Display reduced to 16 colors, low screen resolution

L

Lynne

After removing an unfamiliar screensaver program, screen resolution is less
than 800 x 600 and 16 colors are the max available. Anyone know of something
to remedy this?
 
D

dadiOH

Lynne wrote:
> After removing an unfamiliar screensaver program, screen resolution
> is less than 800 x 600 and 16 colors are the max available. Anyone
> know of something to remedy this?


Reinstall your video driver(s)


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
P

PCR

Lynne wrote:
| After removing an unfamiliar screensaver program, screen resolution
| is less than 800 x 600 and 16 colors are the max available. Anyone
| know of something to remedy this?

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=127139
Troubleshooting Video Problems in Windows

"START, Run, MSConfig, Advanced button". If checked, then uncheck "VGA
640x480x16", & reboot.

"Control Panel, Display, Settings tab". Select as you wish from the
Colors dropdown menu & the Size slider.

If you move the Screen Area slider to 1024x768 there, possibly click the
Advanced button, & select Large fonts too— or there is a chance you end
up with tiny, unreadable fonts!

Try to get your colors/size at least twice that way. If it continues to
fail, you may need to reinstall your Monitor or Display Adapter...

For the Monitor...
(1) Boot to Safe Mode
(Hold F5 as you boot or CTRL for the Startup Menu)
(2) "START, Settings, Control Panel, System, Device Manager tab"
(3) Open the Monitors branch, & Remove all entries.

Perhaps, FIRST, even in Normal Mode, note what is installed
similar to below for the Adapter. That is...
(a) D-Clk the monitor there for Properties, Driver tab.
(b) Click the Update Driver button, then "Next".
(c) Bolt "Display a list...", & click "Next".
(d) Bolt "Show all hardware".
Examine the two panes to see what is currently installed.
That is likely what you wish to end up with, after step (4).

(4) Boot to Normal Mode.

Hopefully, it will be rediscovered & installed. Then, if still
necessary, here is the rigmarole of the Display Adapter...

.......Quote..........
The first thing to do is to remove the video adapter you have
installed. Right-click on the desktop choose "Properties" from the
drop-down menu select "Settings" click on the "Advanced" button and
click on "Adapter". An adapter is a program that tells Windows how to
deal with a specific video card. Make note of the adapter that is
currently installed. Then, change the adapter to "Standard Display
Adapter (VGA)" and restart the system.

[That is: Click "Change, Next, bolt 'Display a List...', Next, bolt
'Show all hardware', scroll left pane to top, select '(Standard display
types)', select 'Standard Display Adapter (VGA)' in right pane, click
'Next'"... PCR]

This will remove the current adapter and replace it with a generic VGA
adapter that works with all video cards. You will not like VGA because
it supports only 16 colors, but the purpose of installing it is to get
rid of whatever was there before.

Next, return to the adapter screen and install an adapter that matches
your video card. This may or may not be the adapter that you are
using now. Examine the materials you received with your computer to
see if they include a CD-ROM or floppy disk that contains the correct
video adapter. Or go to the Gateway website and see if they have an
adapter for you to download. Or check the website of the company that
made your video card.

Bill Starbuck (MVP)
.......End....of quote....

Also...
..........Quote................
To identify your video adapter correctly, download and run either the
Everest or Aida32 utility, available here:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads9.html

There are links to both the Personal and Enterprise versions of
AIDA32....I
suggest Enterprise:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Aida32_-_Enterprise_System_Information_d183.html

Everest Free Edition:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Free_Edition_d4181.html

AIDA32 is also available here:
http://aumha.org/freeware/freeware.php#aida32
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
.........EOQ....................

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
 
R

Ron Badour

When the correct screen resolution (screen area) or the right number of
colors are not available choices in display properties, settings tab, then
it is a good bet you do not have the right driver installed for your display
adapter. The display adapter in your PC is either a video card or a display
chipset on the motherboard.

If you received a CD or floppy disks with drivers along with your PC, see if
they contain a display adapter driver and install it using: control panel,
system, device manager, display adapter.

If you know what display adapter your PC has but you have no disks, use
www.google.com to track down the correct driver on the internet.

If you do not know what display adapter your PC uses, you can go to a MS-DOS
prompt and type: Debug and hit enter. The screen will display a
flashing prompt next to a - sign. Type: DC000:35 (DC000:50 may also work)
and hit enter. The name and possibly model of your display adapter should
appear on the right hand side of the screen. To quit Debug, type Q and hit
enter. If Debug is not helpful, you can try this program: Aida32 available
from: http://www.aumha.org/free.htm Your final option is to open the
computer case, look at where the monitor plugs into the back of the case and
then check that location inside the case. If there is a card there, you
have a video card and if there is a cable connected to the motherboard it is
on board graphics. Write down any information displayed on either the card
or the chipset on the motherboard. Then use www.google.com to search for
the information. Do not include all the data you found in one search
message--search on each piece individually. If you include all the
information at once, you might not get a hit.

I have found that a video card will generally have to be removed in order to
see the information. Be careful of static electricity as it can fry
components. Before touching anything in the computer case (the cord is
unplugged, right?), ground yourself to the case by touching it. Don't work
on carpeting since shuffling your feet on it can generate static electricity
after you grounded yourself. Remove the one screw that holds the card in
place and using a rocking motion (left to right and back), pull the card
straight out.

--
Regards

Ron Badour
MS MVP 1997 - 2008


"Lynne" <Lynne@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:30239AC1-ABAC-46E0-A7FD-AA5C5BAD8014@microsoft.com...
> After removing an unfamiliar screensaver program, screen resolution is
> less
> than 800 x 600 and 16 colors are the max available. Anyone know of
> something
> to remedy this?
 

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