 CPU @ 3.60GHz  3.60 GHz
 * 8 GB RAM (Kingston, 2400, DDR4, using only 1 slot)
 * Intel UHD Graphics 630
 * Windows 10

I used to have two monitors without any problems. One at 2560x1440, and another at 1920x1080 (2k, Full HD). I replaced them with a new one at 3840x2160 (4k) yesterday.

Whenever I am doing something probably overtaxing the RAM, my video blacks out for maybe 1 second and return to normal on its own. It's not really that bad. My computer is not freezing. It's like a blinking.

Say, I have opened more than 20 pages on my memory hog Google Chrome. Sometimes, Chrome causes blackouts when I am watching video. Many other applications cause the same problem. They all return to normal in 1 second.

Do I need to upgrade my RAM to maybe 16 GB (8+8) or more? I think it's an inexpensive and worthy upgrade whether or not it's going to fix my random blackout problem. -- Toytoy (talk) 02:47, 14 December 2023 (UTC)


 * I don't know for sure if adding more memory would solve your problem, but I consider 16GB the minimum these days. An additional 8GB is less than 20 US$.  Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 03:21, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
 * sounds like a graphics-card-issue not handling the new monitor. intel graphics chips are not the greatest.. 184.97.15.10 (talk) 04:07, 14 December 2023 (UTC)


 * I have come across this harmless glitch endlessly during 20 or more years of PC hardware troubleshooting. Has the blanking occurred since you changed the monitor, or was it happening before? Have you tried various lower resolutions? What are the exact specs of the new monitor? If you still have the old monitors, try re-attaching them and see if the blanking goes away. Try attaching the new monitor to another PC and see if it behaves in the same way. I would tend to suggest that your video drivers might be the problem. Win 10 makes it so much more tedious, but I would set a System Restore point and possibly investigate installing either the latest drivers or down-level (ie older) ones. I agree that having 16 GB is a good idea, but it's probably not the cause of your immediate difficulty. Best of luck. MinorProphet (talk) 15:37, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
 * In addition: if you do upgrade the memory, use a reliable supplier (eg Corsair, Kingston like you already have, Crucial): the manufacturer might recommend a matched pair of RAM sticks rather than just adding another another random 8 GB, or a single 16. The manual for your motherboard/PC should point you in the right direction. In any case I would wait until you have sorted out the graphics issue, there's no point in adding to your troubles. On the other hand, you never know... MinorProphet (talk) 15:53, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
 * You should probably check if the HDMI cable is good and supports the required HDMI standard. You can also check whether the connections in the HDMI ports are good as well e.g. they are not loose. Ruslik_ Zero 21:07, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Top tip. MinorProphet (talk) 05:50, 15 December 2023 (UTC)


 * Go to control panel and update drivers for the video/graphics and for the monitor. That might be the problem.  Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 03:08, 16 December 2023 (UTC)

www.cnn.com is blocked
I visit cnn.com and it shows the message
 * Browser Blocked
 * We apologize, but your web browser is configured in such a way that it is preventing this site from implementing required components that protect your privacy and allow you to view and change your privacy settings. This functionality is required for privacy legislation in your region.
 * We recommend you use a different browser or disable the “EasyList Cookie” filter from your “Content Filtering” settings (found under “Settings” -> “Shields” in the Brave Browser).

What is this talking about I do not understand. I am using Chrome browser. I do not know "the Brave Browser" and have no "Content Filtering" settings and no "Settings" -> "Shields". What can I do? Thank you. Hevesli (talk) 22:20, 14 December 2023 (UTC)


 * The Brave browser appears to really exist. As regards Easylist Cookies: In your current browser (Chrome) you may possibly be using an adblocker (eg AdBlock Plus, uBlock Origin etc.) which includes in its filters (usually configurable) a list of dubious websites, namely Easylist. I don't know if cnn.com is included in Easylist, but it's the sort of website which probably wants to bombard you with unwanted promotional content. But what Chrome is doing displaying messages as if from another browser, I have no idea. MinorProphet (talk) 06:10, 15 December 2023 (UTC)


 * What changed? Did you use to be able to access cnn.com properly? Is it only cnn.com? Or do you get the same thing from other sites? Have you installed any applications, extensions etc. recently? If you are using Windows, try a System Restore point from before it went wrong. MinorProphet (talk) 06:23, 15 December 2023 (UTC)
 * My guess is that you are using an adblocker as MinorProphet said and it applies rules against some cookie acceptance component that CNN would like to show you. Other people are having similar problems since about 11 days. Usually somebody reports this to UBlock Origin or EasyList and somebody devises a way to circumvent the CNN block. This happened two weeks ago. If updating your block lists in your blocker doesn't work, you may have to turn off EasyList/uBO – Cookie Notices and suffer CNN impositions. --Error (talk) 11:26, 15 December 2023 (UTC)
 * My Firefox is also blocked and I just updated the block lists in uBO, so it seems that either the fix didn't work or CNN circumvented. I don't see open issues in the EasyList tracker so you can open a new one or wait until somebody else does. Turning off Javascript for the CNN cover doesn't get me redirected, so it may offer some degree of access to you. --Error (talk) 11:35, 15 December 2023 (UTC)


 * Various sites have been taking a more aggressive stance against ad-blockers recently – I have been experiencing this on YouTube, for example – so it's likely that your problems arise from a combination of recent changes in the sites you visit and also upgrades to any ad-blocking or anti-malware apps you are running (which you might not even be aware of).
 * In the case of YouTube, I complied with their stipulations and began to disable both my ad-blockers before using the site (I just put up with the ads), but then I started to be blocked again. It turned out that one of my anti-malware apps, Malwarebytes, was now also carrying out adblocking (which I'm sure is a new development), so I now have to disable that to use YouTube as well. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.199.215.44 (talk) 18:24, 15 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Thank you. This problem was due to an extension called “I Don't Care About Cookies”. I had it installed much earlier, so something was changed by the CNN. Hevesli (talk) 19:53, 20 December 2023 (UTC)