After sign in, desktop keeps flashing on and off, on and off, cannot get anything to open

[Woofies]

After signing in to computer, it keeps flashing on and off, on and off, cannot even click on anything.  I hooked up laptop to monitor and it is working fine.  Rehooked up desktop and doing same thing.  Have rebooted, ran Systems Tests, nothing helps.

[mdklassen]

> I hooked up laptop to monitor and it is working fine. 

> Rehooked up [to] desktop and doing same thing. 

If you boot your desktop into "Safe Mode", where the monitor is being driven in "low-resolution" mode, does it still "flash"?

Does your monitor "flash" when hooked-up to some other desktop computer, e.g., a friend's system?

If not, then what "display-resolution" is being used, e.g,. 1024 by 800 by 60 Hertz ???

If you connect your friend's monitor to your computer, what "display-resolution" is active?  Any "flashing"?

+----------+----------------+---------------+

| testing  | other computer | your computer |

+----------+----------------+---------------+

| other    | (no flashing)  |     ?         |

| monitor  |                |               |

+----------+----------------+---------------+

| your     |     ?          |   (flashing)  |

| monitor  |                |               |

+----------+----------------+---------------+

It may be possible that your copy of Windows is trying to use a "high-resolution" setting that the monitor cannot process.

What "display-resolution" is your Windows trying to use?

[Woofies]

Unable to boot anything or click on anything as desktop keeps flashing on and off before I can get anything open.

[mdklassen]

> Unable to boot anything or click on anything as desktop keeps flashing on and off before I can get anything open.

OK.  Please run those tests, to fill-in that grid that I put into my posting.

[Woofies]

Hooked up 3 different monitors/tv's to this desktop.  Does the same thing on all of them.  I live in remote area, unable to use friend's computer.

[mdklassen]

> Does the same thing on all of them.

Then, it must be a "video" problem on your computer.

Your computer could either have an "add-in" video-card, or "integrated video" (part of the motherboard).

If the former, you need to replace that "add-in" video-card.

If the latter, when you add-in a video-card, the integrated "onboard" video-card will be disabled.

Move the video-cable from the "onboard" connector to the "add-in" connector.

[Woofies]

Don't know how to do any of that stuff.  Also last week my husband said some "Radeon Settings" kept trying to download to the desktop .  What is that?

[mdklassen]

> Don't know how to do any of that stuff. 

It's time to find a computer technophile (spouse? friend? computer repair technician) to do further trouble-shooting.

> Also last week my husband said some "Radeon Settings" kept trying to download to the desktop .  What is that?

The video-adapter in your computer is made by a company named 'AMD', and 'Radeon' is the model identifier.

Compare to 'FORD' making cars, and 'Focus' being one of their model-lines.

So, there is updated software from AMD for your Radeon video-adapter, which is being offered as a free download to your computer.