Input freeze problem

[Rumpy]

I have this very weird problem. Whenever I leave my computer for a certain amount of minutes (15 minutes for example), the screen goes blank as if i have the screensaver set to go blank. I don't even have a screensaver set. But here's the problem. When it goes blank, my monitor light blinks telling me i have no picture. Normally, I can just hit any keyboard key or move my trackball around and it will come back alive. But ever since a few weeks ago, it hasn't done that. It's just stopped responding to any input at all. So, the only solution is to reboot and I don't like doing that. It's really driving me nuts.

[captpete]

I was having a similar problem, the desktop would freeze, but not go dark. Nothing would work except to power off and back on. I also use a trackball (hmmm). And, also, this only happened if did nothing with the mouse or keyboard for several minutes. Using W2k. I reformatted and reinstalled, but it continued. Then it just stopped. Thankyou, Lord, for small graces.

[Rumpy]

I have Win98 SE and it just started doing this a few weeks ago.

[Rumpy]

Any more suggestions?

[NoCtrl]

Maybe you need to change your energy saving features.

[bigpoppasmooth]

don't forget to update your drivers too

[captpete]

The first thing I did was make sure my energy settings were disabled. I had seen problems with Advanced Power settings in the past. I also have surveyed and updated every possible driver I could. What was strange was that it seemed to get worse with time. Then it dissappeared. MBR virus? Looke for it with Norton and downloaded some other virus detection programs, but now the bug is gone. Hopefully permenantly. Have you ever heard of having to reboot Windows five times in a row to cure something? It seems I have heard that someplace and maybe that is what happened.