This articles covers information for the following Dell S2x40 series monitors:
For help with video or display issues such as: no video or no display, blank or black screen, flickering, resolution or color issues, horizontal or vertical lines, etc. refer to an expanding section below.
Ensuring that your Dell monitor is setup properly - assembling the monitor stand and setting up the monitor ergonomically, connecting the cables and organizing them, will only help make the viewing experience the best it possibly can be.
The standard monitor stand is detached when the monitor is shipped from the factory. To learn more about attaching the standard monitor stand, refer to the Setting Up the Monitor section in the User's Guide of your Dell S2x40 Series monitor.
To learn how to setup any other stand with a monitor, refer to the respective stand setup guide for setup instructions.
Where you put your monitor is almost as important as what model you buy. The monitor should be directly in front of you, at an arm’s length away (between 20-40 inches from your eyes), with the top edge of the screen at eye level when you’re sitting comfortably. You may need to adjust your chair height or the height of the monitor to achieve this.
To connect your Dell S2x40 Series monitor to your PC:
To learn more about connecting your monitor to the PC, refer to the Dell knowledge-base article How do I connect a monitor to a PC?.
Use the buttons at the bottom of the monitor to access the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu of the monitor. To access the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu, press Button 3 (Figure 1) at the bottom of the monitor.
To learn more about how to use the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu, refer to the Operating Your Monitor section in the User's Guide of Dell S2x40 Series monitor.
Resetting a monitor to factory defaults can help resolve many video or display issues. To reset your Dell S2x40 Series monitor to factory default settings, follow these instructions:
If your Dell monitor has a blank or black screen, fuzzy or blurry image, flickering, distorted or any other screen abnormalities, running a diagnostic test will help determine if the Dell monitor is functioning normally. To learn more about diagnostic options on a Dell monitor, refer to the Dell knowledge-base article How do I run diagnostics on a Dell monitor?
It is always essential to isolate the monitor while troubleshooting your computer for the following scenarios:
Your Dell S2x40 Series Monitor provides a self-test feature check that allows you to check whether the monitor is functioning properly. If the monitor and computer are properly connected but the monitor screen remains dark, run the monitor self-test by performing the following steps:
Your Dell S2x40 Series monitor has a built-in diagnostic tool that helps to determine if the screen abnormality you are experiencing is a problem with the monitor or with the video card on your computer.
When you notice screen abnormalities like distortion, clarity, horizontal or vertical lines, color fade etc., it is always a good practise to isolate the monitor by running the Built-In Diagnostics.
During the LCD Monitor manufacturing process, it is not uncommon for one or more pixels to become fixed in an unchanging state which are hard to see and do not affect the display quality or usability. For more information, refer to the Dell knowledge-base article Dell LCD Monitor Pixel Guidelines.
This section provides information on troubleshooting steps that can help resolve the most common issues with the Dell S2x40 Series monitor. Alternatively, to learn more about troubleshooting common issues on Dell monitors, refer to the Dell knowledge-base article Troubleshooting Display or Video Issues on a Dell Monitor.
Common Problem | What User Experiences | Possible Solution |
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Screen Image Is Too Small | Image is centered on screen but does not fill the viewing area |
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Cannot Adjust the Monitor with the Buttons on the Front Panel | OSD menus do not appear on the screen |
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No Input Signal when User Controls Are Pressed | No picture, the LED is bright blue |
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The Picture Does Not Fill the Entire Screen | The picture does not fill the height or width of the screen |
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No Video - Power LED Off | No picture |
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No Video - Power LED On | No picture or no brightness. |
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Poor Focus | Picture is fuzzy, blurry or ghosting. |
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Shaky/Jittery Video | Wavy picture or fine movement. |
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Missing Pixels | LCD screen has spots. |
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Stuck-On/Off Pixels | LCD screen has bright spot. |
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Brightness Problems | Picture too dim or too bright. |
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Geometric Distortion | Screen not centered correctly. |
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Horizontal/Vertical Lines | Screen has one or more lines. |
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Synchronization Problems | Screen is scrambled or appears torn. |
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Safety-Related Issues | Visible signs of smoke or sparks. |
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Intermittent Problems | Monitor malfunctions on and off. |
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Missing Color | Picture does not have color. |
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Wrong Color | Picture color is not good. |
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Image Retention from a Static Image Left on the Monitor for a Long Period | Faint shadow from the static image appears on the screen. |
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Troubleshooting USB Issues | ||
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Specific Symptoms | What User Experiences | Possible Solution |
USB interface is not working | USB peripherals are not working |
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High-Speed USB 2.0 Interface Is Slow | High-Speed USB 2.0 peripherals are working slowly or not at all |
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To learn more about how to view or download the User Guides & Manuals for your Dell product, refer to the Dell knowledge-base article Manuals and Documentation for your Dell Product.
Using Windows Display Settings
In Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10:
Using Nvidia Control Panel
To change the resolution using the Nvidia Control Panel:
Using AMD Catalyst Control Center
To change the resolution using the AMD Catalyst Control Center:
To reset the Dell S2x40 Series Monitor to factory defaults, refer to the Reset to Factory Settings section of this article.
The Dell S2x40 Series monitor has two built-in diagnostics that are available:
To learn how to run a diagnostic test, refer to the Running Diagnostics on Dell S2x40 Series Monitor section of this Dell knowledge-base article.
The Troubleshooting section of this Dell knowledge-base article provides information on troubleshooting common issues with the Dell S2x40 Series monitor. The section has troubleshooting steps on how to resolve power issues, video issues, color or clarity issues, distortion issues, horizontal or vertical lines, brightness issues or pixel issues etc,.
To navigate the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu, use the buttons on the monitor. The monitor control buttons are usually on the right side , either on the side, front or bottom of the monitor. To access the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu, press Button 3 on the monitor.
For more information on using the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu and different menu options, refer to the Operating Your Monitor section in the User's Guide of your Dell S2x40 Series monitor.
. More information and support for your Dell monitor, laptop or tablet screen can be found on our Monitor Support site.